title: Toll-like receptors in ischaemia and its potential role in the pathophysiology of muscle damage in critical limb ischaemia.
abstract: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key receptors of the innate immune system which are expressed on immune and nonimmune cells. They are activated by both pathogen-associated molecular patterns and endogenous ligands. Activation of TLRs culminates in the release of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and apoptosis. Ischaemia and ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury are associated with significant inflammation and tissue damage. There is emerging evidence to suggest that TLRs are involved in mediating ischaemia-induced damage in several organs. Critical limb ischaemia (CLI) is the most severe form of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and is associated with skeletal muscle damage and tissue loss; however its pathophysiology is poorly understood. This paper will underline the evidence implicating TLRs in the pathophysiology of cerebral, renal, hepatic, myocardial, and skeletal muscle ischaemia and I/R injury and discuss preliminary data that alludes to the potential role of TLRs in the pathophysiology of skeletal muscle damage in CLI.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London, Royal Free Campus, London NW3 2QG, UK.
authors.forename: Hemanshu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Sidney G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shi-Wen
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: Daryll M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Janice C S
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tsui