title: Pharmacology and therapeutic potential of pattern recognition receptors.
abstract: Pharmacologists have used pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for decades as a stimulus for studying mediators involved in inflammation and for the screening of anti-inflammatory compounds. However, in the view of immunologists, LPS was too non-specific for studying the mechanisms of immune signalling in infection and inflammation, as no receptors had been identified. This changed in the late 1990s with the discovery of the Toll-like receptors. These 'pattern recognition receptors' (PRRs) were able to recognise highly conserved sequences, the so called pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) present in or on pathogens. This specificity of particular PAMPs and their newly defined receptors provided a common ground between pharmacologists and immunologists for the study of inflammation. PRRs also recognise endogenous agonists, the so called danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which can result in sterile inflammation. The signalling pathways and ligands of many PRRs have now been characterised and there is no doubt that this rich vein of research will aid the discovery of new therapeutics for infectious conditions and chronic inflammatory disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Pharmacology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Guy Scadding Building, Dovehouse Street, London SW3 6LY, United Kingdom. m.paul-clark@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Paul-Clark
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gatheral
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Parzych
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology*; D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition / Q000276:immunology*; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors