title: Toll-like receptors: promising therapeutic targets for inflammatory diseases.
abstract: The health of living organisms is constantly challenged by bacterial and viral threats. The recognition of pathogenic microorganisms by diverse receptors triggers a variety of host defense mechanisms, leading to their eradication. Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which are type I transmembrane proteins, recognize specific signatures of the invading microbes and activate a cascade of downstream signals inducing the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and type I interferons. The TLR response not only counteracts the pathogens but also initiates and shapes the adaptive immune response. Under normal conditions, inflammation is downregulated after the removal of the pathogen and cellular debris. However, a dysfunctional TLR-mediated response maintains a chronic inflammatory state and leads to local and systemic deleterious effects in host cells and tissues. Such inappropriate TLR response has been attributed to the development and progression of multiple diseases such as cancer, autoimmune, and inflammatory diseases. In this review, we discuss the emerging role of TLRs in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases and how targeting of TLRs offers a promising therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of various inflammatory diseases. Additionally, we highlight a number of TLR-targeting agents that are in the developmental stage or in clinical trials.
authors: Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, 443-749, Korea.
authors: Asma
authors: A
authors: Achek
authors: Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, 443-749, Korea.
authors: Dhanusha
authors: D
authors: Yesudhas
authors: Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, 443-749, Korea. sangdunchoi@ajou.ac.kr.
authors: Sangdun
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5920-7848
authors: S
authors: Choi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
keywords: Antagonists; Clinical trials; Inflammation; Innate immunity; Toll-like receptors