Broad Expression of Toll-Like Receptors in the Human Central Nervous System

The family of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) plays a key role in controlling innate immune responses to a wide variety of pathogen-associated molecules. In this study we investigated expression of TLRs in vitro by purified human microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, and in vivo by immunohistochem...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology 2002-11, Vol.61 (11), p.1013-1021
Main Authors: BSIBSI, MALIKA, RAVID, RIVKA, GVERIC, DJORDJE, VAN NOORT, JOHANNES M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Astrocytes - immunology
Astrocytes - metabolism
Astrocytes - pathology
Biological and medical sciences
Cells, Cultured
Central Nervous System - immunology
Central Nervous System - metabolism
Central Nervous System - pathology
Central Nervous System Infections - immunology
Central Nervous System Infections - metabolism
Central Nervous System Infections - pathology
Drosophila Proteins
Encephalitis - immunology
Encephalitis - metabolism
Encephalitis - pathology
Female
Gene Expression Regulation - immunology
Humans
Immune System - immunology
Immune System - metabolism
Immunohistochemistry
Male
Medical sciences
Membrane Glycoproteins - genetics
Membrane Glycoproteins - immunology
Membrane Glycoproteins - metabolism
Microglia - immunology
Microglia - metabolism
Middle Aged
Multiple Sclerosis - immunology
Multiple Sclerosis - metabolism
Multiple Sclerosis - pathology
Multiple sclerosis and variants. Guillain barré syndrome and other inflammatory polyneuropathies. Leukoencephalitis
Neuroglia - immunology
Neuroglia - metabolism
Neurology
Oligodendroglia - immunology
Oligodendroglia - metabolism
Oligodendroglia - pathology
Receptors, Cell Surface - genetics
Receptors, Cell Surface - immunology
Receptors, Cell Surface - metabolism
RNA, Messenger - metabolism
Toll-Like Receptor 2
Toll-Like Receptor 3
Toll-Like Receptor 4
Toll-Like Receptors
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Summary:The family of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) plays a key role in controlling innate immune responses to a wide variety of pathogen-associated molecules. In this study we investigated expression of TLRs in vitro by purified human microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, and in vivo by immunohistochemical examination of brain and spinal cord sections. Cultured primary microglia were found to express mRNA encoding a wide range of different TLR family members while astrocytes and oligodendrocytes primarily express TLR2 and TLR3. Comparisons between microglia derived from a series of control subjects and neurodegenerative cases indicate distinct differences in levels of mRNA encoding the different TLRs in different microglia samples. Interestingly, expression of TLR proteins in cultured microglia as revealed by immunocytochemistry was restricted to intracellular vesicles, whereas in astrocytes they were exclusively localized on the cell surface. Finally, in vivo expression of TLR3 and TLR4 was examined by immunohistochemical analysis of brain and spinal cord sections from both control and multiple sclerosis brains, revealing enhanced expression of either TLR in inflamed CNS tissues. Together, our data reveal broad and regulated expression of TLRs both in vitro and in vivo by human glia cells.
ISSN:0022-3069
1554-6578
DOI:10.1093/jnen/61.11.1013