Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P06889 (Mol)
630,302 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Sepsis continues to be a common source of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) present in genes encoding inflammatory mediators have been associated with predisposition and outcome in this syndrome. The use of high throughput SNP analysis in large epidemiological studies is necessary to more fully understand the genetic underpinnings of this disease. We adapted template-directed dye-terminator incorporation with fluorescence polarization detection (TDI-FP) to the analysis of eight SNPs implicated in mediating the sepsis syndrome: TNF-alpha (-308), TNF-alpha (-238), TNF-beta (+250), IL-1beta (+3953), IL-6 (-174), IL-10 (-592), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1 (-675)), and TLR4 299 (+1032). Optimization of PCR, amplicon purification, and template-directed dye-terminator incorporation reactions were necessary to achieve acceptable performance characteristics for these assays. Sequence validated samples served as controls. Using this method we were able to assign genotype in 99.3% of assays and identified 64 unique genotypes in samples obtained from 90 individuals. TDI-FP is a flexible and robust method of SNP detection that can be optimized in a systematic fashion. This method has potential advantages compared with other high throughput genotyping techniques and appears well suited to clinical situations requiring analysis of large numbers of samples.
J Mol Diagn 2002 Nov
PMID:Template-directed dye-terminator incorporation with fluorescence polarization detection for analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms implicated in sepsis. 1241 88

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a powerful activator of the innate immune system. Exposure to LPS induces an inflammatory reaction in the lung mediated primarily by human blood monocytes and alveolar macrophages, which release an array of inflammatory chemokines and cytokines including IL-8, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6. The signaling mechanisms utilized by LPS to stimulate the release of cytokines and chemokines are still incompletely understood. Pretreatment with the protein tyrosine kinase-specific inhibitors genistein and herbimycin A effectively blocked LPS-induced NF-kappaB activation as well as IL-8 gene expression in human peripheral blood monocytes. However, when genistein was added 2 min after the addition of LPS, no inhibition was observed. Utilizing a coimmunoprecipitation assay, we further showed that LPS-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) may be involved in downstream signaling events induced by LPS. These findings provide evidence that LPS-induced NF-kappaB activation and IL-8 gene expression use a signaling pathway requiring protein tyrosine kinase and that such regulation may occur through tyrosine phosphorylation of TLR4.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2003 Apr
PMID:Involvement of protein tyrosine kinase in Toll-like receptor 4-mediated NF-kappa B activation in human peripheral blood monocytes. 1249 41

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are implicated in the intracellular killing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and their expression is modulated by interleukin-4 (IL-4) in vitro. Our aim was to examine the expression of TLRs at the site of pathology in tuberculous lung granulomas and to explore the effect of the immune response on TLR expression. Immunohistochemistry was performed on lung granulomas from nine patients with tuberculosis undergoing lobectomy for haemoptysis. All nine patients expressed all of the TLRs studied (TLRs 1-5 and 9), whereas only five out of the nine patients had any granulomas positive for IL-4. Statistical analysis of TLR and cytokine staining patterns in 183 individual granulomas from the nine patients revealed significant associations between pairs of receptors and IL-4. A positive association between TLR2 and TLR4 (P < 0.0001) and a negative association between TLR2 and IL-4 (P < 0.0001) was observed. The associations between TLRs 1, 5, and 9 were significantly different in IL-4-negative compared with IL-4-positive patients. In conclusion, TLRs are expressed by various cell types in the human tuberculous lung, and their expression patterns are reflected by differences in the immune response.
Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2003 Jul
PMID:Associations between toll-like receptors and interleukin-4 in the lungs of patients with tuberculosis. 1260 Aug 29

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) mediates the host response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by promoting the activation of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine genes. To activate each gene, numerous signal transduction pathways are required. The adaptor proteins MyD88 and TIRAP contribute to the activation of several and possibly all pathways via direct interactions with TLR4's Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R) (TIR) domain. However, additional adaptors that are required for the activation of specific subsets of pathways may exist, which could contribute to the differential regulation of target genes. Furthermore, it remains unknown whether direct interactions that have been reported between TIR domains and other proteins are required for TLR4 signaling. To address these issues, we systematically mutated the TLR4 TIR domain in the context of a CD4/TLR4 fusion protein. Several exposed residues defining at least two structural surfaces were required in macrophages for activation of the proinflammatory IL-12 p40 and anti-inflammatory IL-10 promoters, as well as promoters dependent on individual transcription factors. Interestingly, the same residues were required by all promoters tested, suggesting that the signaling pathways diverge downstream of the adaptors. The mutant phenotypes provide a framework for future studies of TLR4 signaling, as the interaction supported by each critical surface residue will need to be defined.
Mol Cell Biol 2003 Apr
PMID:Common interaction surfaces of the toll-like receptor 4 cytoplasmic domain stimulate multiple nuclear targets. 1264 Jan 35

Monocytes are important components of the innate immune response. The number of circulating monocytes is controlled in part by apoptosis. We have previously shown that monocyte apoptosis requires the activation of caspase-3, a central component of the apoptotic machinery, and that several stimulatory signals, including endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]), induce monocyte survival, by the inhibition of caspase-3. We hypothesized that the Th2 anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-4, may also influence monocyte life span by modulating the apoptotic cascade and the kinases known to be activated by LPS. Here, we show that the IL-4-dependent killing of LPS-treated monocytes reactivates the apoptotic cascade blocked by endotoxin, evidenced by the activity of the effector caspase-3 and the upstream caspases-8 and -9. IL-4 did not affect the activity of caspase-3 or the fragmentation of DNA in nonstimulated monocytes, suggesting that the induction of the apoptotic cascade by IL-4 is specific for stimulated monocytes. In addition, we show that the ability of IL-4 to induce apoptosis is associated with the dephosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase, but not with changes in TLR4 expression. Together, these findings suggest a molecular mechanism by which the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 modulates the life span of monocytes at least in part by an extracellular signal-regulated kinase-dependent pathway.
Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2003 Sep
PMID:Interleukin-4-induced apoptosis entails caspase activation and suppression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation. 1266 28

Higher animals establish host defense by orchestrating innate and adaptive immunity. This is mediated by professional antigen presenting cells, i.e. dendritic cells (DCs). DCs can incorporate pathogens, produce a variety of cytokines, maturate, and present pathogen-derived peptides to T cells, thereby inducing T cell activation and differentiation. These responses are triggered by microbial recognition through type I transmembrane proteins, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) on DCs. TLRs consist of ten members and each TLR is involved in recognizing a variety of microorganism-derived molecular structures. TLR ligands include cell wall components, proteins, nucleic acids, and synthetic chemical compounds, all of which can activate DCs as immune adjuvants. Each TLR can activate DCs in a similar, but distinct manner. For example, TLRs can be divided into subgroups according to their type I interferon (IFN) inducing ability. TLR2 cannot induce IFN-alpha or IFN-beta, but TLR4 can lead to IFN-beta production. Meanwhile, TLR3, TLR7, and TLR9 can induce both IFN-alpha and IFN-beta. Recent evidences suggest that cytoplamic adapters for TLRs are especially crucial for this functional heterogeneity. Clarifying how DC function is regulated by TLRs should provide us with critical information for manipulating the host defense against a variety of diseases.
Curr Mol Med 2003 Jun
PMID:Regulation of dendritic cell function through Toll-like receptors. 1277 92

The lung collectin surfactant protein A (SP-A) has both anti-inflammatory and prophagocytic activities. We and others previously showed that SP-A inhibits the macrophage production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha stimulated by the gram-negative bacterial component LPS. We propose that SP-A decreases the production of proinflammatory cytokines by alveolar macrophages via a CD14-independent mechanism. SP-A inhibited LPS-simulated TNF-alpha production in rat and mouse macrophages in the presence and absence of serum (72% and 42% inhibition, respectively). In addition, SP-A inhibited LPS-induced mRNA levels for TNF-alpha, IL-1 alpha, and IL-1 beta as well as NF-kappa B DNA binding activity. SP-A also diminished ultrapure LPS-stimulated TNF-alpha produced by wild-type and CD14-null mouse alveolar macrophages by 58% and 88%, respectively. Additionally, SP-A inhibited TNF-alpha stimulated by PMA in both wild-type and TLR4-mutant macrophages. These data suggest that SP-A inhibits inflammatory cytokine production in a CD14-independent manner and also by mechanisms independent of the LPS signaling pathway.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2004 Jan
PMID:Surfactant protein A inhibits alveolar macrophage cytokine production by CD14-independent pathway. 1295 32

Nod2 (CARD15) is a macrophage-specific protein containing two CARD domains, a large nucleotide binding domain and leucine-rich repeats. Human genetic studies have linked mutations in NOD2/CARD15 with Crohn's disease, although the mechanisms involved are unknown. However, Nod2 has been proposed to directly bind bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and subsequently act as an activator of NF-kappaB via the association of the CARD domains with Rip2/RICK/CARDIAK. This is hypothesized to constitute a pathogen recognition pathway distinct from Toll-like receptor 4-mediated recognition of LPS. Using targeted mutagenesis, we introduced a mutation to delete the CARD domains of mouse Nod2. Mice lacking Nod2 were indistinguishable from controls and showed no signs of intestinal pathology. Macrophages responded normally to multiple Toll-like receptor agonists in terms of NF-kappaB target activation, mitogen-activated protein kinase activation, and cytokine secretion. However, Nod2(-/-) mice were significantly protected in endotoxin challenge experiments, and Nod2(-/-) macrophages were refractory to muramyl dipeptide stimulation. These results argue that Nod2 does not play an essential, nonredundant role in the response of macrophages to bacterial products but rather plays unexpected roles in regulating systemic responses to pathogens.
Mol Cell Biol 2003 Nov
PMID:Role of nod2 in the response of macrophages to toll-like receptor agonists. 1456 1

We previously demonstrated that an attenuated strain of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, engineered to express IL-2 (strain GIDIL2), is cleared more rapidly than its parental, non-cytokine-expressing, strain (designated BRD509) from the reticuloendothelial system of susceptible BALB/c mice. This early clearance correlated with the induction of a strong innate immune response within a few hours of administration of GIDIL2 organisms. In the present study, we wished to assess the contribution of LPS recognition to GIDIL2-induced immune responses using Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) mutant C3H/HeJ mice. In contrast to LPS responder mice, both BRD509 and GIDIL2 strains persisted at higher levels in LPS non-responder animals. However, the GIDIL2 bacterial loads in the peritoneal cavity and spleen, recovered over a period of 21 days post infection, were consistently lower than the corresponding CFUs of the BRD509 strain. Direct evidence for the induction of innate immunity was shown by demonstrating increased NK cell cytotoxicity, NOS2 gene expression, and nitric oxide synthesis by peritoneal cells obtained as early as 2h after infection with GIDIL2, but not BRD509, organisms. Unlike BALB/c mice, however, these responses failed to afford any protection against virulent challenge in C3H/HeJ mice. Taken together, our data demonstrate that despite the induction of innate immune responses by IL2-expressing organisms, this was not sufficient to induce protection in TLR4 mutant mice.
Mol Immunol 2004 Jan
PMID:Activation of innate immune responses by IL-2-expressing Salmonella typhimurium is independent of Toll-like receptor 4. 1464 93

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) mediate cellular responses to diverse microbial ligands. The distribution and function of TLRs in airway cells were studied to identify which are available to signal the presence of inhaled pathogens and to establish if differences in TLR expression are associated with the increased proinflammatory responses seen in cystic fibrosis (CF). Isogenic, polarized CF and control bronchial epithelial cell lines, human airway cells in primary culture, and cftr null and wild-type mice were compared. TLRs 1-10, MD2, and MyD88 were expressed in CF and normal cells. Only TLR2 transcription was modestly increased in CF as compared with normal epithelial cells following bacterial stimulation. TLR2 was predominantly at the apical surface of airway cells and was mobilized to cell surface in response to bacteria. TLR4 was present in a more basolateral distribution in airway cells, but appeared to have a limited role in epithelial responses. Lipopolysaccharide failed to activate nuclear factor-kappaB in these cells, and TLR2 dominant negative but not TLR4 dominant negative mutants inhibited activation by both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Increased availability of TLR2 at the apical surfaces of CF epithelial cells is consistent with the increased proinflammatory responses seen in CF airways and suggests a selective participation of TLRs in the airway mucosa.
Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2004 Jun
PMID:Toll-like receptors in normal and cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells. 1465 45


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