BACKGROUND Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are essential in host defense against pathogens by virtue of their capacity to detect microbes and initiate the immune response. TLR2 is seen as the most important receptor for gram-positive bacteria, while TLR4 is regarded as the gram-negative TLR. Melioidosis is a severe infection caused by the gram-negative bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei, that is e...

The innate host response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) obtained from Porphyromonas gingivalis is unusual in that different studies have reported that it can be an agonist for Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) as well as an antagonist or agonist for TLR4. In this report it is shown that P. gingivalis LPS is highly heterogeneous, containing more lipid A species than previously described. In addition, pur...

In mammalian host cells staphylococcal peptidoglycan (PGN) is recognized by Nod2. Whether PGN is also recognized by TLR2 is disputed. Here we carried out PGN co-localization and stimulation studies with TLR2 and Nod2 in wild type and mutant host cells. To exclude contamination with lipoproteins, polymeric staphylococcal PGN (PGN(pol)) was isolated from Staphylococcus aureus Δlgt (lacking lipida...

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) persistence is a fundamental process in chronic HBV infection and a key factor in all related liver diseases; however, the mechanisms have yet to be elucidated. We studied the role of TLR2 in HBV persistence using a well-established HBV-carrier mouse model generated by hydrodynamically injecting a phospho-adeno-associated virus/HBV1.2 plasmid into mice. We found that a g...

BACKGROUND Reperfusion therapy for myocardial infarction is hampered by detrimental inflammatory responses partly via Toll-like receptor (TLR) activation. Targeting TLR signaling may optimize reperfusion therapy and enhance cell survival and heart function after myocardial infarction. Here, we evaluated the role of TLR2 as a therapeutic target using a novel monoclonal anti-TLR2 antibody. METH...

It is unclear whether Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 plays a role in post-ischemic myocardial inflammatory response and cardiac dysfunction in both males and females. Permanent ischemia was induced in male and female C57BL/6J (wild-type, WT) and TLR2 knockout (KO) mice. Infarct size and left ventricular (LV) function were analyzed at day 7. Myocardial levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (M...

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is an essential cytokine for the migration of monocytes into vessels, and is also involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In this study, we investigated the importance of janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and the function of the Akt and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) pathway in toll-like receptor (TLR2)-mediated MCP-1 expression. The TLR2 agonist, Pa...

We have previously reported that NF-kappa B and stimulating factor 1 elements within the proximal mouse Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) promoter region are required for the transcriptional activation of TLR2 expression following infection with Mycobacterium avium. In the present study, we found that a rapid increase in both DNase I sensitivity and restriction enzyme accessibility at the TLR2 promot...

Group B streptococcus (GBS) has been recognized as an ever-growing cause of serious invasive infections in nonpregnant adults, in particular, in association with severe underlying diseases. The most common manifestations include primary bacteremia, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, meningitis, peritonitis, and osteoarticular infections. Toll-like receptor-2 (TLR2) mediates host responses to ...

To test the hypothesis that combinatorial interference of toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and TLR4 is superior to isolated interference of TLR2 or TLR4 in stabilizing atherosclerotic plaques, lentiviruses carrying small interfering RNA of TLR2 or TLR4 were constructed and proved efficacious for knocking down mRNA and protein expression of TLR2 or TLR4 significantly in vitro. One hundred and fifty a...