Biological role of Toll-like receptor-4 in the brain

Teresa Trotta; Chiara Porro; Rosa Calvello; Maria Antonietta Panaro

doi:10.1016/j.jneuroim.2014.01.014

Biological role of Toll-like receptor-4 in the brain

J Neuroimmunol. 2014 Mar 15;268(1-2):1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2014.01.014. Epub 2014 Feb 4.

Authors

Teresa Trotta¹, Chiara Porro², Rosa Calvello³, Maria Antonietta Panaro³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy. Electronic address: teresa.trotta@unifg.it.
² Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
³ Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.

PMID: 24529856
DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2014.01.014

Abstract

The Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of microbe-sensing receptors that play a central role in the regulation of the host immune system. TLR4 has been described in the brain and seems to regulate some physiological processes, such as neurogenesis. TLR4 has also been reported to play a role during neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. This review is focused on reports concerning recent insights into the role and activation mechanisms of TLR4 in the brain, in pathological and physiological conditions, as well as the therapeutic benefit that could derive from TLR4 modulation.

Keywords: Alzheimer; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Inflammation; Multiple sclerosis; Parkinson; TLR-4.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Brain / metabolism*
Humans
Neurodegenerative Diseases / metabolism*
Toll-Like Receptor 4 / metabolism*

Substances

Toll-Like Receptor 4