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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:dateCreated
2007-11-5
pubmed:abstractText
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a group of pathogen-associated molecular pattern receptors, which play an important role in innate immune signaling in response to microbial infection. It has been demonstrated that TLRs are differentially up regulated in response to microbial infection and chronic inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. The expression of TLRs are markedly augmented in human atherosclerotic lesions and this occurs preferentially by endothelial cells and macrophages in areas infiltrated with inflammatory cells. Furthermore polymorphisms in the human gene encoding one TLR receptor (TLR4) which attenuates receptor signaling and diminishes the inflammatory response to gram-negative pathogens, is associated with low levels of certain circulating mediators of inflammation and a decreased risk for atherosclerosis in humans. Recent advances have established a fundamental role for inflammation in mediating all stages of atherosclerosis. However, the triggers that initiate and sustain the inflammatory process have not been definitively identified. Although definitive proof of a role of infection contributing to atherogenesis is lacking, multiple investigations have demonstrated that infectious agents evoke cellular and molecular changes supportive of such a role. Evidence in humans suggesting that periodontal infection predisposes to atherosclerosis is derived from studies demonstrating that the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis resides in the wall of atherosclerotic vessels and seroepidemiological studies demonstrating an association between pathogen-specific IgG antibodies and atherosclerosis. Our recent work with P. gingivalis has demonstrated the effectiveness of specific intervention strategies (immunization) in the prevention of pathogen-accelerated atherosclerosis. We have also established that the inflammatory signaling pathways that P. gingivalis utilizes is dependent on the cell type and this specificity clearly influences innate immune signaling in the context of local chronic inflammation versus distant chronic inflammation. We postulate that bacterial infection mediates inflammatory responses that involve specific innate immune pathways in defined host cells. Furthermore, these inflammatory responses can be correlated with atherosclerosis and ultimately thrombotic complications.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
1093-4715
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:volume
13
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
2041-59
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2008
pubmed:articleTitle
Engagement of specific innate immune signaling pathways during Porphyromonas gingivalis induced chronic inflammation and atherosclerosis.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, 650 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Review, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural