| First Author | Knapp S | Year | 2004 |
| Journal | J Immunol | Volume | 172 |
| Issue | 5 | Pages | 3132-8 |
| PubMed ID | 14978119 | Mgi Jnum | J:88242 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3029814 | Doi | 10.4049/jimmunol.172.5.3132 |
| Citation | Knapp S, et al. (2004) Toll-like receptor 2 plays a role in the early inflammatory response to murine pneumococcal pneumonia but does not contribute to antibacterial defense. J Immunol 172(5):3132-8 |
| abstractText | Toll-like receptors (TLR) are crucial pattern recognition receptors in innate immunity. The importance of TLR2 in host defense against Gram-positive bacteria has been suggested by the fact that this receptor recognizes major Gram-positive cell wall components, such as peptidoglycan and lipoteichoic acid. To determine the role of TLR2 in pulmonary Gram-positive infection, we first established that TLR2 is indispensable for alveolar macrophage responsiveness toward Streptococcus pneumoniae. Nonetheless, TLR2 gene-deficient mice intranasally inoculated with S. pneumoniae at doses varying from nonlethal (with complete clearance of the infection) to lethal displayed only a modestly reduced inflammatory response in their lungs and an unaltered antibacterial defense when compared with normal wild-type mice. These data suggest that TLR2 plays a limited role in the innate immune response to pneumococcal pneumonia, and that additional pattern recognition receptors likely are involved in host defense against this common respiratory pathogen. |
