1. Species-specific recognition of single-stranded RNA via toll-like receptor 7 and 8
- Author
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Heil, Florian, Hemmi, Hiroaki, Hochrein, Hubertus, Ampenberger, Franziska, Kirschning, Carsten, Akira, Shizuo, Lipford, Grayson, Wagner, Hermann, and Bauer, Stefan
- Subjects
HIV antibodies -- Chemical properties ,Science and technology ,Chemical properties - Abstract
Double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) serves as a danger signal associated with viral infection and leads to stimulation of innate immune cells. In contrast, the immunostimulatory potential of single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) is poorly understood and innate immune receptors for ssRNA are unknown. We report that guanosine (G)- and uridine (U)-rich ssRNA oligonucleotides derived from human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) stimulate dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages to secrete interferon-α and proinflammatory, as well as regulatory, cytokines. By using Toll-like receptor (TLR)-deficient mice and genetic complementation, we show that murine TLR7 and human TLR8 mediate species-specific recognition of GU-rich ssRNA. These data suggest that ssRNA represents a physiological ligand for TLR7 and TLRS., Dendritic cells (DC) are a heterogeneous cell population that bridge the innate and adaptive immune systems (1). In their immature form, DC take up and degrade pathogens or soluble antigens [...]
- Published
- 2004