Cutting edge: the immunostimulatory activity of the lung surfactant protein-A involves Toll-like receptor 4

J Immunol. 2002 Jun 15;168(12):5989-92. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.168.12.5989.

Abstract

The collectin surfactant protein-A (SP-A) is involved in the innate host defense and the regulation of inflammatory processes in the lung. In this work we investigated the molecular mechanisms related to the immunostimulatory activity of SP-A using macrophages from C3H/HeJ mice, which carry an inactivating mutation in the Toll-like receptor (TLR)4 gene, and TLR4-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells. We demonstrate that SP-A-induced activation of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway and up-regulation of cytokine synthesis such as TNF-alpha and IL-10 are critically dependent on the TLR4 functional complex. These findings support the concept that TLR4 is a pattern recognition receptor that signals in response to both foreign pathogens and endogenous host mediators.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Bone Marrow Cells / immunology
  • Bone Marrow Cells / metabolism
  • CHO Cells
  • Cricetinae
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Drosophila Proteins*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • NF-kappa B / physiology
  • Proteolipids / physiology*
  • Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A
  • Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Proteins
  • Pulmonary Surfactants / physiology*
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction / immunology
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4
  • Toll-Like Receptors
  • U937 Cells

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Cytokines
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • NF-kappa B
  • Proteolipids
  • Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A
  • Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Proteins
  • Pulmonary Surfactants
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • TLR4 protein, human
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4
  • Toll-Like Receptors