'Toll-like' receptoren en de betekenis voor de kliniek

– The recently-discovered class of toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an essential role in the complex defence system against microorganisms.

– TLRs are the first to detect potential pathogens, initiate immune responses and form the crucial link between the innate and acquired immune systems.

– TLRs also play an important role in the pathophysiology of infectious diseases, inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s disease and atherosclerosis, and possibly play a role in autoimmune diseases.

– Common polymorphisms in TLR genes are associated with predisposition to severe infections.

– Drugs that target the TLRs offer new opportunities for the development of therapeutics against a wide variety of diseases such as sepsis syndrome, asthma, inflammatory-bowel diseases and cancer.

– The first drug that works by modulating the TLR response has already been registered.

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 2005;149:1150-5