The Role of Toll-like Receptors 2 and 4 in the Foreign Body Response to Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogels

摘要

We demonstrate that macrophages cultured on fibronectin-coated PEGylated surfaces upregulate pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. These findings suggest that host proteins acting as DAMPs, possibly through their unfolded state, can lead to classical macrophage activation. Further, our data suggest that TLR2 and TLR4 contribute at least partially to the number of macrophages that are recruited to the surface of the implant and thus may plan a role in chronic inflammation. Further studies are underway to better understand the activation state of the macrophages within this inflammatory cell layer.