Toll-like receptors in celiac disease

摘要

Toxic gluten peptides trigger an innate immune response in intestinal epithelium. One can speculate that a dysfunctional or inappropriate expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) at this location in celiac disease (CD) patients, could recognize gluten peptides as stressing signals. In this study we analyse the expression pattern of TLRs on different lymphoid subsets and enterocytes of small intestinal mucosa in CD patients at different clinical stages and in controls. We observed different pattern of expression through the different studied groups, emphasizing a lower expression of TLR2 in celiac disease and a higher expression of TLR3, 4, and 9 in these patients.