The Role of Toll-Like Receptors 3 and 9 in the Development of Autoimmune Diabetes in NOD Mice

• Published in: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Vol. 1150; no. 1; pp. 146 - 148
• Main Authors: Wong, F. Susan, Hu, Changyun, Zhang, Li, Du, Wei, Alexopoulou, Lena, Flavell, Richard A., Wen, Li
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.12.2008
• Subjects: Age Factors; Animals; autoimmunity; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - genetics; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - pathology; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; innate immunity; Mice; Mice, Inbred NOD; Mice, Knockout; TLR3; TLR9; Toll-Like Receptor 3 - genetics; Toll-Like Receptor 3 - physiology; Toll-Like Receptor 9 - genetics; Toll-Like Receptor 9 - physiology; type 1 diabetes
• ISSN: 0077-8923; 1749-6632; 1930-6547
• DOI: 10.1196/annals.1447.039

Innate immunity is mediated, at least in part, through a number of receptors known as Toll‐like receptors (TLRs), which are activated by different microbial stimuli. Adaptive immunity, including autoimmunity, follows the innate response in a more specific manner. To investigate the roles of TLR3 and TLR9 in the development of type 1 diabetes, we generated NOD mice that are deficient in TLR3 and 9, respectively. There was no obvious difference in the incidence of spontaneous diabetes between TLR3‐deficient mice and TLR3 heterozygous mice. However, TLR9‐deficient mice were markedly protected from the disease compared to TLR9 heterozygous mice. Our results suggest that different TLRs play a varying role in autoimmune diseases.