MHC class II molecules enhance Toll-like receptor mediated innate immune responses.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules play crucial roles in immune activation by presenting foreign peptides to antigen-specific T helper cells and thereby inducing adaptive immune responses. Although adaptive immunity is a highly effective defense system, it takes several days to become fully operational and needs to be triggered by danger-signals generated during the preceding innate immune response. Here we show that MHC class II molecules synergize with Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and TLR4 in inducing an innate immune response.

Methodology/principal findings

We found that co-expression of MHC class II molecules and TLR2 or TLR4 in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells 293 leads to enhanced production of the anti-microbial peptide human-beta-def

SUBMITTER: Frei R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2808354 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature