Toll-like Receptor 3 Is a Therapeutic Target for Pulmonary Hypertension.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by vascular cell proliferation and endothelial cell apoptosis. TLR3 (Toll-like receptor 3) is a receptor for double-stranded RNA and has been recently implicated in vascular protection.

Objectives

To study the expression and role of TLR3 in PAH and to determine whether a TLR3 agonist reduces pulmonary hypertension in preclinical models.

Methods

Lung tissue and endothelial cells from patients with PAH were investigated by polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence, and apoptosis assays. TLR3^-/- and TLR3^+/+ mice were exposed to chronic hypoxia and SU5416. Chronic hypoxia or chronic hypoxia/SU5416 rats were treated with the TLR3 agonist polyinosinic/polycytidylic acid (Poly[I:C]).

SUBMITTER: Farkas D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6353001 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature