Toll-Like Receptors and Malaria – Sensing and Susceptibility

Emily M Eriksson, Natál

Abstract

Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs) are important mediators of the innate immune response to pathogens, including malaria. Of the ten human and twelve mouse TLRs, TLR2, TLR4, TLR7 and TLR9 are known to detect malarial antigens and induce anti-malarial immune responses. Multiple immune cell populations express TLRs, and much has been done to elucidate the TLR-mediated immune response to malaria infections, in particular the involvement of TLRs in severe malaria pathogenesis. Here we review the role TLRs play in parasite detection, immune response, and severe malaria, with a focus on recent findings. Furthermore, the use of TLR ligands as malarial vaccine adjuvants is discussed, as this could have great potential in improving efficacy of vaccine candidates