Allergic sensitization in early life through TLR7 activation (in mice)

Children hospitalized in early life with severe infections are significantly more likely to develop recurrent wheezing and asthma.

Mice sensitized to endotoxinlow ovalbumin (OVA) at birth in the presence of ssRNA or lipoteichoic acid, but not flagellin, showed an increase in:

- airway and tissue eosinophils
- mucus producing cells
- IL-13

TLR7 is an abbreviation for Toll-like receptor 7.

Mnemonic:

s
ssRNA
seven - TLR7


Pathogen Recognition Receptors, TLRs. This video is from: Janeway's Immunobiology, 7th Edition Murphy, Travers, & Walport. Source: Garland Science.

References:
Allergic sensitization is enhanced in early life through toll-like receptor 7 activation. Phipps, N. Hansbro, C. E. Lam, S. Y. Foo, K. I. Matthaei, P. S. Foster. Clinical & Experimental Allergy.
Toll-like receptors (TLRs)