In a paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, Professor JS Malik Peiris, Chair Professor of Virology, and Dr Suki MY Lee, Research Assistant Professor at HKU-Pasteur Research Pole and Centre of Influenza Research, School of Public Health in collaboration with Professor Dong-yan Jin, Department of Biochemistry have provided the first evidence that Toll-like receptor (TLR) 10 plays a role as a novel innate immune sensor of viral infection. Influenza virus infection increased TLR10 expression and TLR10 contributed to innate immune sensing of viral infection leading to interferon and pro-inflammatory cytokine induction.

The research team said: “TLRs play key roles in innate immune recognition of pathogens leading to the activation of innate host defences and sometimes to immunopathology. However, one of the Toll-like receptors, TLR10 has so far remained an orphan receptor without a defined ligand and function. Our study provided insight on the function of TLR10. We are now working on identifying the ligand recognised by TLR10 which will provide therapeutic targets to activate protective host responses or, alternatively, suppress damaging inflammatory responses, which may help clinical management of patients and also provide options for novel vaccine adjuvants.”

For the details of the paper, please login with your HKU Portal account:
http://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.eproxy1.lib.hku.hk/pubmed/24567377