Toll-Like Receptor 4 in Renal Transplant

Toll-like receptor 4 is a member of the cell surface pattern recognition receptors involved in pathogenesis of several infectious and autoimmune diseases. The wide range of Toll-like receptor 4 extrinsic and intrinsic ligands means that it has considerable ability to trigger infectious and sterile inflammation, the latter assumed to be the principal cause of ischemia-reperfusion injury. With the rising number of renal transplant procedures using deceased donors, in addition to prolonged ischemia time due to organ transport and consequently increased risk of ischemia-induced injuries, the prevention of detrimental immune responses and/or overcoming these after they initiate could be beneficial for graft survival. This review aims to summarize past and present studies conducted about the role of Toll-like receptor 4 in early and late phases of transplant, including gene expression and polymorphism evaluations.