Walter F. Herczyk

Donor polymorphisms in Toll-like receptor-4 influence the development of rejection after renal transplantation

Abstract:  Background:  Although innate immunity is crucial to host defense against pathogens, the extent to which innate immune mechanisms participate in the rejection of allogenic tissues in humans is unknown. We hypothesize that activation of innate immunity through Toll‐like receptors (TLRs) critically regulates the development of renal allograft rejection. We have recently demonstrated decreased acute rejection in lung transplant recipients heterozygous for either of two functional polymorphisms in TLR4 associated with endotoxin hyporesponsiveness. In the present investigation, we sought to evaluate the role of innate immune activation through TLR4, in either donor or recipient, upon the development of renal allograft rejection.