Oxidised phospholipid regulation of toll-like receptor signalling

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) serve to initiate inflammatory signalling in response to the detection of conserved microbial molecules or products of host tissue damage. Recent evidence suggests that TLR-signalling plays a considerable role in a number of inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis and arthritis. Agents which modulate TLR-signalling are, therefore, receiving interest in terms of their potential to modify inflammatory disease processes. One such family of molecules, the oxidised phospholipids (OxPLs), which are formed as a result of inflammatory events and accumulate at sites of chronic inflammation, have been shown to modulate TLR-signalling in both in vitro and in vivo systems. As the interaction between OxPLs and TLRs may play a significant role in chronic inflammatory disease processes, consideration is given in this review to the potential role of OxPLs in the regulation of TLR-signalling.