Mutations oversensitive toll-like receptors (IMAGE)

University of California - Berkeley

Mutations oversensitive toll-like receptors

Caption

Many autoimmune diseases, including lupus, have been linked to problems with the toll-like receptors (TLR) on immune cells, in particular the TLR7 and TLR8 receptors, which recognize the nucleic acids in RNA from invading viruses and bacteria. While TLRs are critical to mobilizing the body's immune defenses against these invaders, if they are out of tune, they can activate the immune system against the body's own nucleic acids, leading to painful symptoms. Researchers at UC Berkeley have shown that mutations in the UNC93B1 gene, which regulates TLRs, are associated with autoimmune symptoms in mice and humans.

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Victoria Rael and Gregory Barton, UC Berkeley

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