Impaired Toll-like receptor 8-mediated IL-6 and TNF-alpha production in antigen-presenting cells from patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia

Blood. 2007 Mar 15;109(6):2553-6. doi: 10.1182/blood-2006-07-037960. Epub 2006 Nov 7.

Abstract

The critical role of Bruton tyrosine kinase (Btk) in B cells has been documented by the block of B-cell development in X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA). Less is known about Btk function in myeloid cells. Several pieces of evidence indicate that Btk is a component of Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling. We analyzed whether Btk deficiency in XLA is associated with an impaired dendritic cell (DC) compartment or defective TLR signaling. We analyzed the expression of TLRs 1 to 9 on myeloid DCs generated from XLA patients and evaluated their response to activation by specific TLR agonists. We show that XLA patients have normal numbers of circulating DCs. Btk-deficient DCs have no defect in response to stimulation of TLRs 1/2, 2/6, 3, 4, and 5 but display a profound impairment of IL-6 and TNF-alpha production in response to stimulation by TLR-8 cognate agonist, ssRNA. These findings may provide an explanation for the susceptibility to enteroviral infections in XLA patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agammaglobulinemia / metabolism*
  • Antigen-Presenting Cells / metabolism*
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Dendritic Cells / cytology
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6 / biosynthesis*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 8 / agonists
  • Toll-Like Receptor 8 / genetics
  • Toll-Like Receptor 8 / metabolism*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / biosynthesis*

Substances

  • Interleukin-6
  • TLR8 protein, human
  • Toll-Like Receptor 8
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha