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DNA transportation authority

Nature Medicine volume 14, pages 1319–1320 (2008)Cite this article

The pattern-recognition receptors of the innate immune system, such as Toll-like receptors, bind specific repetitive components of microbes, including lipoproteins, lipopolysaccharides and nucleic acids. The location of some of these receptors in distinct subcellular compartments facilitates detection of intracellular pathogens but presumably precludes activation by self molecules that are structural homologs of microbial ligands. For example, Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) is located within endosomes and recognizes double-stranded DNA released from bacteria and viruses, which often infect or traffic through endosomes and phagolysosomes.

In a recent study, Lande et al.1 show how self DNA can move from an extracellular location directly to endosomes, resulting in activation of the innate immune system via TLR9. This activation may contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease but can also enhance host defense to infection.

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Figure 1: Transportation authority for nucleic acids.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Delphine J. Lee and Robert L. Modlin are in the Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, and Robert L. Modlin is also in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, 10833 Le Conte Avenue CHS 52-121, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA. rmodlin@mednet.ucla.edu,

    Delphine J Lee & Robert L Modlin

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  1. Delphine J Lee
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  2. Robert L Modlin
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Lee, D., Modlin, R. DNA transportation authority. Nat Med 14, 1319–1320 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1208-1319

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