Unlocking Innate Immunity: Key Puzzle Piece Identified

Researchers at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) have unraveled the intricate interactions among different enzymes surrounding the innate immune receptor toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), which is crucial for our body’s defense against viruses.

Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), located in the dendritic cells of our immune system, plays a crucial role in our natural defense against viruses. TLR7 recognizes single-stranded viral and other foreign RNA and activates the release of inflammatory mediators. Dysfunctions of this receptor also play a key role in autoimmune diseases, making it all the more important to understand, and ideally modulate, the exact activation mechanism of TLR7.