Regulatory molecules required for nucleotide‐sensing Toll‐like receptors

Summary: Toll‐like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in innate immune responses against bacteria and viruses. TLRs localize either on the cell surface or in intracellular vesicular compartments. The cell‐surface TLRs, including TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, and TLR6, recognize microbial membrane lipids, whereas TLR3, TLR7, TLR8, and TLR9 recognize pathogen‐derived nucleotides in intracellular compartments. TLR7 and TLR9 respond to host‐derived nucleotides as well, and they have been implicated in a variety of autoimmune diseases. Safety mechanisms are required to avoid detrimental autoimmune responses. TLR7 and TLR9 are sequestered in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in a resting state and traffic to endolysosomes upon ligand‐induced stimulation. Sequestration in the ER is a mechanism controlling TLR7/9 responses. A chaperone, gp96, in the ER is reported to regulate TLR7/9 maturation. gp96 is associated with TLR9 and is required for ligand‐induced activation of TLR7/9. Two molecules in the ER are reported to regulate TLR7/9 trafficking to endolysosomes. PRAT4A (a protein associated with TLR4 A) is associated with TLR9 and is required for ligand‐induced trafficking of TLR9 to endolysosomes. UNC93B1 is specifically associated with TLR3, TLR7, TLR9, and TLR13 and regulates ligand‐induced trafficking of TLR7 and TLR9 from the ER to endolysosomes. These molecules are potential therapeutic targets for controlling dysregulated TLR7/9 responses in autoimmune diseases.