Data from The Human <i>TLR</i> Innate Immune Gene Family Is Differentially Influenced by DNA Stress and <i>p53</i> Status in Cancer Cells

Abstract

<div>Abstract<p>The transcription factor p53 regulates genes associated with a wide range of functions, including the Toll-like receptor (<i>TLR</i>) set of innate immunity genes, suggesting that p53 also modulates the human immune response. The TLR family comprises membrane glycoproteins that recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP) and mediate innate immune responses, and TLR agonists are being used as adjuvants in cancer treatments. Here, we show that doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, and UV and ionizing radiation elicit changes in <i>TLR</i> expression that are cell line- and damage-specific. Specifically, treatment-induced expression changes led to increased downstream cytokine expression in response to ligand stimulation. The effect of DNA stressors on TLR expression was mainly mediated by p53, and several p53 cancer-associated mutants dramatically altered the pattern of <i>TLR</i> gene expression. In all cell lines tested, <i>TLR3</i> induction was p53-dependent, whereas induction of <i>TLR9</i>, the most stress-responsive family member, was less dependent on status of p53. In addition, each of the 10 members of the innate immune <i>TLR</i> gene family tested was differentially inducible. Our findings therefore show that the matrix of <i>p53</i> status, chromosome stress, and responsiveness of individual <i>TLRs</i> should be considered in TLR-based cancer therapies. <i>Cancer Res; 72(16); 3948–57. ©2012 AACR</i>.</p></div>