Toll样受体4与人体纤维化疾病的关系

Toll样受体4（TLR4）是脂多糖的天然受体，在调节急性炎症反应、细胞信号转导和细胞凋亡中起重要作用。在急性炎性反应和纤维化组织中TLR4表达增高，提示可能在组织的急性炎性反应，以及之后的纤维化过程中起重要作用。目前，TLR4在肝硬化、急性肺损伤和肺纤维化的发病机制以及治疗方面的研究取得了一定的进展，有望成为该类疾病治疗的新靶点。文章就TLR4在肝硬化和肺纤维化等疾病中的研究现状和发展前景作一综述。

Toll-like receptor 4 and human fibrotic diseases

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), the natural receptor of lipopolysaccharide(LPS), plays an important role in the regulation of acute inflammation, intracellular signal transduction and cell apoptosis. TLR4 over expresses in both acute inflammation and fibrotic tissues, which suggests that TLR4 may be essential in acute inflammation and subsequent fibrosis. Nowadays, some progress has been made in the exploration of TLR4 in pathogenesis and treatment of liver cirrhosis and pulmonary fibrosis. TLR4 may become a new target in the treatment of human fibrotic diseases including liver cirrhosis and pulmonary fibrosis. The research status of TLR4 in human fibrotic diseases and its future development are reviewed in this paper.