Neuroscience
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We have examined the functional expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in adult male rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells in culture by studying changes in pro-inflammatory cytokines and cyclooxygenase (COX)-dependent prostanoid production. In the mixed population of DRG neurons and glial cells, only DRG neurons expressed cell surface TLR4 along with MD-2 and CD14. This classical TLR4 signaling complex on DRG neurons responded to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with a TLR4-dependent and time-dependent increase in interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA expression which was entirely dependent on NF-κB activity. ⋯ LPS surprisingly produced a time-dependent decrease in COX-1 protein which likely facilitates the COX-2-dependent production of prostaglandin E2 and prostacyclin. Our study is the first to demonstrate the activation of TLR4-dependent production of prostaglandin E2 and prostacyclin in DRG cell cultures. Our findings support the concept that the activation of TLR4 on primary sensory neurons by endogenous ligands may underlie neuropathic and inflammatory pain states.