Figure 1

Mechanisms by which TLR signaling leads to mucosal inflammation. As stated in the text, there are two potential mechanisms by which TLR signaling can lead to the development of mucosal inflammation. (A) TLR activation in response to DAMPs (damage associated molecular patterns) and PAMPs (pathogen associated molecular patterns) on leukocytes leads to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, resulting in epithelial destruction. (B) TLR activation by DAMPs and PAMPs on the epithelium itself directly impairs epithelial function and initiates the release of cytokines, leading to the development of mucosal inflammation. The development of mucosal inflammation likely arises from a combination of these mechanisms.