Toll‐like receptors 3, 7, and 9 in Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma ( JNA ) is a rare, benign tumor affecting adolescent males. The etiology of JNA as well as the causes determining the variable growth patterns of individual tumors remains unknown. Toll‐like receptors ( TLR s) are part of the innate immune response to microbes; by recognition of distinct features, they link to induction of pro‐inflammatory signaling pathways. We immunostained TLR 3, 7, and 9 in 27 JNA specimens of patients treated at the Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland, during the years 1970–2009. Results: TLR 3, 7, and 9 expressions were found in stromal and endothelial cells of JNA, and their expression levels varied from negative to very strong positive. TLR 3 expression was found to have a significant correlation with the clinical stage of JNA . Conclusions: The present results propose a putative role of TLR s in the growth process of JNA .