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NOD ‐like receptors interfacing the immune and reproductive systems
Author(s) -
Van Gorp Hanne,
Kuchmiy Anna,
Van Hauwermeiren Filip,
Lamkanfi Mohamed
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the febs journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.981
H-Index - 204
eISSN - 1742-4658
pISSN - 1742-464X
DOI - 10.1111/febs.13014
Subject(s) - receptor , immune system , interfacing , nod , immune receptor , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , computer science , endocrinology , genetics , diabetes mellitus , computer hardware
Nucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain receptors ( NOD ‐like receptors, NLR s) are intracellular proteins that are chiefly known for their critical functions in inflammatory responses and host defense against microbial pathogens. Several NLR s have been demonstrated to assemble inflammasomes or to engage transcriptional signaling cascades that result in the production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines and bactericidal factors. In recent years, NLR s have also emerged as key regulators of early mammalian embryogenesis and reproduction. A subset of phylogenetically related NLR s represents a new class of maternal effect genes that are highly expressed in maturing oocytes and pre‐implantation embryos. Mutations in several of these NLR s have been linked to hereditary reproductive defects and imprinting diseases. In this review, we discuss the expression profiles, the emerging functions and molecular mode of action of these NLR s with newly recognized roles at the interfaces of the immune and reproductive systems. In addition, we provide an overview of coding mutations in NLR s that have been associated with human reproductive diseases, and outline crucial outstanding questions in this emerging research field.