Michael Misfeldt, PhD

Toll-like receptors (TLRs), a family of pattern recognition receptors of the innate immune system, have emerged as key upstream mediators of inflammation. Ligation of TLRs results in the production of cytokines, chemokines, antimicrobial molecules, and other immunomodulatory molecules that impact host responses. Our laboratory has shown that the TLR3 receptor, which recognizes double stranded RNA (dsRNA), is expressed and functional in the human endometrium. We have also shown that the expression of TLR3 in the human endometrium is cyclically regulated and the production of cytokines and chemokines uponTLR3 ligation could be regulated by the endometrial steroid hormones, E2 and P. Thus, the focus of the laboratory is to gain a better understanding of TLR3 signaling, TLR3 function, and the impact of steroid hormones on TLR3-driven responses in the human endometrium.