Toll-like receptor levels and caffeine responsiveness in rat pups during perinatal period

Infants born prematurely are prone to bronchopulmonary dysplasia which is a devastating form of chronic lung disease that develops in very low birth weight infants. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pattern recognition receptors that initiate innate immune responses. We tested TLR2, 4, and 9 levels in the lungs of rat pups given caffeine at the first days of postnatal life. Twenty-four rat pups equally divided into three groups. The study group received caffeine immediately after birth for ten days. The levels of TLR9 were found significantly higher in study group than control groups. We conclude that the beneficial and anti-inflammatory effects of caffeine in the lungs of newborn rats may be due to increased TLR9 levels.