Toll-like receptor 10 expression in chicken, cattle, pig, dog, and rat lungs

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are conserved immune receptors that play critical roles in innate immunity and are known as “gate keepers” of immune system. TLR10 is identified as type 1 plasma membrane protein but the identity of its ligand remains unclear. Till date, no data are available on tissue and cell specific expression of TLR10 in normal and inflamed lungs of domestic animal species, and rat, which is commonly used as a model to study human diseases. We characterized a commercially available TLR10 antibody for use in cattle, pig, dog, chicken, and rat. Western blotting of total lung protein extracts from cattle, dog, pig and chicken showed a band of 85-100 kDa, which is similar to the molecular weight of TLR10. The immuno-histochemical and immuno-electron microscopic data show TLR10 expression in vascular endothelium and smooth muscles in lungs of control and inflamed animals. Further, we found that expression of TLR10 in bovine neutrophils is altered upon treatment with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide. These data show TLR10 expression in the lungs of these mammalian species and that activation of bovine neutrophils alters the expression of TLR10.