Authored: Jupe, S, 2010-04-22 The innate immune system is the first line of defense against invading microorganisms, a broad specificity response characterized by the recruitment and activation of phagocytes and the release of anti-bacterial peptides. The receptors involved recognize conserved molecules present in microbes called pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), and/or molecules that are produced as a result of tissue injury, the damage associated molecular pattern molecules (DAMPs). PAMPs are essential to the pathogen and therefore unlikely to vary. Examples are lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycans (PGNs) and viral RNA. DAMPs include intracellular proteins, such as heat-shock proteins and extracellular matrix proteins released by tissue injury, such as hyaluronan fragments. Non-protein DAMPs include ATP, uric acid, heparin sulfate and dsDNA. The receptors for these factors are referred to collectively as pathogen- or pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs). The best studied of these are the membrane-associated Toll-like receptor family. Less well studied but more numerous are the intracellular nucleotide-binding domain, leucine rich repeat containing receptors (NLRs) also called nucleotide binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors, a family with over 20 members in humans and over 30 in mice. These recognise PAMPs/DAMPs from phagocytosed microorganisms or from intracellular infections (Kobayashi et al. 2003, Proell et al. 2008, Wilmanski et al. 2008). Some NLRs are involved in process unrelated to pathogen detection such as tissue homeostasis, apoptosis, graft-versus-host disease and early development (Kufer & Sansonetti 2011). <br><br><br>Structurally NLRs can be subdivided into the caspase-recruitment domain (CARD)-containing NLRCs (NODs) and the pyrin domain (PYD)-containing NLRPs (NALPs), plus outliers including ice protease (caspase-1) activating factor (IPAF) (Martinon & Tschopp, 2005). In practical terms, NLRs can be divided into the relatively well characterized NOD1/2 which signal via RIP2 primarily to NFkappaB, and the remainder, some of which participate in macromolecular structures called Inflammasomes that activate caspases. Mutations in several members of the NLR protein family have been linked to inflammatory diseases, suggesting these molecules play important roles in maintaining host-pathogen interactions and inflammatory responses.<br><br><br>Most NLRs have a tripartite structure consisting of a variable amino-terminal domain, a central nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD or NACHT) that is believed to mediate the formation of self oligomers, and a carboxy-terminal leucine-rich repeat (LRR) that detects PAMPs/DAMPs. In most cases the amino-terminal domain includes protein-interaction modules, such as CARD or PYD, some harbour baculovirus inhibitor repeat (BIR) or other domains. For most characterised NLRs these domains have been attributed to downstream signaling<br><br>Under resting conditions, NLRs are thought to be present in an autorepressed form, with the LRR folded back onto the NACHT domain preventing oligomerization. Accessory proteins may help maintain the inactive state. PAMP/DAMP exposure is thought to triggers conformational changes that expose the NACHT domain enabling oligomerization and recruitment of effectors, though it should be noted that due to the lack of availability of structural data, the mechanistic details of NLR activation remain largely elusive.<br><br>New terminology for NOD-like receptors was adopted by the Human Genome Organization (HUGO) in 2008 to standardize the nomenclature of NLRs. The acronym NLR, once standing for NOD-like receptor, now is an abbreviation of 'nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat containing' protein. The term NOD-like receptor is officially outdated and replaced by NLRC where the C refers to the CARD domain. However the official gene symbols for NOD1 and NOD2 still contain NOD and this general term is still widely used. Edited: Jupe, S, 2011-04-28 Reviewed: Wong, Edmond, 2011-06-06 Reviewed: Kufer, TA, 2011-04-28 Reviewed: Rittinger, K, 2011-06-06

http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/HINO_0022295

Authored: Jupe, S, 2010-04-22

The innate immune system is the first line of defense against invading microorganisms, a broad specificity response characterized by the recruitment and activation of phagocytes and the release of anti-bacterial peptides. The receptors involved recognize conserved molecules present in microbes called pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), and/or molecules that are produced as a result of tissue injury, the damage associated molecular pattern molecules (DAMPs). PAMPs are essential to the pathogen and therefore unlikely to vary. Examples are lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycans (PGNs) and viral RNA. DAMPs include intracellular proteins, such as heat-shock proteins and extracellular matrix proteins released by tissue injury, such as hyaluronan fragments. Non-protein DAMPs include ATP, uric acid, heparin sulfate and dsDNA. The receptors for these factors are referred to collectively as pathogen- or pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs). The best studied of these are the membrane-associated Toll-like receptor family. Less well studied but more numerous are the intracellular nucleotide-binding domain, leucine rich repeat containing receptors (NLRs) also called nucleotide binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors, a family with over 20 members in humans and over 30 in mice. These recognise PAMPs/DAMPs from phagocytosed microorganisms or from intracellular infections (Kobayashi et al. 2003, Proell et al. 2008, Wilmanski et al. 2008). Some NLRs are involved in process unrelated to pathogen detection such as tissue homeostasis, apoptosis, graft-versus-host disease and early development (Kufer & Sansonetti 2011).


Structurally NLRs can be subdivided into the caspase-recruitment domain (CARD)-containing NLRCs (NODs) and the pyrin domain (PYD)-containing NLRPs (NALPs), plus outliers including ice protease (caspase-1) activating factor (IPAF) (Martinon & Tschopp, 2005). In practical terms, NLRs can be divided into the relatively well characterized NOD1/2 which signal via RIP2 primarily to NFkappaB, and the remainder, some of which participate in macromolecular structures called Inflammasomes that activate caspases. Mutations in several members of the NLR protein family have been linked to inflammatory diseases, suggesting these molecules play important roles in maintaining host-pathogen interactions and inflammatory responses.


Most NLRs have a tripartite structure consisting of a variable amino-terminal domain, a central nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD or NACHT) that is believed to mediate the formation of self oligomers, and a carboxy-terminal leucine-rich repeat (LRR) that detects PAMPs/DAMPs. In most cases the amino-terminal domain includes protein-interaction modules, such as CARD or PYD, some harbour baculovirus inhibitor repeat (BIR) or other domains. For most characterised NLRs these domains have been attributed to downstream signaling

Under resting conditions, NLRs are thought to be present in an autorepressed form, with the LRR folded back onto the NACHT domain preventing oligomerization. Accessory proteins may help maintain the inactive state. PAMP/DAMP exposure is thought to triggers conformational changes that expose the NACHT domain enabling oligomerization and recruitment of effectors, though it should be noted that due to the lack of availability of structural data, the mechanistic details of NLR activation remain largely elusive.

New terminology for NOD-like receptors was adopted by the Human Genome Organization (HUGO) in 2008 to standardize the nomenclature of NLRs. The acronym NLR, once standing for NOD-like receptor, now is an abbreviation of 'nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat containing' protein. The term NOD-like receptor is officially outdated and replaced by NLRC where the C refers to the CARD domain. However the official gene symbols for NOD1 and NOD2 still contain NOD and this general term is still widely used.

Edited: Jupe, S, 2011-04-28

Reviewed: Wong, Edmond, 2011-06-06

Reviewed: Kufer, TA, 2011-04-28

Reviewed: Rittinger, K, 2011-06-06

Pubmed18446235

Reactome, http://www.reactome.org

Pubmed12830145

Pubmed17875812

Pubmed15967716

Pubmed18928408

Pubmed21245903

Nucleotide-binding domain, leucine rich repeat containing receptor (NLR) signaling pathways

http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/NCBITaxon_9606

HINO:0022295

Nucleotide-binding domain, leucine rich repeat containing receptor (NLR) signaling pathways

ReactomeREACT_75913

Reactome Database ID Release 43168643

GENE ONTOLOGYGO:0035872

http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/INO_0000021

http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/HINO_0022297

http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/HINO_0022301