Toll-like Receptors in Multiple Sclerosis: from Immunobiology to Therapeutics

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system (CNS). The pathophysiology of MS is not completely understood, and it involves multiple immune mechanisms and pathways. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a significant role in modulating chemokine and cytokine secretion, which are critical to CNS autoimmunity and regulation. Recent studies claimed that modulating TLRs can be considered a revolutionary in immunotherapeutic approaches to treating MS. This manuscript will review the current evidence on the role of TLRs in the pathogenesis of MS. We will start by introducing TLRs and their function in the immune system. Then we will proceed to discuss the role of TLRs in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders, particularly the main goal of our study: MS. Then we will elucidate TLR pathways in MS to better illustrate a perspective for targeting TLRs as a therapeutic method for MS. Finally, we will elaborate on the possible role of TLRS in the treatment of MS.