Effect of toll-like receptor agonists on the formation of macrophage/foam cells upon acute peritonitis in mice.

We studied effects of zymosan, double-stranded RNA, LPS of E. coli and bacterial CpG DNA, agonists of toll-like receptor TLR2, TLR3, TLR4 and TLR9, respectively, on the formation of macrophage/foam cells 24 h after induction of acute peritonitis. Administration of agonists led to transformation of peritoneal macrophages into foam cells and significant activation of cell biosynthesis and increased the content of triglycerides and cholesterol esters in the absence of LDL and irrespective of the capacity of TLR agonists to stimulate neutrophil infiltration and TNF-α production in the peritoneal cavity.