InvivoGen provides a comprehensive collection of PAMPs and DAMPs.
Pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) are small molecular motifs conserved within a class of microbes, but not present in the host. Damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) are endogenous molecules released by stressed, damaged, or dying cells. PAMPs signal infection while DAMPs signal cellular injury.
PAMPs and DAMPs are recognized by host’s pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which initiate signaling cascades, leading to the activation of transcription factors, mainly NF-κB and IRF, promoting diverse innate immune responses to fight infection or trigger tissue repair.
PRRs are classified into several main families:
- Toll-like receptors (TLRs) – Sensors of extracellular or endosomal PAMPs
- NOD-like receptors (NLRs) – Cytosolic sensors of bacterial peptidoglycan fragments; some NLRs are involved in the formation of pro-inflammatory complexes called inflammasomes.
- RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) – Cytosolic sensors of viral double-stranded RNA
- C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) – Extracellular sensors of carbohydrate structures from fungi and some bacteria.
- Cytosolic DNA sensors (CDSs) – Various sensors including cGAS, which signals via STING
- Other specialized senors – Examples include AhR and ALPK1–TIFA, sensors of bacterial metabolites
InvivoGen provides ligands for all these families, that are either natural or synthetic. Some of these ligands are labeled, activate several PRRs, or can be conjugated to an antibody or antigenic peptide/protein. We also offer molecules known to activate NF-κB, and other transcription factors, in a PRR-independent manner.
