Sensing prokaryotic mRNA signifies microbial viability and promotes immunity

MyD88-independent signal transduction associated with Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 3 and TLR4 is mediated through the adapter protein TRIF (TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-beta). It has been proposed that TLR signalling is important for the transcription of crucial inflammasome components like NLRP3, a process that has been termed "priming". In order to test whether TRIF signalling was required for the priming of inflammasome components, we performed a genome wide transcriptional analysis on wild-type and Trif-knockout bone marrow derived macrophages (BMMs) before and 1, 3 and 6 hours after phagocytosis of E. coli. These results indicated that TRIF was involved in the activation and not transcriptional priming of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Bone marrow derived macrophages from WT and Trif knockout mice, stimulated with E.coli for up to 6hrs.