Potential role of the TLR4/IRAK-4 signaling pathway in the pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis in mice.

Objective and design Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is potentially associated with acute pancreatitis (AP), but its exact role remains controversial. IL-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 (IRAK-4) is a common mediator of Toll-like receptors pathways, with an essential role in transducing downstream signals. This study investigates the potential role of the TLR4 pathway, in particular IRAK-4, in a murine model of AP.