Toll-Like Receptor 3 Agonist, Polyinosinic-Polycytidylic Acid, Upregulates Carbonic Anhydrase II in Human Keratinocytes

The study from 2018 examined how toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists and cytokines affect carbonic anhydrase II (CA II) levels in human primary keratinocytes. It was discovered that the TLR3 agonist polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) significantly increased CA II expression at both mRNA and protein levels. Similarly, Th2 cytokines such as interleukins -4 and -13 also caused a significant rise in CA II expression. These results indicate that CA II might be involved in TLR3-mediated pathways and in the inflammatory response of skin conditions associated with Th2 cytokines. The study suggests that CA II could have roles in antiviral defense, wound healing, and skin regeneration, but it also acknowledges that the upregulation of CA II might be an indirect consequence of other cytokines activated by TLR3. Further research is necessary to clarify CA II's specific functions in skin health and disease.