“…Targeting of TREM-1 expressed by neutrophils and monocytes with agonist monoclonal antibodies promotes the production of various inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-8, MCP-1, tumor necrosis factor ␣ (TNF␣), granulocytemacrophage colony-stimulating factor, and IL-1 (8,10,11). In addition, marked enhancement of TNF␣, IL-1, and MCP-1 production by monocytes incubated with agonist monoclonal antibodies occurs when LPS is added as a costimulant, indicating that TREM-1 can amplify inflammatory responses initiated by Toll-like receptors (TLRs) (8,10,11). Although natural ligands for TREM-1 remain to be identified, its pathophysiologic significance in acute inflammation has already been demonstrated in murine models of septic shock, in which competition for binding to TREM-1 by a recombinant TREM-1 fusion protein or synthetic soluble TREM-1 (sTREM-1) was shown to protect mice against lethal LPS challenge or bacterial sepsis (11,12).…”