Investigation of the Mechanistic Roles of TLR2 and TLR9 in Gastric Cancer

This thesis investigates the mechanistic roles of TLR2 and TLR9 in gastric cancer (GC) which is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide and lacks effective treatment currently. Both genes are upregulated and play tumor-promoting roles in GC, but in different stages and with different mechanisms (TLR2 has a more prominent role in driving the growth of established tumors, while TLR9 promotes the earlier inflammation-associated initiating stages of GC). The data of this thesis reveal the complexity of these innate immune sensors’ contribution to the tumorigenesis of human cancer, and highlight their potential to serve as new therapeutic targets of GC.