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. 2021 Dec 17;135(24):2729–2748. doi: 10.1042/CS20210790

Figure 3. Endotoxin causes inflammation and leaky gut through activation of NF-κB pathways.

Figure 3

Endotoxin (LPS) causes inflammation through the activation of NF-κB via TLR-4. LPS is detected by LPS-binding protein (LBP). LBP presents the LPS to cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14). CD14 then allows LPS to bind to TLR-4 and activate the NF-κB signalling pathway leading to increased release of inflammatory cytokines. NF-κB also increases transcription of MLCK, which decreases the transcription of tight junction proteins, causing the gut barrier to weaken and become leaky.