Bacterial remnants in chloroplast RNA induce immune responses via mouse TLR13 and human TLR7
Akiko Inujima, Keiichi Koizumi, Otoya Aoyama, Yutaka Hirose, Yoshiya Ikawa, Hideaki Shiraishi, Yoshimi Yamamura, Hiroaki Sakurai · 2026
Read Bacterial remnants in chloroplast RNA induce immune responses via mouse TLR13 and human TLR7 by Akiko Inujima, Keiichi Koizumi, Otoya Aoyama, Yutaka Hirose, Yoshiya Ikawa, Hideaki Shiraishi, Yoshimi Yamamura, Hiroaki Sakurai (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/PMC13645804.txt.
Description
Akiko Inujima and seven colleagues show in a 2026 study that RNA from plant chloroplasts can stir the mammalian immune system. Chloroplasts descend from ancient bacteria, so the team wondered whether their genetic material still carries bacteria-like alarm signals. Working with RNA from a small flowering plant, they used gene sequencing and cell reporter tests to hunt for active stretches. Mouse and human immune sensors were tested separately.
A short fifteen-letter stretch of chloroplast RNA switched on a mouse immune sensor known for detecting bacterial RNA. A longer human version of the signal worked through a different sensor, TLR7. The same short stretch turned up in radish, spinach, and broccoli chloroplasts. The authors suggest RNA in eaten greens might gently shape immune responses, much as helpful gut microbes do. The finding links plant biology with nutrition and immunity in an unexpected way.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Akiko Inujima, Keiichi Koizumi, Otoya Aoyama, Yutaka Hirose, Yoshiya Ikawa, Hideaki Shiraishi, Yoshimi Yamamura, Hiroaki Sakurai |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 55874 |
| LICENSE | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |