TLR4 and hypertensive disorder: TLR4 has been implicated in mediating chronic inflammatory diseases, including cardiovascular diseases.[3] TLR4 upregulation has been observed after myocardial infarction in the heart of mice[4] and it is also related to the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis.[5] TLR4 expression is augmented in cardiomyocytes from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), when compared with Wistar Kyoto rats, suggesting that this receptor may be implicated in the hypertension-associated end-organ damage.[6]