The roles of NOD like receptors in inflammation are different between Japanese and Caucasian

Nucleotide binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs) are members of the innate immune system that recognize pathogens in the cytosol. We have previously revealed that multiple genetic variants of NOD1 and NOD2, components of NLRs, are associated with susceptibility to several granulomatous diseases. Notably, NOD2 loss-of-function and gain-of-function mutations showed susceptibility to Crohn's disease and Blau syndrome, respectively. Furthermore, we have revealed that impaired recognition of intracellular Propionibacterium acnes resulting from a polymorphism in the NOD1 gene is involved in the increased susceptibility of Sarcoidosis in a Japanese population. In this review, we examine the function of NOD1 and NOD2 in innate immunity, with a focus on their differing roles in disease pathogenesis between Japanese and Caucasian populations.