Reversal of thymic stromal lymphopoietin-induced airway inflammation through inhibition of Th2 responses

J Immunol. 2008 Nov 1;181(9):6557-62. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.181.9.6557.

Abstract

Lung-specific thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) expression is sufficient for the development of an asthma-like chronic airway inflammatory disease. However, the nature of the downstream pathways that regulate disease development are not known. In this study, we used IL-4- and Stat6-deficient mice to establish the role of Th2-type responses downstream of TSLP. IL-4 deficiency greatly reduced, but did not eliminate, TSLP-induced airway hyperresponsiveness, airway inflammation, eosinophilia, and goblet cell metaplasia, while Stat6 deficiency eliminated these asthma-like symptoms. We further demonstrate, using the chronic model of TSLP-mediated airway inflammation, that blockade of both IL-4 and IL-13 responses, through administration of an anti-IL-4R alpha mAb, reversed asthma-like symptoms, when given to mice with established disease. Collectively these data provide insight into the pathways engaged in TSLP-driven airway inflammation and demonstrate that simultaneous blockade of IL-4 and IL-13 can reverse established airway disease, suggesting that this may be an effective approach for the therapy of Th2-mediated inflammatory respiratory disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bronchial Hyperreactivity / immunology*
  • Bronchial Hyperreactivity / pathology
  • Bronchial Hyperreactivity / prevention & control*
  • Chronic Disease
  • Cytokines / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cytokines / physiology
  • Cytokines / toxicity*
  • Eosinophilia / genetics
  • Eosinophilia / immunology
  • Eosinophilia / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-13 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Interleukin-13 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-4 / deficiency
  • Interleukin-4 / genetics
  • Interleukin-4 / physiology
  • Interleukin-6 / deficiency
  • Interleukin-6 / genetics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Stromal Cells / immunology
  • Stromal Cells / metabolism
  • Stromal Cells / pathology
  • Th2 Cells / immunology*
  • Th2 Cells / metabolism
  • Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin
  • Thymus Gland / immunology*
  • Thymus Gland / metabolism
  • Thymus Gland / pathology*

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • IL4 protein, human
  • IL6 protein, human
  • Interleukin-13
  • Interleukin-6
  • Interleukin-4
  • Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin