TLR3 modulates immunopathology during a Schistosoma mansoni egg-driven Th2 response in the lung

Eur J Immunol. 2008 Dec;38(12):3436-49. doi: 10.1002/eji.200838629.

Abstract

We examined the role of TLR3 in Th2-driven pulmonary granulomatous disease, using wildtype (TLR3(+/+)) and TLR3 gene-deficient (TLR3(-/-)) mice in a well-established model of Schistosoma mansoni egg-induced pulmonary granuloma. The intravenous bolus injection of S. mansoni eggs into S. mansoni-sensitized TLR3(+/+) mice was associated with an increase in TLR3 transcript expression in alveolar macrophages and ex vivo spleen and lung cultures at day 8 after egg injection. Lungs from TLR3(-/-) mice showed an increase in granuloma size, greater collagen deposition around the granuloma, and increased Th2 cytokine and chemokine levels compared with similarly sensitized and challenged TLR3(+/+) mice. Macrophages from TLR3(-/-) mice exhibited an M2 phenotype characterized by increased arginase and CCL2 expression. Significantly greater numbers of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells were present in the lungs of TLR3(-/-) mice compared with TLR3(+/+) mice at day 8 after egg embolization. Cells derived from granulomatous lung and lung draining lymph nodes of TLR3(-/-) mice released significantly higher levels of IL-17 levels relative to TLR3(+/+) cells. Thus, our data suggest that TLR3 has a major regulatory role during a Th2-driven granulomatous response as its absence enhanced immunopathology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology
  • Lung Diseases / genetics
  • Lung Diseases / immunology*
  • Lung Diseases / metabolism
  • Lung Diseases / pathology*
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Ovum / immunology*
  • Phenotype
  • Schistosoma mansoni / immunology*
  • Schistosomiasis mansoni / genetics
  • Schistosomiasis mansoni / immunology*
  • Schistosomiasis mansoni / metabolism
  • Schistosomiasis mansoni / pathology
  • Spleen / immunology
  • Spleen / metabolism
  • Th1 Cells / immunology
  • Th1 Cells / metabolism
  • Th2 Cells / immunology*
  • Th2 Cells / metabolism
  • Toll-Like Receptor 3 / deficiency
  • Toll-Like Receptor 3 / genetics
  • Toll-Like Receptor 3 / immunology*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 3 / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic / genetics

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • TLR3 protein, mouse
  • Toll-Like Receptor 3