Thymic stromal lymphopoietin-dependent basophils promote Th2 cytokine responses following intestinal helminth infection

J Immunol. 2012 Nov 1;189(9):4371-8. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1200691. Epub 2012 Sep 28.

Abstract

CD4(+) Th2 cytokine responses promote the development of allergic inflammation and are critical for immunity to parasitic helminth infection. Recent studies highlighted that basophils can promote Th2 cytokine-mediated inflammation and that phenotypic and functional heterogeneity exists between classical IL-3-elicited basophils and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP)-elicited basophils. However, whether distinct basophil populations develop after helminth infection and their relative contributions to anti-helminth immune responses remain to be defined. After Trichinella spiralis infection of mice, we show that basophil responses are rapidly induced in multiple tissue compartments, including intestinal-draining lymph nodes. Trichinella-induced basophil responses were IL-3-IL-3R independent but critically dependent on TSLP-TSLPR interactions. Selective depletion of basophils after Trichinella infection impaired infection-induced CD4(+) Th2 cytokine responses, suggesting that TSLP-dependent basophils augment Th2 cytokine responses after helminth infection. The identification and functional classification of TSLP-dependent basophils in a helminth infection model, coupled with their recently described role in promoting atopic dermatitis, suggests that these cells may be a critical population in promoting Th2 cytokine-associated inflammation in a variety of inflammatory or infectious settings. Collectively, these data suggest that the TSLP-basophil pathway may represent a new target in the design of therapeutic intervention strategies to promote or limit Th2 cytokine-dependent immunity and inflammation.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Basophils / immunology*
  • Basophils / parasitology
  • Basophils / pathology
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis*
  • Cytokines / physiology
  • Inflammation / immunology
  • Inflammation / metabolism
  • Inflammation / parasitology
  • Intestinal Mucosa / immunology*
  • Intestinal Mucosa / parasitology
  • Intestinal Mucosa / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Stromal Cells / immunology
  • Stromal Cells / parasitology
  • Stromal Cells / pathology
  • Th2 Cells / immunology*
  • Th2 Cells / parasitology
  • Th2 Cells / pathology
  • Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin
  • Thymus Gland / immunology*
  • Thymus Gland / parasitology
  • Thymus Gland / pathology
  • Trichinella spiralis / immunology*
  • Trichinellosis / immunology*
  • Trichinellosis / metabolism
  • Trichinellosis / pathology

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin