MBD2 Regulates Th17 Cell Differentiation and Experimental Severe Asthma by Affecting IRF4 Expression

Mediators Inflamm. 2017:2017:6249685. doi: 10.1155/2017/6249685. Epub 2017 Jul 20.

Abstract

Th17 cells and IL-17 participate in airway neutrophil infiltration characteristics in the pathogenesis of severe asthma. Methyl-CpG binding domain protein 2 (MBD2) expression increased in CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood samples of asthma patients. However, little is known about that epigenetic regulation of MBD2 in both immunological pathogenesis of experimental severe asthma and CD4+ T cell differentiation. Here, we established a neutrophil-predominant severe asthma model, which was characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), BALF neutrophil granulocyte (NEU) increase, higher NEU and IL-17 protein levels, and more Th17 cell differentiation. In the model, MBD2 and IRF4 protein expression increased in the lung and spleen cells. Under overexpression or silencing of the MBD2 and IRF4 gene, the differentiation of Th17 cells and IL-17 secretion showed positive changes. IRF4 protein expression showed a positive change with overexpression or silencing of the MBD2 gene, whereas there was no significant difference in the expression of MBD2 under overexpression or silencing of the IRF4 gene. These data provide novel insights into epigenetic regulation of severe asthma.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Asthma / metabolism*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Interferon Regulatory Factors / genetics
  • Interferon Regulatory Factors / metabolism*
  • Interleukin-17 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-4 / metabolism
  • Lung / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism
  • Th17 Cells / metabolism*

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Interferon Regulatory Factors
  • Interleukin-17
  • MBD2 protein
  • Mbd2 protein, mouse
  • interferon regulatory factor-4
  • Interleukin-4
  • Erbb2 protein, mouse
  • Receptor, ErbB-2