STAT6-mediated signaling in Th2-dependent allergic asthma: critical role for the development of eosinophilia, airway hyper-responsiveness and mucus hypersecretion, distinct from its role in Th2 differentiation

Int Immunol. 2004 Oct;16(10):1497-505. doi: 10.1093/intimm/dxh151. Epub 2004 Sep 6.

Abstract

When wild-type BALB/c mice were transferred with OVA-specific Th2 cells followed by OVA inhalation, a severe eosinophilia, mucus hypersecretion and airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) was induced in parallel with a marked elevation of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). However, neither eosinophilia, AHR nor mucus hypersecretion was induced in Th2 cell-transferred STAT6-/- mice. The failure of eosinophilia was not due to the defect of Th2 cytokine production in BALF of STAT6-/- mice transferred with Th2 cells, but because of the defect of STAT6-dependent eotaxin production. Indeed, intranasal administration of eotaxin reconstituted pulmonary eosinophilia but not AHR and mucus hypersecretion in OVA-inhalated STAT6-/- mice. These results initially provided direct evidence that STAT6-dependent eotaxin production is essential for pulmonary eosinophilia. We also dissociated the role of STAT6 for eosinophilia from that for AHR and mucus hypersecretion. Thus, STAT6 also plays a critical role at late phase of Th2-dependent allergy induction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Intranasal
  • Animals
  • Asthma / etiology
  • Asthma / immunology*
  • Asthma / physiopathology
  • Bronchial Hyperreactivity / etiology
  • Bronchial Hyperreactivity / immunology*
  • Bronchial Hyperreactivity / physiopathology
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / cytology
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / immunology
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Chemokine CCL11
  • Chemokines, CC / administration & dosage
  • Chemokines, CC / immunology
  • Eosinophilia / etiology
  • Eosinophilia / immunology*
  • Eosinophilia / physiopathology
  • Hypersensitivity / immunology*
  • Lung / immunology
  • Lung / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mucus / metabolism
  • Ovalbumin / adverse effects
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Recombinant Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology
  • STAT6 Transcription Factor
  • Th2 Cells / immunology*
  • Trans-Activators / deficiency*
  • Trans-Activators / immunology

Substances

  • Ccl11 protein, mouse
  • Chemokine CCL11
  • Chemokines, CC
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • STAT6 Transcription Factor
  • Stat6 protein, mouse
  • Trans-Activators
  • Ovalbumin