Human apolipoprotein E genotypes differentially modify house dust mite-induced airway disease in mice

Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2012 Jan 15;302(2):L206-15. doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00110.2011. Epub 2011 Nov 4.

Abstract

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is an endogenous negative regulator of airway hyperreactivity (AHR) and mucous cell metaplasia in experimental models of house dust mite (HDM)-induced airway disease. The gene encoding human apoE is polymorphic, with three common alleles (ε2, ε3, and ε4) reflecting single amino acid substitutions at amino acids 112 and 158. The objective of this study was to assess whether the human apoE alleles modify airway responses to repeated nasal HDM challenges. Mice expressing the human apoE ε2 (huApoE2), ε3 (huApoE3), or ε4 (huApoE4) alleles received nasal HDM challenges, and airway responses were compared with mice expressing the endogenous murine apoE gene (muApoE). huApoE3 mice displayed significant reductions in AHR, mucous cell metaplasia, and airway inflammation compared with muApoE mice. The attenuated severity of airway inflammation in huApoE3 mice was associated with reductions in lung mRNA levels of Th2 and Th17 cytokines, as well as chemokines (CCL7, CCL11, CCL24). huApoE4 mice had an intermediate phenotype, with attenuated AHR and IgE production, compared with muApoE mice, whereas airway inflammation and mucous cell metaplasia were not reduced. In contrast, HDM-induced airway responses were not modified in mice expressing the huApoE2 allele. We conclude that the polymorphic huApoE alleles differentially modulate HDM-induced airway disease, which can be stratified, in rank order of increasing disease severity, ε3 < ε4 < ε2. These results raise the possibility that the polymorphic apoE alleles may modify disease severity in human asthma.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Allergens / immunology*
  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Dermatophagoides / immunology*
  • Apolipoproteins E / genetics*
  • Apolipoproteins E / metabolism
  • Asthma / genetics*
  • Asthma / immunology
  • Asthma / pathology
  • Bronchial Hyperreactivity / genetics*
  • Bronchial Hyperreactivity / immunology
  • Bronchial Hyperreactivity / pathology
  • Chemokine CCL11 / biosynthesis
  • Chemokine CCL24 / biosynthesis
  • Chemokine CCL7 / biosynthesis
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Gene Knock-In Techniques
  • Genotype
  • Immunoglobulin E / biosynthesis
  • Inflammation / genetics
  • Inflammation / immunology
  • Lung / immunology
  • Lung / pathology
  • Metaplasia
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Th17 Cells / immunology
  • Th2 Cells / immunology

Substances

  • Allergens
  • Antigens, Dermatophagoides
  • Apolipoproteins E
  • Ccl11 protein, mouse
  • Ccl24 protein, mouse
  • Ccl7 protein, mouse
  • Chemokine CCL11
  • Chemokine CCL24
  • Chemokine CCL7
  • Cytokines
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Immunoglobulin E