Dose-dependent effects of IL-17 on IL-13-induced airway inflammatory responses and airway hyperresponsiveness

J Immunol. 2013 Apr 15;190(8):3859-68. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1200506. Epub 2013 Mar 18.

Abstract

The Th2 cytokine IL-13 regulates several aspects of the asthmatic phenotype, including airway inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness, and mucus production. The Th17 cytokine IL-17A is also implicated in asthma and has been shown to both positively and negatively regulate Th2-dependent responses in murine models of allergic airways disease. Our objective in this study was to better understand the role of IL-17 in airway inflammation by examining how IL-17 modifies IL-13-induced airway inflammatory responses. We treated BALB/c mice intranasally with IL-13 or IL-17 alone or in combination for 8 consecutive days, after which airway hyperresponsiveness, inflammatory cell influx into the lung, and lung chemokine/cytokine expression were assessed. As expected, IL-13 increased airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. IL-13 also increased numbers of IL-17-producing CD4(+) and γδ T cells. Treating mice with a combination of IL-13 and IL-17 reduced infiltration of IL-17(+) γδ T cells, but increased the number of infiltrating eosinophils. In contrast, coadministration of IL-13 with a higher dose of IL-17 decreased all IL-13-induced inflammatory responses, including infiltration of both IL-17(+)CD4(+) and γδ T cells. To examine the inhibitory activity of IL-17-expressing γδ T cells in this model, these cells were adoptively transferred into naive recipients. Consistent with an inhibitory role for γδ T cells, IL-13-induced infiltration of eosinophils, lymphocytes, and IL-17(+)CD4(+) T cells was diminished in recipients of the γδ T cells. Collectively, our data indicate that allergic airway inflammatory responses induced by IL-13 are modulated by both the quantity and the cellular source of IL-17.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bronchial Hyperreactivity / immunology*
  • Bronchial Hyperreactivity / metabolism
  • Bronchial Hyperreactivity / pathology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic
  • Inflammation / immunology*
  • Inflammation / metabolism
  • Inflammation / pathology*
  • Interleukin-13 / pharmacology*
  • Interleukin-17 / deficiency
  • Interleukin-17 / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / metabolism

Substances

  • Interleukin-13
  • Interleukin-17
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta