Interleukin-13 Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced BPIFA1 Expression in Nasal Epithelial Cells

PLoS One. 2015 Dec 8;10(12):e0143484. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143484. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Short palate, lung, and nasal epithelium clone 1 (SPLUNC1) protein is expressed in human nasopharyngeal and respiratory epithelium and has demonstrated antimicrobial activity. SPLUNC1 is now referred to as bactericidal/permeability-increasing fold containing family A, member 1 (BPIFA1). Reduced BPIFA1 expression is associated with bacterial colonization in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). Interleukin 13 (IL-13), predominately secreted by T helper 2 (TH2) cells, has been found to contribute to airway allergies and suppress BPIFA1 expression in nasal epithelial cells. However, the molecular mechanism of IL-13 perturbation of bacterial infection and BPIFA1 expression in host airways remains unclear. In this study, we found that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BPIFA1 expression in nasal epithelial cells was mediated through the JNK/c-Jun signaling pathway and AP-1 activation. We further demonstrated that IL-13 downregulated the LPS-induced activation of phosphorylated JNK and c-Jun, followed by attenuation of BPIFA1 expression. Moreover, the immunohistochemical analysis showed that IL-13 prominently suppressed BPIFA1 expression in eosinophilic CRSwNP patients with bacterial infection. Taken together, these results suggest that IL-13 plays a critical role in attenuation of bacteria-induced BPIFA1 expression that may result in eosinophilic CRSwNP.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacteria / isolation & purification
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Glycoproteins / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-13 / pharmacology*
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology*
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 4 / metabolism
  • Nasal Mucosa / cytology
  • Nasal Mucosa / drug effects*
  • Nasal Mucosa / metabolism
  • Nasal Mucosa / microbiology
  • Phosphoproteins / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / metabolism
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • BPIFA1 protein, human
  • Glycoproteins
  • Interleukin-13
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 4

Grants and funding

This work was supported by research grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology (103-2633-B-182-001, 104-2320-B-182-040, 104-2314-B-039-040); Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare Clinical Trial and Research Center of Excellence (MOHW104-TDU-B-212-113002); China Medical University and Hospital (CMU102-ASIA-21, 103-S-15, 103-S-18, and DMR103-025); Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (CMRPD3E0511-3), and the Tomorrow Medicine Foundation (TMF104-01). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.