Facilitation of IL-22 production from innate lymphoid cells by prostaglandin E2 prevents experimental lung neutrophilic inflammation

Abstract

Acute lung injury is a neutrophil-dominant, life-threatening disease without effective therapies and better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms involved is an urgent need. Here we show that interleukin (IL)-22 is produced from innate lymphoid cells (ILC) and is responsible for suppression of experimental lung neutrophilic inflammation. Blocking prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) synthesis reduces lung ILCs and IL-22 production, resulting in exacerbation of lung neutrophilic inflammation. In contrast, activation of the PGE₂ receptor EP4 prevents acute lung inflammation. We thus demonstrate a mechanism for production of innate IL-22 in the lung during acute injury, highlighting potential therapeutic strategies for control of lung neutrophilic inflammation by targeting the PGE₂/ILC/IL-22 axis.

Keywords: ARDS; airway epithelium; cytokine biology; innate immunity; lymphocyte biology.