Nasal alum-adjuvanted vaccine promotes IL-33 release from alveolar epithelial cells that elicits IgA production via type 2 immune responses

PLoS Pathog. 2021 Aug 30;17(8):e1009890. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009890. eCollection 2021 Aug.

Abstract

Aluminum hydroxide salts (alum) have been added to inactivated vaccines as safe and effective adjuvants to increase the effectiveness of vaccination. However, the exact cell types and immunological factors that initiate mucosal immune responses to alum adjuvants are unclear. In this study, the mechanism of action of alum adjuvant in nasal vaccination was investigated. Alum has been shown to act as a powerful and unique adjuvant when added to a nasal influenza split vaccine in mice. Alum is cytotoxic in the alveoli and stimulates the release of damage-associated molecular patterns, such as dsDNA, interleukin (IL)-1α, and IL-33. We found that Ag-specific IgA antibody (Ab) production was markedly reduced in IL-33-deficient mice. However, no decrease was observed in Ag-specific IgA Ab production with DNase I treatment, and no decrease was observed in IL-1α/β or IL-6 production in IL-33-deficient mice. From the experimental results of primary cultured cells and immunofluorescence staining, although IL-1α was secreted by alveolar macrophage necroptosis, IL-33 release was observed in alveolar epithelial cell necroptosis but not in alveolar macrophages. Alum- or IL-33-dependent Ag uptake enhancement and elevation of OX40L expression were not observed. By stimulating the release of IL-33, alum induced Th2 immunity via IL-5 and IL-13 production in group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) and increased MHC class II expression in antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in the lung. Our results suggest that IL-33 secretion by epithelial cell necroptosis initiates APC- and ILC2-mediated T cell activation, which is important for the enhancement of Ag-specific IgA Ab production by alum.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / administration & dosage
  • Aluminum Hydroxide / chemistry*
  • Alveolar Epithelial Cells / drug effects
  • Alveolar Epithelial Cells / immunology*
  • Alveolar Epithelial Cells / virology
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Antibody Formation
  • Female
  • Immunity, Innate / drug effects
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin A / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin A / metabolism*
  • Influenza Vaccines / administration & dosage*
  • Interleukin-33 / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Nasal Mucosa / chemistry
  • Nasal Mucosa / metabolism
  • Orthomyxoviridae / immunology
  • Orthomyxoviridae Infections / immunology*
  • Orthomyxoviridae Infections / prevention & control
  • Orthomyxoviridae Infections / virology
  • Th2 Cells / immunology*
  • Vaccination

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Il33 protein, mouse
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Influenza Vaccines
  • Interleukin-33
  • Aluminum Hydroxide

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) under grant numbers JP19ak0101071 (E.S.), JP19fk0108051 (T.M.), JP20fk0108100 (T.M.) and JP20fk0108141 (T.M.), and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (KAKENHI) under grant numbers 20K16269 (E.S.) and 19K12873 (T.M.). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.