Induction of Airway Mucus Production By T Helper 2 (Th2) Cells: A Critical Role For Interleukin 4 In Cell Recruitment But Not Mucus Production
17 Nov 1997-Journal of Experimental Medicine (The Rockefeller University Press)-Vol. 186, Iss: 10, pp 1737-1747
TL;DR: It is suggested that IL-4 is crucial for Th2 cell recruitment to the lung and for induction of inflammation, but has no direct role in mucus production.
Abstract: Airway inflammation is believed to stimulate mucus production in asthmatic patients. Increased mucus secretion is an important clinical symptom and contributes to airway obstruction in asthma. Activated CD4 Th1 and Th2 cells have both been identified in airway biopsies of asthmatics but their role in mucus production is not clear. Using CD4 T cells from mice transgenic for the OVA-specific TCR, we studied the role of Th1 and Th2 cells in airway inflammation and mucus production. Airway inflammation induced by Th2 cells was comprised of eosinophils and lymphocytes; features found in asthmatic patients. Additionally, there was a marked increase in mucus production in mice that received Th2 cells and inhaled OVA, but not in mice that received Th1 cells. However, OVA-specific Th2 cells from IL-4–deficient mice were not recruited to the lung and did not induce mucus production. When this defect in homing was overcome by administration of TNF-α, IL-4 −/− Th2 cells induced mucus as effectively as IL-4 +/+ Th2 cells. These studies establish a role for Th2 cells in mucus production and dissect the effector functions of IL-4 in these processes. These data suggest that IL-4 is crucial for Th2 cell recruitment to the lung and for induction of inflammation, but has no direct role in mucus production.
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TL;DR: E elevating airway levels of sIL-4R through the administration of exogenous sIL,4R is effective in blocking the late phase pulmonary inflammation that occurs in this murine allergen-challenge asthma model, suggesting that sIL -4R may have beneficial anti-inflammatory effects in asthmatic patients.
Abstract: In vitro and in vivo studies, in both animal models and human asthmatics, have implicated IL-4 as an important inflammatory mediator in asthma. In a murine asthma model, we examined the anti-inflammatory activities of soluble IL-4R (sIL-4R). In this model, mice sensitized to OVA by i.p. and intranasal (i.n.) routes are challenged with the allergen by i.n. administration. The OVA challenge elicits an eosinophil infiltration into the lungs, with widespread mucus occlusion of the airways, and results in bronchial hyperreactivity. sIL-4R (0.1–100 μg) was administered by either i.n. or i.p. routes before OVA challenge in OVA-sensitized mice. Both blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid levels of sIL-4R were significantly elevated compared with controls by i.n. delivery of 100 μg sIL-4R; i.p. delivery of 100 μg sIL-4R only raised blood levels of sIL-4R. The i.n. administration of 100 μg sIL-4R before allergen challenge significantly reduced late phase pulmonary inflammation, blocking airway eosinophil infiltration, VCAM-1 expression, and mucus hypersecretion. In contrast, i.p. delivery of 100 μg sIL-4R inhibited only the influx of eosinophils into the lungs, but not airway mucus release. Furthermore, sIL-4R treatment by either i.n. or i.p. routes did not reduce airway hyperreactivity in response to methacholine challenge. Thus, elevating airway levels of sIL-4R through the administration of exogenous sIL-4R is effective in blocking the late phase pulmonary inflammation that occurs in this murine allergen-challenge asthma model. These results suggest that sIL-4R may have beneficial anti-inflammatory effects in asthmatic patients.
165 citations
Cites background from "Induction of Airway Mucus Productio..."
...In murine asthma models using IL-4-deficient (IL-4 ) mice, IL-4 has been found important for both eosinophil (37) and Th2 cell (38) recruitment to the lungs, and Th2 cell production of IL-4 is necessary for the development of airway eosinophilia (39)....
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TL;DR: LTB4-BLT1 axis is required for the development of Th2-type immune response, and blockade of LTB4 functions through BLT1 would be novel and useful in the effort to ameliorate bronchial asthma and related Th 2-biased immune disorders.
Abstract: Bronchial asthma is an increasingly common disorder that remains poorly understood and difficult to manage. The disease is characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness, chronic inflammation, and mucus overproduction. Based on the finding that leukotriene B4 receptor 1 (BLT1) is expressed highly in Th2 lymphocytes, we analyzed the roles of BLT1 using an OVA-induced bronchial asthma model. BLT1-null mice did not develop airway hyperresponsiveness, eosinophilic inflammation, and hyperplasia of goblet cells. Attenuated symptoms were accompanied by reduced IgE production, and accumulation of IL-5 and IL-13 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, suggesting attenuated Th2-type immune response in BLT1-null mice. Peribronchial lymph node cells of sensitized BLT1-null mice showed much attenuated proliferation and production of Th2 cytokines upon re-stimulation with Ag in vitro. Thus, LTB4-BLT1 axis is required for the development of Th2-type immune response, and blockade of LTB4 functions through BLT1 would be novel and useful in the effort to ameliorate bronchial asthma and related Th2-biased immune disorders.
164 citations
Cites background from "Induction of Airway Mucus Productio..."
...Recently, effector CD4 T cells are recognized to play dominant roles in initiating allergic pulmonary inflammation, because adoptive transfer of Ag-specific Th2 cells, not Th1 cells, into naive mice followed by aerosol challenge of Ag caused AHR, eosinophilia, and mucus secretion with recruitment of Th2 cells into the allergic lung (41)....
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TL;DR: It is demonstrated, by using intracellular cytokine staining, that IL-13 is not always coexpressed with other Th2 cytokines in normal Th cells on a single cell basis, and that the expression of Th1 and Th 2 cytokine genes does not have to be mutually exclusive in effector Th cells.
Abstract: IL-13, a Th2 cell-specific cytokine, is a major effector molecule mediating several pathological features of allergic asthma. However, the transcriptional regulation of the IL-13 gene remains unclear. Here we demonstrate, by using intracellular cytokine staining, that IL-13 is not always coexpressed with other Th2 cytokines in normal Th cells on a single cell basis. In addition, we identified and cloned a minimal inducible and cell type-specific promoter of the murine IL-13 gene. The cell type specificity of the minimal IL-13 promoter is mediated by a functionally critical GATA-3 site that binds endogenous GATA-3 proteins, whereas the induction by PMA/ionomycin is mediated by distinct cis-acting elements. Furthermore, by expressing GATA-3 in wild-type and c-maf transgenic Th1 cells, we demonstrate that the expression of IL-13 is regulated by a mechanism distinct from that regulating the expression of IL-4, and that the expression of Th1 and Th2 cytokine genes does not have to be mutually exclusive in effector Th cells.
162 citations
Cites background from "Induction of Airway Mucus Productio..."
...Adoptive transfer of Ag-specific Th2 cells derived from IL-4-deficient mice still induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR)(3) and overproduction of mucus (6, 7)....
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TL;DR: It is shown that mice lacking ITK have drastically reduced lung inflammation, eosinophil infiltration, and mucous production following induction of allergic asthma, and tyrosine kinase ITK preferentially regulates the secretion of the TH2 cytokines IL-5 and IL-13 and may be an attractive target for antiasthmatic drugs.
Abstract: Allergic asthma patients manifest airway inflammation and some show increases in eosinophils, T H 2 cells, and cytokines, increased mucous production in the lung, and elevated serum IgE. This T H 2-type response suggests a prominent role for T H 2 cells and their cytokines in the pathology of this disease. The Tec family nonreceptor tyrosine kinase inducible T cell kinase (ITK) has been shown to play a role in the differentiation and/or function of T H 2-type cells, suggesting that ITK may represent a good target for the control of asthma. Using a murine model of allergic asthma, we show here that ITK is involved in the development of immunological symptoms seen in this model. We show that mice lacking ITK have drastically reduced lung inflammation, eosinophil infiltration, and mucous production following induction of allergic asthma. Notably, T cell influx into the lung was reduced in mice lacking ITK. T cells from ITK −/− mice also exhibited reduced proliferation and cytokine secretion, in particular IL-5 and IL-13, in response to challenge with the allergen OVA, despite elevated levels of total IgE and increased OVA-specific IgE responses. Our results suggest that the tyrosine kinase ITK preferentially regulates the secretion of the T H 2 cytokines IL-5 and IL-13 and may be an attractive target for antiasthmatic drugs.
160 citations
Cites background from "Induction of Airway Mucus Productio..."
...Alternatively, the reduced production of IL-4 by ITK null T cells may underlie their lack of significant Ag-specific recruitment to the lung since IL-4 null TH2 cells have been reported to be defective in this process (50)....
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Journal Article•
TL;DR: It is argued that tissue pathology in schistosomiasis requires, in addition to egg-specific CD4+ lymphocytes, a previously unrecognized IL-4Ralpha+ non-T cell effector population.
Abstract: Th2 lymphocytes have been postulated to play a major role in the immunopathology induced by Schistosoma mansoni infection. Nevertheless, infected IL-4 knockout (KO) and wild-type (wt) mice develop egg granulomas comparable in size. To further investigate the function of the Th2 response in egg pathology we studied IL-4Rα-deficient mice, which are nonresponsive to both IL-4 and IL-13. In striking contrast to IL-4 KO animals, infected IL-4Rα KO mice developed only minimal hepatic granulomas and fibrosis despite the presence of CD3+ T cells in the residual egg lesions. Moreover, liver lymphokine mRNA levels in these animals and IL-4 KO mice were equivalent. In addition, infected IL-4Rα-deficient, IL-4-deficient, and wt animals developed similar egg Ag-specific IgG Ab titers, arguing that CD4-dependent Th activity is intact in KO mice. As expected, IFN-γ secretion was strongly up-regulated in mesenteric lymph node cultures from both groups of deficient animals, a change reflected in increased serum IgG2a and IgG2b Ab levels. Surprisingly, Th2 cytokine production in infected IL-4Rα KO mice was not abolished but was only reduced and resembled that previously documented in IL-4 KO animals. This residual Th2 response is likely to explain the ability of IL-4 KO mice to generate egg granulomas, which cannot be formed in IL-4Rα-deficient animals because of their lack of responsiveness to the same cytokine ligands. Taken together, these findings argue that tissue pathology in schistosomiasis requires, in addition to egg-specific CD4+ lymphocytes, a previously unrecognized IL-4Rα+ non-T cell effector population.
159 citations
References
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Journal Article•
TL;DR: A panel of antigen-specific mouse helper T cell clones was characterized according to patterns of lymphokine activity production, and two types of T cell were distinguished.
Abstract: A panel of antigen-specific mouse helper T cell clones was characterized according to patterns of lymphokine activity production, and two types of T cell were distinguished. Type 1 T helper cells (TH1) produced IL 2, interferon-gamma, GM-CSF, and IL 3 in response to antigen + presenting cells or to Con A, whereas type 2 helper T cells (TH2) produced IL 3, BSF1, and two other activities unique to the TH2 subset, a mast cell growth factor distinct from IL 3 and a T cell growth factor distinct from IL 2. Clones representing each type of T cell were characterized, and the pattern of lymphokine activities was consistent within each set. The secreted proteins induced by Con A were analyzed by biosynthetic labeling and SDS gel electrophoresis, and significant differences were seen between the two groups of T cell line. Both types of T cell grew in response to alternating cycles of antigen stimulation, followed by growth in IL 2-containing medium. Examples of both types of T cell were also specific for or restricted by the I region of the MHC, and the surface marker phenotype of the majority of both types was Ly-1+, Lyt-2-, L3T4+, Both types of helper T cell could provide help for B cells, but the nature of the help differed. TH1 cells were found among examples of T cell clones specific for chicken RBC and mouse alloantigens. TH2 cells were found among clones specific for mouse alloantigens, fowl gamma-globulin, and KLH. The relationship between these two types of T cells and previously described subsets of T helper cells is discussed.
7,567 citations
"Induction of Airway Mucus Productio..." refers background in this paper
...The lower limit of sensitivity for each of the ELISAs was 0.6 ng/ml (IFNg ), 5 pg/ml (IL-4), 0.010 ng/ml (IL-5), and 200 pg/ml (IL-10)....
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...CD4 Th2 cells make a different panel of cytokines, including IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10 (17, 18)....
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...Assays were standardized with recombinant IFNg , IL-5, IL-10 (Endogen), and IL-4 (Collaborative Research, Inc.)....
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...1 A ), and IL-10 (data not shown)....
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...IL-4 2/2 OVA-specific Th2 cells produced comparable levels of IL-5 and IL-10 when compared to IL-4 1/1 OVA-specific Th2 cells, but IL-4 was produced only by IL-4 1/1 Th2 cells....
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TL;DR: Atopic asthma is associated with activation in the bronchi of the interleukin-3, 4, and 5 and GM-CSF gene cluster, a pattern compatible with predominant activation of the TH2-like T-cell population.
Abstract: Background. In atopic asthma, activated T helper lymphocytes are present in bronchial-biopsy specimens and bronchoalveolar-lavage (BAL) fluid, and their production of cytokines may be important in the pathogenesis of this disorder. Different patterns of cytokine release are characteristic of certain subgroups of T helper cells, termed TH1 and TH2, the former mediating delayed-type hypersensitivity and the latter mediating IgE synthesis and eosinophilia. The pattern of cytokine production in atopic asthma is unknown. Methods. We assessed cells obtained by BAL in subjects with mild atopic asthma and in normal control subjects for the expression of messenger RNA (mRNA) for interleukin-2, 3, 4, and 5, granulocytemacrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and interferon gamma by in situ hybridization with 32P-labeled complementary RNA. Localization of mRNA to BAL T cells was assessed by simultaneous in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence and by in situ hybridization after immunomagnetic enrichment or...
2,898 citations
"Induction of Airway Mucus Productio..." refers background in this paper
...Th2 cells secreting IL-4 and IL-5 have been shown to be present and activated in the bronchial wall of asthmatic individuals (9, 23)....
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TL;DR: This paper used hybridoma monoclonal antibodies obtained after immunization of mice with rat cells to study rat cell-surface antigens present on subpopulations of rat lymphocytes.
Abstract: Xenogeneic immunizations have the advantage of detecting a wide range of antigenic determinants because many commonly occurring proteins have diverged significantly during the course of evolution and are thus antigenic in other species. The broadness of xenogeneic responses, however, means that the antisera they produce are usually complex and require extensive absorptions to make them specific for a single antigen. This problem has now been overcome by generating hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies (Kohler & Milstein 1975). These permit dissection ofthe xenogeneic response so that large amounts of individual antibodies can be obtained, each of which recognizes only one of the determinants recognized by a broadly reactive conventional antiserum. Williams et al. (1977) used hybridoma monoclonal antibodies obtained after immunizations of mice with rat cells to study rat cell-surface antigens present on subpopulations of rat lymphocytes, i.e., differentiation antigens. Springer et al. (1978a) and Stern et al. (1978) used a similar approach to study mouse lymphocyte antigens. They prepared monoclonal antibodies by immunizing rats with mouse lymphocytes and showed that these monoclonals recognized previously undetected mouse cell surface determinants including a glycoprotein antigen that appears to be specific for macrophages (Springer et al. 1978b). Trowbridge (1978) also used rat anti-mouse immunizations to generate a monoclonal antibody against the non-polymorphic lymphocyte surface antigen T200.
1,916 citations
"Induction of Airway Mucus Productio..." refers methods in this paper
...To generate Th1 or Th2 cells from DO11.10 mice, CD4 T cells were isolated by negative selection as previously described (31) using mAbs to CD8 (clone 53-6.72, clone 2.43 [ 32 ]), Class II MHC I-A d (212.A1 [33]) and anti‐Ig-coated magnetic beads (Advanced Magnetics, Inc....
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TL;DR: Results provide direct evidence for the in vivo role of apoptosis in the development of antigen-induced tolerance in mice transgenic for a T cell receptor that reacts to this peptide.
Abstract: In order to examine the mechanisms by which clonal deletion of autoreactive T cells occurs, a peptide antigen was used to induce deletion of antigen-reactive thymocytes in vivo. Mice transgenic for a T cell receptor (TCR) that reacts to this peptide contain thymocytes that progress from the immature to the mature phenotype. Intraperitoneal administration of the peptide antigen to transgenic mice results in a rapid deletion of the immature CD4+ CD8+ TCRlo thymocytes. Apoptosis of cortical thymocytes can be seen within 20 hours of treatment. These results provide direct evidence for the in vivo role of apoptosis in the development of antigen-induced tolerance.
1,831 citations
TL;DR: Some but not all of the in vitro properties of IL-4 are critical for the physiology of the immune system in vivo, but the serum levels of IgG1 and IgE are strongly reduced.
Abstract: Interleukin-4 (IL-4) promotes the growth and differentiation of many hematopoietic cells in vitro; in particular, it directs the immunoglobulin (Ig) class switch to IgG1 and IgE. Mice homozygous for a mutation that inactivates the IL-4 gene were generated to test the requirement for IL-4 in vivo. In the mutant mice T and B cell development was normal, but the serum levels of IgG1 and IgE were strongly reduced. The IgG1 dominance in a T cell-dependent immune response was lost, and IgE was not detectable upon nematode infection. Thus, some but not all of the in vitro properties of IL-4 are critical for the physiology of the immune system in vivo.
1,262 citations