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Journal ArticleDOI

Induction of Airway Mucus Production By T Helper 2 (Th2) Cells: A Critical Role For Interleukin 4 In Cell Recruitment But Not Mucus Production

Lauren Cohn1, Robert J. Homer1, Anthony Marinov1, John A. Rankin1, Kim Bottomly1 
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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Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Xi Yang1, Yijun Fan1, Shuhe Wang1, Xiaobing Han1, Jie Yang1, Laura Bilenki1, Lijun Chen1 
TL;DR: The results showed that postallergen BCG infection suppressed the established airway eosinophilia and mucus overproduction, but not IgE responses, suggesting that intracellular bacterial infection can inhibit established allergic responses via alteration of local cytokine production and the expression of adhesion molecules.
Abstract: Our previous studies, as well as those of others, have demonstrated that local or systemic Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) infection can inhibit de novo allergen-induced asthma-like reactions, but the effect of this infection on established allergic responses is unknown. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the effect of mycobacterial infection on established allergy in a murine model of asthma-like reaction. Mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) in alum followed by infection with BCG and subsequent intranasal challenge with the same allergen. In some experiments, mice were sensitized with OVA followed by intranasal challenge with OVA and then given BCG infection with subsequent rechallenge with OVA. Mice without BCG infection but treated with OVA in the same manner, were used as a control. The mice were examined for immunoglobulin E (IgE) response and eosinophilic inflammation, mucus production, cytokine/chemokine patterns and adhesion molecule expression in the lung. The results showed that postallergen BCG infection suppressed the established airway eosinophilia and mucus overproduction, but not IgE responses. The inhibition of asthma-like reactions by BCG infection was correlated with a shift of allergen-driven cytokine production pattern and, more interestingly, with a dramatic decrease of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression in the lung. These findings suggest that intracellular bacterial infection can inhibit established allergic responses via alteration of local cytokine production and the expression of adhesion molecules.

54 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This data indicates that exposure to isocyanates in the workplace is the most common cause of occupationally induced asthma in individuals exposed to these agents.
Abstract: Background Nearly 9 million individuals are exposed to agents in the workplace associated with asthma, and isocyanates represent the most common cause of occupationally induced asthma. Objectives Nonetheless, the immunological mechanisms responsible for isocyanate-induced asthma are not clear. A murine model for toluene diisocyanate (TDI) asthma is described and employed to examine inflammatory and immune components that may be involved in the disease. Methods Groups (n = 6) of C57BL/6J and athymic mice were sensitized by subcutaneous injection (20 μl on day 1, 5 μl on days 4 and 11), and 7 days later challenged by inhalation (100 p.p.b., days 20, 22 and 24) with TDI. Twenty-four hours following the last challenge the tracheae and lungs were examined for histological changes as well as for the expression of Th1, Th2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Mice were also examined for airway reactivity to methacholine challenge and for specific and total IgE and IgG antibodies. Results TDI sensitization resulted in increased reactivity to methacholine challenge as well as a significant inflammatory response in the trachea and nares of wild-type mice, but not in the athymic mice nor in the lungs of the C57BL/6J mice. Airway inflammation was characterized by inflammatory cell influx, goblet cell metaplasia and epithelial damage. Histological changes in the trachea were accompanied by increased mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-4, tumour necrosis factor a, lymphotoxin β, lymphotactin and Rantes, as well as TDI-specific IgG antibodies and elevated levels of total IgE. IgE-specific antibodies were not detected with this exposure regimen but were produced when the TDI concentrations were increased. Conclusions These studies provide a unique murine model for occupational asthma that generates both inflammatory and immune mediators similar to those occurring in TDI-induced asthma in humans.

54 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Treatment with this compound in a mouse model of allergic lung inflammation demonstrates up to 80% reduction in inflammation, directly inhibits the recruitment of Ag-specific CD4+ T cells, and works equally well when delivered at 100-fold lower doses directly to the airways.
Abstract: Although the main regulators of leukocyte trafficking are chemokines, another family of chemotactic agents is cyclophilins. Intracellular cyclophilins function as peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerases and are targets of the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine A (CsA). Cyclophilins can also be secreted in response to stress factors, with elevated levels of extracellular cyclophilins detected in several inflammatory diseases. Extracellular cyclophilins are known to have potent chemotactic properties, suggesting that they might contribute to inflammatory responses by recruiting leukocytes into tissues. The objective of the present study was to determine the impact of blocking cyclophilin activity using a cell-impermeable derivative of CsA to specifically target extracellular pools of cyclophilins. In this study, we show that treatment with this compound in a mouse model of allergic lung inflammation demonstrates up to 80% reduction in inflammation, directly inhibits the recruitment of Ag-specific CD4 + T cells, and works equally well when delivered at 100-fold lower doses directly to the airways. Our findings suggest that cell-impermeable analogs of CsA can effectively reduce inflammatory responses by targeting leukocyte recruitment mediated by extracellular cyclophilins. Specifically blocking the extracellular functions of cyclophilins may provide an approach for inhibiting the recruitment of one of the principal immune regulators of allergic lung inflammation, Ag-specific CD4 + T cells, into inflamed airways and lungs.

54 citations


Cites methods from "Induction of Airway Mucus Productio..."

  • ...10 TCR Tg mice and then transferred into naive wild-type recipients, followed by intranasal OVA challenge to induce inflammatory responses in the lung (22)....

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  • ...Populations of OVA-specific Th2 CD4 T cells were generated in vitro as described by previous investigators (22) using 5 mg/ml pOVA323–339 (GenScript, Piscataway, NJ), 15 ng/ml IL-4 (PeproTech, Rocky Hill, NJ), 25 U/ml IL-2 (Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN), and 2....

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Journal ArticleDOI
Qiang Du1, Xiao-Yan Gu, Jiankang Cai1, Mao Huang1, Mei Su1 
TL;DR: Chrysin exhibits anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties and provides new insights into the immunopharmacological role of chrysin in terms of its effects in a murine model of asthma.
Abstract: Chrysin, a flavonoid obtained from various natural sources, has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant and anti-allergic activities. However, its anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory activities in asthma animal models are poorly understood. In the present study, we examined the effects of chrysin on airway inflammation and the possible mechanisms through which it acts in a murine model of allergic asthma. BALB/c mice sensitized and challenged to ovalbumin (OVA) were administered intragastrically with chrysin at a dose of 50 mg/kg daily. Chrysin significantly suppressed OVA-induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to acetylcholine chloride (Ach). Chrysin administration significantly inhibited the total inflammatory cell and eosinophil counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and total immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in serum. Histological examination of lung tissue demonstrated that chrysin significantly attenuated allergen-induced lung eosinophilic inflammation and mucus-producing goblet cells in the airway. In addition, chrysin triggered a switch of the immune response to allergens towards a T-helper type 1 (Th1) profile by modulating the transcription factors T-bet and GATA-3 in allergic mice. These data suggest that chrysin exhibits anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties and provides new insights into the immunopharmacological role of chrysin in terms of its effects in a murine model of asthma.

53 citations


Cites background from "Induction of Airway Mucus Productio..."

  • ...In asthma, allergen-induced Th2 cells in the lungs lead to eosinophilic airway inflammation, increased secretion of mucus and recurring bronchospasm (18)....

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Journal Article
TL;DR: It is reported that freshly isolated spleen cells from OVA-sensitized mice are unable to prime naive recipient mice to respond to a subsequent OVA aerosol challenge, suggesting that eosinophilic lung inflammation can be induced in naive mice by the transfer of <1200 Ag-specific CD4+ T cells.
Abstract: Animal models of allergic lung inflammation have provided important insight into the cellular and biochemical factors involved in the pathogenesis of human asthma. Herein, we describe an adoptive transfer model of OVA-specific eosinophilic lung inflammation in the mouse that is used to characterize the cells involved in mediating the pulmonary inflammatory response. We report that freshly isolated spleen cells from OVA-sensitized mice are unable to prime naive recipient mice to respond to a subsequent OVA aerosol challenge. Subjecting the spleen cells to short term restimulation with Ag in vitro, however, renders the cells competent to transfer activity. The magnitude and the kinetics of the eosinophilic pulmonary inflammation in the adoptive transfer recipients are nearly identical with those generated by a more conventional active sensitization/challenge protocol, with the notable exception of differential production of plasma IgE in the two models. Extensive negative and positive selection of splenocyte subtypes indicates that the transfer of Ag-primed CD4+ T cells is both necessary and sufficient to establish full responsiveness in the recipient mice. Additional phenotypic characterization of the transfer-reactive CD4+ T cells indicates that they are found within the CD62LlowCD25+ subset and secrete high levels of IL-5 in response to Ag stimulation. Limiting dilution analysis-derived minimal frequency estimates indicate that approximately 1 in 8500 of the sensitized, cultured spleen cells produces IL-5 in response to OVA stimulation in vitro, suggesting that eosinophilic lung inflammation can be induced in naive mice by the transfer of <1200 Ag-specific CD4+ T cells.

52 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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Journal ArticleDOI
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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Journal ArticleDOI
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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Journal ArticleDOI
21 Dec 1990-Science
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

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Nov 1991-Science
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