Effects of in vitro exposure to hay dust on expression of interleukin-17, -23, -8, and -1beta and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 2 by pulmonary mononuclear cells isolated from horses chronically affected with recurrent airway disease.
OBJECTIVE
To examine effects of in vitro exposure to solutions of hay dust, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or beta-glucan on cytokine expression in pulmonary mononuclear cells isolated from healthy horses and horses with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO).


METHODS
8 RAO-affected and 7 control horses (experiment 1) and 6 of the RAO-affected and 5 of the control horses (experiment 2).


METHODS
Bronchoalveolar lavage cells were isolated from horses that had been stabled and fed dusty hay for 14 days. Pulmonary mononuclear cells were incubated for 24 (experiment 1) or 6 (experiment 2) hours with PBS solution or solutions of hay dust, beta-glucan, or LPS. Gene expression of interleukin (IL)-17, IL-23(p19 and p40 subunits), IL-8, IL-1beta, and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 2 (CXCL2) was measured with a kinetic PCR assay.


RESULTS
Treatment with the highest concentration of hay dust solution for 6 or 24 hours increased expression of IL-23(p19 and p40), IL-8, and IL-1beta in cells from both groups of horses and increased early expression of IL-17 and CXCL2 in RAO-affected horses. Lipopolysaccharide upregulated early expression of IL-23(p40) and IL-8 in cells from both groups of horses but only late expression of these cytokines in cells from RAO-affected horses. Treatment with beta-glucan failed to increase cytokine expression at 6 or 24 hours.


CONCLUSIONS
Cells from RAO-affected horses were not more responsive to the ligands tested than were cells from control horses, which suggests a minimal role of mononuclear cells in propagation of airway neutrophilia in horses with chronic RAO.
Ainsworth
Dorothy M
DM
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Wagner
Bettina
B
Erb
Hollis N
HN
Young
Jean C
JC
Retallick
Danielle E
DE
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020523:Chemokines, CX3C / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004391:Dust; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D006736:Horses; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016906:Interleukin-9 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000662:veterinary*
D020523:Chemokines, CX3C; D004391:Dust; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D053759:Interleukin-23; D016906:Interleukin-9