Amelioration of experimental allergic rhinitis with suppression of topical immune responses by lack of IL-27/WSX-1 signaling.
BACKGROUND
Allergic rhinitis is 1 of the most common atopic diseases with strong similarity to asthma. Interleukin (IL) 27 is an immunosuppressive cytokine, and lack of the IL-27 receptor (WSX-1) resulted in exacerbation of allergic airway hyperresponsiveness.


OBJECTIVE
To address the role of IL-27/WSX-1 in the rhinitis model compared with the asthma model.


METHODS
Wild-type or WSX-1(-l-) female mice were immunized intraperitoneally 4 times with ovalbumin adsorbed to aluminum potassium sulfate at a 1-week interval. The sensitized mice were then challenged for 14 days with ovalbumin intranasally from days 22 to 35. Clinical scores, serum antigen specific IgE levels, and cytokine production in the nasal lavage fluid were examined. Cytokine and chemokine expression in the cervical lymph nodes, nasopharynx-associated lymphoid tissues, and nasal mucosa was also examined.


RESULTS
WSX-1(-l-) mice developed augmented immune responses in the serum (IgE production), cervical lymph nodes (cytokine and chemokine expression), and nasopharynx-associated lymphoid tissues (cytokine and chemokine expression), whereas local responses, such as clinical scores and nasal lavage fluid cytokine production, were reduced in WSX-1(-l-) mice. Expression of some chemokines was also reduced in the nasal mucosal tissues of WSX-1(-l-) mice.


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to the immunosuppressive role observed in the asthma model, IL-27/WSX-1 topically plays an exacerbating role in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis, presumably through differential expression of chemokines.
Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
Yohei
Y
Shimanoe
Yoshiyuki
Y
Miyazaki
Hiromitsu
H
Hara
Akira
A
Inokuchi
Hiroki
H
Yoshida
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018925:Chemokines / Q000235:genetics; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007378:Interleukins; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*
D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; C486767:Il27 protein, mouse; C484747:Il27ra protein, mouse; D007378:Interleukins; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin