Role of CXCL13 in asthma: novel therapeutic target.
BACKGROUND
B cells play an important role in allergic asthma. However, the mechanisms by which these cells are activated in the airways remain poorly understood.


METHODS
We used a mouse model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic inflammation to study CXCL13 and to investigate the concentration of this chemokine in the BAL fluid derived from asthmatic and normal control subjects.


RESULTS
We found that OVA-challenged mice upregulate the CXCL13/CXCR5 axis, which is associated with several changes in their airways, including recruitment of B and CD4(+) cells, development of bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue, and airway inflammation. Treating sensitized mice with an anti-CXCL13 antibody reduced cell recruitment, bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue formation, and airways inflammation. Interestingly, measurements of CXCL13 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that levels of this cytokine were significantly elevated in BAL fluid from subjects with asthma compared with control subjects (median, 162 [range, 120-296] vs 31 [range, 120-156] pg/mL; P = .005).


CONCLUSIONS
All together, these findings suggest that CXCL13 is involved in the allergic airway inflammatory process, and targeting this chemokine may constitute a novel approach in asthma.
Unidad de Investigacion en Enfermedades Oncologicas, Hospital Infantil de Mexico, Federico Gomez, Mexico City, Mexico.
Guillermina Juliana
GJ
Baay-Guzman
Unidad de Investigacion en Enfermedades Oncologicas, Hospital Infantil de Mexico, Federico Gomez, Mexico City, Mexico.
Sara
S
Huerta-Yepez
Unidad de Investigación Medica en Oncologia, CMN sXXI IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico.
Mario I
MI
Vega
Experimental Pathology Section, Department of Pathology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition "Salvador Zubirán," Mexico City, Mexico.
Diana
D
Aguilar-Leon
European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany.
Monica
M
Campillos
European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany.
Jonathon
J
Blake
European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany.
Vladimir
V
Benes
Experimental Pathology Section, Department of Pathology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition "Salvador Zubirán," Mexico City, Mexico.
Rogelio
R
Hernandez-Pando
Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Mexico City, Mexico. Electronic address: lmteran@iner.gob.mx.
Luis M
LM
Teran
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D054382:Chemokine CXCL13 / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008875:Middle Aged; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult
D000906:Antibodies; D054382:Chemokine CXCL13