title: IL-22 mediates goblet cell hyperplasia and worm expulsion in intestinal helminth infection.
abstract: Type 2 immune responses are essential in protection against intestinal helminth infections. In this study we show that IL-22, a cytokine important in defence against bacterial infections in the intestinal tract, is also a critical mediator of anti-helminth immunity. After infection with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, a rodent hookworm, IL-22-deficient mice showed impaired worm expulsion despite normal levels of type 2 cytokine production. The impaired worm expulsion correlated with reduced goblet cell hyperplasia and reduced expression of goblet cell markers. We further confirmed our findings in a second nematode model, the murine whipworm Trichuris muris. T.muris infected IL-22-deficient mice had a similar phenotype to that seen in N.brasiliensis infection, with impaired worm expulsion and reduced goblet cell hyperplasia. Ex vivo and in vitro analysis demonstrated that IL-22 is able to directly induce the expression of several goblet cell markers, including mucins. Taken together, our findings reveal that IL-22 plays an important role in goblet cell activation, and thus, a key role in anti-helminth immunity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Immunology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jan-Eric
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Brigitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stockinger
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Helmby
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000235:genetics; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009559:Nippostrongylus / Q000276:immunology*; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D014257:Trichuriasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014258:Trichuris / Q000276:immunology*; D000097043:Interleukin-22
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D000097043:Interleukin-22