title: Receptor Interacting Protein 2 (RIP2) Is Dispensable for OVA-Induced Airway Inflammation in Mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Asthma is a pulmonary chronic inflammatory disease characterized by airway obstruction and hyperresponsiveness. Pattern recognition receptors are known to play a key role in the development of allergic diseases as well as host defenses against microbial infection. Receptor interacting protein 2 (RIP2), a serine/threonine kinase, is an adaptor molecule of NOD1 and NOD2, and genetic variation in this receptor is known to be associated with the severity of allergic asthma in children. In this study, we examined the role of RIP2 in the development of allergic airway inflammation in a mouse model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Airway inflammation was induced in mice through intranasal administration of ovalbumin (OVA) after 2 intraperitoneal immunizations with OVA. Lung inflammation and mucus hypersecretion were examined histologically and total cell infiltration in bronchoalveolar (BAL) fluids was determined. Levels of the Th2-related cytokines, IL-5 and IL-13, in lung extracts were measured by ELISA. Serum antigen-specific IgE and IgG1 levels were also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  OVA-induced lung inflammation and mucus hypersecretion were not different between WT and RIP2-deficient mice. The IL-5 and IL-13 levels in the bronchoalveolar (BAL) fluids were also not impaired in RIP2-deficient mice compared to WT mice. Moreover, RIP2 deficiency did not affect serum OVA-specific IgG1 and IgE levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that RIP2 is not associated with the development of allergic airway inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae-Hyoun
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Yeong-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Jae
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Hak
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Konyang University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
keywords: IgE; RIP2; Th2; airway inflammation; ovalbumin