Interleukin-22 aggravates murine acute graft-versus-host disease by expanding effector T cell and reducing regulatory T cell.
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) as a major complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is not well prevented now. We have observed that interleukin-22 (IL-22) produced by Th22, Th1, and Th17 cells participated in GVHD development in our previous study. However, the role of IL-22 in GVHD is still ambiguous. The aim of this study was to illuminate the pathological or protective function and the potential mechanism of IL-22 in the GVHD process. In the present study, we found that compared with mice cotransferred with bone marrow and spleen cells (BS mice) without IL-22 administration, more serious tissue damage and higher GVHD clinical score were observed in BS+IL-22 mice. IL-22 administration was a benefit to early recovery of thymus after irradiation-induced injury. Administration of IL-22 could promote Th1 and Tc1 cell expansion in mesenteric lymph nodes but reduce CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T (Treg) cell number. Levels of systemic inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ and TNF-α) were upregulated, while the level of immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10 was downregulated in recipients with IL-22 injection. In conclusion, IL-22, which exacerbates both local immune responses and systemic inflammation of recipients, plays a pathogenic role in the GVHD process. The potential mechanism of IL-22 in GVHD may attribute to increased alloreactive effector Th1 and Tc1 cells and decreased inhibitory Treg cell.
1 Laboratory of Transplantation and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical College , Xuzhou, China .
Kai
K
Zhao
Dongmei
D
Zhao
Dong
D
Huang
Lingling
L
Yin
Chong
C
Chen
Bin
B
Pan
Qingyun
Q
Wu
Zhenyu
Z
Li
Yao
Y
Yao
Erxia
E
Shen
Lingyu
L
Zeng
Kailin
K
Xu
D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000276:immunology; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D000097043:Interleukin-22
D007371:Interferon-gamma; D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000097043:Interleukin-22