title: IL-25 exhibits disparate roles during Th2-cell differentiation versus effector function.
abstract: A keenly sought therapeutic approach for the treatment of allergic disease is the identification and neutralization of the cytokine that regulates the differentiation of T helper 2 (Th2) cells. Th2 cells are exciting targets for asthma therapies. Recently, the cytokine IL-25 has been shown to enhance Th2-type immune activity and play important roles in mediating allergic inflammatory responses. To investigate this further, we crossed IL-25(-/-) C57BL/6 mice with G4 IL-4 C57BL/6 reporter mice and developed an assay for in vitro and in vivo IL-4-independent Th2-cell differentiation. These assays were used to determine whether IL-25 was critical for the formation of Th2 cells. We found there was no physiological role for IL-25 in either the differentiation of Th2 cells or their development to effector or memory Th2-cell subsets. Importantly, this data challenges the newly found and growing status of the cytokine IL-25 and its proposed role in promoting Th2-cell responses.
authors.affiliation: Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mearns
authors.forename: Elizabeth E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Forbes-Blom
authors.forename: Mali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Camberis
authors.forename: Shiau-Choot
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kyle
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harvie
authors.forename: Melanie A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kleinschek
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Le Gros
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000276:immunology; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000502:physiology; D007378:Interleukins / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; C442281:Mydgf protein, mouse; D015847:Interleukin-4
keywords: CD4+ T cells; IL-25; IL-4; Nippostrongylus brasiliensis; Th2