title: Role of ROCK2 in CD4+cells in allergic airways responses in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rho kinases (ROCKs) contribute to allergic airways disease. ROCKs also play a role in lymphocyte proliferation and migration.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the role of ROCK2 acting within CD4+cells in allergic airways responses.
  
  
  METHODS
  ROCK2-haploinsufficient (ROCK2+/-) and wild-type mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA). ROCK2+/-mice then received either CD4+cells from ROCK2-sufficient OVA TCR transgenic (OT-II) mice or saline i.v. 48 h before challenge with aerosolized OVA. Wild-type mice received saline before challenge. Allergic airways responses were measured 48 h after the last challenge. Allergic airways responses were also assessed in mice lacking ROCK2 only in CD4+cells (ROCK2CD4Cremice) vs. control (CD4-Cre and ROCK2flox/flox) mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  OVA-induced increases in bronchoalveolar lavage lymphocytes, eosinophils, IL-13, IL-5, and eotaxin were reduced in ROCK2+/-vs. wild-type mice, as were airway hyperresponsiveness and mucous hypersecretion. In ROCK2+/-mice, adoptive transfer with CD4+cells from OT-II mice restored effects of OVA on lymphocytes, eosinophils, IL-13, IL-5, and mucous hypersecretion to wild-type levels, whereas eotaxin and airway hyperresponsiveness were not affected. ROCK2 inhibitors reduced IL-13-induced release of eotaxin from airway smooth muscle (ASM), similar to effects of these inhibitors on ASM contractility. Despite the ability of adoptive transfer to restore allergic airways inflammation in ROCK2-insufficient mice, allergic inflammation was not different in ROCK2CD4Crevs. control mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ROCK2 contributes to allergic airways responses likely via effects within ASM cells and within non-lymphocyte cells involved in lymphocyte activation and migration into the airways.
authors.affiliation: Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Kasahara
authors.affiliation: Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mathews
authors.affiliation: Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: F M C
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ninin
authors.affiliation: Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Wurmbrand
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shore
mesh_terms: D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D017353:Gene Deletion; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D037182:T-Cell Antigen Receptor Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010047:Ovalbumin; C515855:Rock2 protein, mouse; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases
keywords: T cells; animal models; asthma; basic mechanisms; lymphocytes