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IL-33–mediated IL-13 secretion by ST2+ Tregs controls inflammation after lung injury
Quan Liu, Gaelen K. Dwyer, Yifei Zhao, Huihua Li, Lisa R. Mathews, Anish Bhaswanth Chakka, Uma R. Chandran, Jake A. Demetris, John F. Alcorn, Keven M. Robinson, Luis A. Ortiz, Bruce R. Pitt, Angus W. Thomson, Ming-Hui Fan, Timothy R. Billiar, Hēth R. Turnquist
Quan Liu, Gaelen K. Dwyer, Yifei Zhao, Huihua Li, Lisa R. Mathews, Anish Bhaswanth Chakka, Uma R. Chandran, Jake A. Demetris, John F. Alcorn, Keven M. Robinson, Luis A. Ortiz, Bruce R. Pitt, Angus W. Thomson, Ming-Hui Fan, Timothy R. Billiar, Hēth R. Turnquist
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Research Article Immunology Pulmonology

IL-33–mediated IL-13 secretion by ST2+ Tregs controls inflammation after lung injury

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Abstract

Acute respiratory distress syndrome is an often fatal disease that develops after acute lung injury and trauma. How released tissue damage signals, or alarmins, orchestrate early inflammatory events is poorly understood. Herein we reveal that IL-33, an alarmin sequestered in the lung epithelium, is required to limit inflammation after injury due to an unappreciated capacity to mediate Foxp3+ Treg control of local cytokines and myeloid populations. Specifically, Il33–/– mice are more susceptible to lung damage–associated morbidity and mortality that is typified by augmented levels of the proinflammatory cytokines and Ly6Chi monocytes in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Local delivery of IL-33 at the time of injury is protective but requires the presence of Treg cells. IL-33 stimulates both mouse and human Tregs to secrete IL-13. Using Foxp3Cre × Il4/Il13fl/fl mice, we show that Treg expression of IL-13 is required to prevent mortality after acute lung injury by controlling local levels of G-CSF, IL-6, and MCP-1 and inhibiting accumulation of Ly6Chi monocytes. Our study identifies a regulatory mechanism involving IL-33 and Treg secretion of IL-13 in response to tissue damage that is instrumental in limiting local inflammatory responses and may shape the myeloid compartment after lung injury.

Authors

Quan Liu, Gaelen K. Dwyer, Yifei Zhao, Huihua Li, Lisa R. Mathews, Anish Bhaswanth Chakka, Uma R. Chandran, Jake A. Demetris, John F. Alcorn, Keven M. Robinson, Luis A. Ortiz, Bruce R. Pitt, Angus W. Thomson, Ming-Hui Fan, Timothy R. Billiar, Hēth R. Turnquist

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Figure 2

Local delivery of IL-33 protects Il33–/– mice from mortality after ALI and reduces the frequency of proinflammatory cytokines and myeloid cells in alveoli.

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Local delivery of IL-33 protects Il33–/– mice from mortality after ALI a...
(A) Survival of WT or IL33–/– B6 mice injected i.t. with 1.0 IU/kg bleomycin alone or with 1 μg rIL-33. Data are from 2 pooled experiments. (B) At days 7–8 after bleomycin delivery, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from Il33–/– mice had increased IL-6, G-CSF, LIF, IL-1α, and MCP-1 concentrations, which were significantly reduced by rIL-33 restoration. Data are from 1 experiment representative of 2, and n = 5–6 mice per group. (C and D) Flow cytometric assessment of BALF cells from WT and Il33–/– treated as in A. (C) Frequencies of alveolar macrophages (CD45+CD11bloSiglec-F+) and neutrophils (CD45+CD11bhiSiglec-F–Ly6Ghi). (D) Frequencies of alveolar Ly6Chi inflammatory monocytes (CD45+CD11bhiCD11cloLy6Chi) and Ly6Clo immunosuppressive and reparative monocytes (CD45+CD11bhiCD11cloLy6Clo). Data are representative of 2 independent experiments, with 5–6 mice per group in each experiment. Data are the mean ± SD. P values were determined by log-rank test (A), or 1-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test (B–D). *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01.

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