CGRP inhibits proliferation, activation and cytokine secretion of group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) in peripheral blood from patients with allergic rhinitis / 细胞与分子免疫学杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on the regulation of group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) in the peripheral blood of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were extracted from normal healthy individuals and AR patients, then stimulated with CGRP, interleukin 33 (IL-33) and CGRP combined with IL-33 for 3 days, with blank stimulus as control. The percentage of ILC2 in the four groups was measured by flow cytometry. After being sorted, ILC2 was given to CGRP, IL-33 and CGRP combined with IL-33 stimulation for 3 days, with blank stimulus as control. The percentage of IL-5 and IL-13 positive cells in ILC2 was detected by flow cytometry, and the levels of IL-5 and IL-13 in ILC2 supernatant were measured by ELISA. Results The percentage of ILC2 in the peripheral blood of AR patients was significantly higher than that of the control group. The levels of IL-5+ILC2 and IL-13+ILC2 were significantly increased by IL-33 single stimulation after culturing PBMCs. After adding IL-33 combined with CGRP stimulation, the levels of IL-5+ILC2 and IL-13+ILC2 in PBMCs were significantly reduced; after CGRP single stimulation, the levels of IL-5+ILC2 and IL-13+ILC2 in PBMCs were further decreased. After ILC2 was sorted and cultured, the levels of IL-5+ILC2 and IL-13+ILC2 showed significant increase after IL-33 single stimulation. The levels of IL-5+ILC2 and IL-13+ILC2 were decreased by IL-33 and CGRP co-stimulation, and they were further reduced after CGRP single stimulation. Compared to IL-33 single stimulation, IL-5 and IL-13 levels dropped significantly due to the IL-33 and CGRP co-stimulation. The levels of IL-5 and IL-13 were further reduced by CGRP single stimulation. Conclusion CGRP inhibits the proliferation and activation of peripheral blood ILC2 in AR and exert anti-inflammatory effects in AR.

IL-33 up-regulates eIF3a expression by activating NF-κB signaling pathway to mediate the proliferation and differentiation of mouse pulmonary myofibroblasts and aggravate pulmonary fibrosis / 细胞与分子免疫学杂志

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanism of Interleukin-33 (IL-33) mediated proliferation and differentiation of pulmonary myofibroblasts (MFbs) in pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Methods C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups: a control group, a bleomycin (BLM) group, a BLM combined with IL-33 group and a BLM combined with anti-IL-33 antibody group, 12 mice in each group. The PF model was induced by intratracheal injection of BLM (5000 U/kg). The degrees of fibrosis were examined using HE and Masson staining. ELISA was used to measure the plasma levels of IL-33. Immunohistochemical staining was used to measure the expression of alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in lung tissue. Primary pulmonary fibroblasts were isolated and cultured from lung tissues of mice. The cells were divided into four groups: a control group, an IL-33 group, an IL-33 combined with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) group and an IL-33 combined with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) group. The cells were treated with DMSO or PDTC for 1 hour and then with IL-33 for 48 hours. Cell proliferation was measured by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay and cell cycle was measured by flow cytometry. TranswellTM assay was used to analyze cell migration. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to measure the expression of collagen type I (Col1), Col3 and α-SMA mRNA. The protein levels of IL-33, Col1, Col3, α-SMA, eukaryotic initiation factor 3a (eIF3a), phosphorylated IκBα (p-IκBα) (total lysate), p-NF-κB p65(total lysate) and NF-κB p65 (nucleus) were measured by Western blot analysis. Results In vivo, compared with the control group, the expressions of IL-33, p-IκBα (total lysate), p-NF-κB p65 (total lysate), NF-κB p65(nucleus), eIF3a, α-SMA, Col1 and Col3 in the BLM group significantly increased. Compared with the BLM group, the expressions of p-IκBα (total lysate), p-NF-κB p65 (total lysate), NF-κB p65 (nucleus), eIF3a, α-SMA, Col1 and Col3 in the IL-33 group increased further and the PF was further aggravated. But the effect of anti-IL-33 antibody was just opposite to that of IL-33. In vitro, IL-33 markedly induced the proliferation and migration of pulmonary fibroblasts, and significantly up-regulated the expression of p-IκBα (total lysate), p-NF-κB p65(total lysate), NF-κB p65 (nucleus), eIF3a, α-SMA, Col1 and Col3. But all these effects of IL-33 were reversed by pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate. Conclusion The results suggest that IL-33 may promote the expression of eIF3a by activating NF-κB signaling pathway, thus inducing the proliferation and differentiation of MFbs and promoting the occurrence and development of PF.