The roles of thymic stromal lymphopoietin receptor and its antibody in airway inflammatory response in asthmatic mice / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To determine the roles of thymic stromal lymphopoietin receptor (TSLPR) and its antibody in airway inflammatory response in asthmatic mice, and to promote maturation and activation of dendritic cells (DCs) in mouse airway. Methods BALB/c mice were randomly divided into group A, B and C. The mice in group B and C were intraperitoneally injected with OVA for allergization while the mice in group A were intraperitoneally injected with PBS as the normal control. The mice in group B and C were treated by inhalation of non-specific IgG and TSLPR IgG respectively, before provocation of asthma using OVA. The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of the mice in different groups were collected for cell differential counts and quantitative detection of IL-4, IL-5, IFN-γand IL-10 levels by ELISA. Moreover, the pulmonary tissue specimens of the mice were collected for pathological examination, and the numbers and phenotypes of DCs from the local lymph nodes and pulmonary tissue were determined by flow cytometry. Results The levels of all the tested cytokines in the BALF from mice in group B and C were remarkably higher compared to those from mice in group A (P<0.01). However, both the IL-4 and IL-5 levels in the BALF from group C mice that pre-blocked with TSLPR IgG were lower than those from group B (P<0.05, P<0.01), whereas both the IFN-γ and IL-10 levels in the BALF from group C mice were higher than those from group B (P<0.05, P<0.01). Furthermore, the numbers of total cells, eosinophils and lymphocytes in the BALF from group C mice were also lower than those from group B (P<0.01). A large number of inflammatory cell infiltration around the bronchus, beaker cell proliferation and mucous secretion reinforcement could be found in the samples from group B mice, while slight inflammatory cell infiltration and beaker cell proliferation in the samples from group C mice. The numbers of DCs in mediastinal lymph node and the levels of I-Ad, CD40, CD80 and CD86 expression of pulmonary DCs from group B mice were higher than those from group C mice (P<0.05). Conclusion TSLP/TSLPR have an effect on promoting asthma, which is closely relative to its regulation of DCs activation. And the interference of TSLPR antibody can decrease the effect of TSLP/TSLPR which indicating a potential of the antibody as a novel anti-asthma drug.