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Chiarella SE, Cuervo-Pardo L, Coden ME, Jeong BM, Doan TC, Connelly AR, Rodriguez RI, Queener AM, Berdnikovs S. Sex differences in a murine model of asthma are time and tissue compartment dependent. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0271281. [PMID: 37819947 PMCID: PMC10566727 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
CONCLUSION Sexual dimorphism in lung inflammation is both time and tissue compartment dependent. Spatiotemporal variability in sex differences in a murine model of asthma must be accounted for when planning experiments to model the sex bias in allergic inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio E. Chiarella
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Division of Allergic Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States of America
| | | | - Mackenzie E. Coden
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Brian M. Jeong
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Ton C. Doan
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Andrew R. Connelly
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Raul I. Rodriguez
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Ashley M. Queener
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Sergejs Berdnikovs
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
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2
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Mostafa DHD, Hemshekhar M, Piyadasa H, Altieri A, Halayko AJ, Pascoe CD, Mookherjee N. Characterization of sex-related differences in allergen house dust mite-challenged airway inflammation, in two different strains of mice. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20837. [PMID: 36460835 PMCID: PMC9718733 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25327-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological sex impacts disease prevalence, severity and response to therapy in asthma, however preclinical studies often use only one sex in murine models. Here, we detail sex-related differences in immune responses using a house dust mite (HDM)-challenge model of acute airway inflammation, in adult mice of two different strains (BALB/c and C57BL/6NJ). Female and male mice were challenged (intranasally) with HDM extract (~ 25 μg) for 2 weeks (N = 10 per group). Increase in serum HDM-specific IgE showed a female bias, which was statistically significant in BALB/c mice. We compared naïve and HDM-challenged mice to define immune responses in the lungs by assessing leukocyte accumulation in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and profiling the abundance of 29 different cytokines in BALF and lung tissue lysates. Our results demonstrate specific sex-related and strain-dependent differences in airway inflammation. For example, HDM-driven accumulation of neutrophils, eosinophils and macrophages were significantly higher in females compared to males, in BALB/c mice. In contrast, HDM-mediated eosinophil accumulation was higher in males compared to females, in C57BL/6NJ mice. Differences in lung cytokine profiles indicated that HDM drives a T-helper (Th)17-biased response with higher IL-17 levels in female BALB/c mice compared to males, whereas female C57BL/6NJ mice elicit a mixed Th1/Th2-skewed response. Male mice of both strains showed higher levels of specific Th2-skewed cytokines, such as IL-21, IL-25 and IL-9, in response to HDM. Overall, this study details sex dimorphism in HDM-mediated airway inflammation in mice, which will be a valuable resource for preclinical studies in allergic airway inflammation and asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina H. D. Mostafa
- grid.21613.370000 0004 1936 9609Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, 799 JBRC, 715 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P4 Canada ,grid.21613.370000 0004 1936 9609Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Mahadevappa Hemshekhar
- grid.21613.370000 0004 1936 9609Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Hadeesha Piyadasa
- grid.21613.370000 0004 1936 9609Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, 799 JBRC, 715 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P4 Canada ,grid.21613.370000 0004 1936 9609Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada ,grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304 USA
| | - Anthony Altieri
- grid.21613.370000 0004 1936 9609Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, 799 JBRC, 715 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P4 Canada ,grid.21613.370000 0004 1936 9609Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Andrew J. Halayko
- grid.21613.370000 0004 1936 9609Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada ,grid.460198.20000 0004 4685 0561Biology of Breathing Group, The Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Christopher D. Pascoe
- grid.21613.370000 0004 1936 9609Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada ,grid.460198.20000 0004 4685 0561Biology of Breathing Group, The Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Neeloffer Mookherjee
- grid.21613.370000 0004 1936 9609Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, 799 JBRC, 715 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P4 Canada ,grid.21613.370000 0004 1936 9609Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada ,grid.460198.20000 0004 4685 0561Biology of Breathing Group, The Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
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Li Y, Lan F, Yang Y, Xu Y, Chen Y, Qin X, Lv Z, Wang W, Ying S, Zhang L. The absence of IL-9 reduces allergic airway inflammation by reducing ILC2, Th2 and mast cells in murine model of asthma. BMC Pulm Med 2022; 22:180. [PMID: 35524325 PMCID: PMC9074312 DOI: 10.1186/s12890-022-01976-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Allergic asthma is an allergic inflammatory disease of the airways, in which numerous cell types and cytokines have been shown to contribute to pathogenesis of the disease. Although increased expression of IL-9 has been shown to influence the activity of structural as well as eosinophils and mast cells in asthma, the influence of IL-9 on function of ILC2 and Th2 cells remains unclear. This study therefore aimed to elucidate the role of IL-9 on ILC2 and Th2 cells using a murine model of asthma. A murine model of asthma was established using wild type (WT) and IL-9-deficient (Il9−/−) transgenic mice sensitized to house dust mite (HDM). Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissues were collected, and analysed for inflammatory cells (eosinophils, mast cells, Th2 cells and ILC2 cells), histopathological changes, and several cytokines. HDM challenge significantly increased accumulation of ILC2 cells, Th2 cells and mast cells, as well as goblet cell hyperplasia, and the expression of cytokines IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13, but not IFN-γ, in WT mice compared to saline-challenged control group. In contrast, all pathological changes, including infiltration of ILC2 cells, Th2 cells and mast cells, were significantly attenuated in HDM-challenged Il9−/− mice. Furthermore, the number of Ki67+ILC2 cells, Ki67+Th2 cells and Ki67+mast cells were significantly reduced in the absence of IL-9 signalling. These data suggest that IL-9 promotes the proliferation and type 2 cytokine production of type 2 cells in the murine models of asthma, and therefore might be a potential therapeutic target for asthma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ministry of Education, Beijing Key Laboratory of Nasal Diseases, No. 17, HouGouHuTong, DongCheng District, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Feng Lan
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ministry of Education, Beijing Key Laboratory of Nasal Diseases, No. 17, HouGouHuTong, DongCheng District, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Yiran Yang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, 10 Xi Tou Tiao, You An Men Wai, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Yingjie Xu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, 10 Xi Tou Tiao, You An Men Wai, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Yalin Chen
- Department of Thyroid Head and Neck Surgery, Qingdao Central Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaofeng Qin
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, 10 Xi Tou Tiao, You An Men Wai, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Zhe Lv
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, 10 Xi Tou Tiao, You An Men Wai, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, 10 Xi Tou Tiao, You An Men Wai, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Sun Ying
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, 10 Xi Tou Tiao, You An Men Wai, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China.
| | - Luo Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ministry of Education, Beijing Key Laboratory of Nasal Diseases, No. 17, HouGouHuTong, DongCheng District, Beijing, 100730, China.
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Ekpruke CD, Silveyra P. Sex Differences in Airway Remodeling and Inflammation: Clinical and Biological Factors. FRONTIERS IN ALLERGY 2022; 3:875295. [PMID: 35769576 PMCID: PMC9234861 DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2022.875295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Asthma is characterized by an increase in the contraction and inflammation of airway muscles, resulting in airflow obstruction. The prevalence of asthma is lower in females than in males until the start of puberty, and higher in adult women than men. This sex disparity and switch at the onset of puberty has been an object of debate among many researchers. Hence, in this review, we have summarized these observations to pinpoint areas needing more research work and to provide better sex-specific diagnosis and management of asthma. While some researchers have attributed it to the anatomical and physiological differences in the male and female respiratory systems, the influences of hormonal interplay after puberty have also been stressed. Other hormones such as leptin have been linked to the sex differences in asthma in both obese and non-obese patients. Recently, many scientists have also demonstrated the influence of the sex-specific genomic framework as a key player, and others have linked it to environmental, social lifestyle, and occupational exposures. The majority of studies concluded that adult men are less susceptible to developing asthma than women and that women display more severe forms of the disease. Therefore, the understanding of the roles played by sex- and gender-specific factors, and the biological mechanisms involved will help develop novel and more accurate diagnostic and therapeutic plans for sex-specific asthma management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Damilola Ekpruke
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Indiana University Bloomington School of Public Health, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Patricia Silveyra
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Indiana University Bloomington School of Public Health, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- *Correspondence: Patricia Silveyra
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Kawakami K, Miyasaka T, Nakamura Y, Metoki H, Miyata S, Sato M, Sora I, Yamauchi K, Kawakami K, Blendy JA, Kawano T, Shimokawa H, Takayanagi M, Ohno I, Takahashi T. The A118G single-nucleotide polymorphism in OPRM1 is a risk factor for asthma severity. Allergol Int 2022; 71:55-65. [PMID: 34688555 DOI: 10.1016/j.alit.2021.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although population studies have implicated emotional burden in asthma severity, the underlying genetic risk factors are not completely understood. We aimed to evaluate the genetic influence of a functional single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the stress-related μ-opioid receptor gene (OPRM1; A118G SNP, rs1799971) on asthma severity. METHODS We initially assessed disease severity in asthmatic outpatients carrying A118G. Using an ovalbumin-induced experimental asthma rodent model harboring the functionally equivalent SNP, we investigated the mechanism by which this SNP influences the allergic immune response. RESULTS Among 292 outpatients, 168 underwent airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to methacholine testing. Compared with patients carrying the AA and AG genotypes, those carrying the GG genotype exhibited enhanced AHR. The stress levels were presumed to be moderate among patients and were comparable among genotypes. Compared with Oprm1 AA mice, GG mice demonstrated aggravated asthma-related features and increased pulmonary interleukin-4+CD4+ effector and effector memory T cells under everyday life stress conditions. Intraperitoneal naloxone methiodide injection reduced effector CD4+ T cell elevation associated with increased eosinophil numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of GG mice to the levels in AA mice, suggesting that elevated Th2 cell generation in the bronchial lymph node (BLN) of GG mice induces enhanced eosinophilic inflammation. CONCLUSIONS Without forced stress exposure, patients with asthma carrying the OPRM1 GG genotype exhibit enhanced AHR, attributable to enhanced Th2 cell differentiation in the regional lymph node. Further research is necessary to elucidate the role of the OPRM1 A118G genotype in the Th2 cell differentiation pathway in the BLN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Kawakami
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tomomitsu Miyasaka
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Yutaka Nakamura
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy, and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University School of Medicine, Iwate, Japan
| | - Hirohito Metoki
- Division of Public Health, Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Satoshi Miyata
- Teikyo University Graduate School of Public Health, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Miki Sato
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ichiro Sora
- Department of Psychiatry, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
| | - Kohei Yamauchi
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy, and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University School of Medicine, Iwate, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Kawakami
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Mycology and Immunology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Department of Intelligent Network for Infection Control, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Tasuku Kawano
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Shimokawa
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Motoaki Takayanagi
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Isao Ohno
- Center for Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tomoko Takahashi
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
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6
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Chiarella SE, Cardet JC, Prakash YS. Sex, Cells, and Asthma. Mayo Clin Proc 2021; 96:1955-1969. [PMID: 34218868 PMCID: PMC8262071 DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
There are marked sex differences in asthma prevalence and severity. Sex hormones play a central role in these sex biases and directly interact with multiple key cells involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. Here we review the known effects of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone on airway epithelial cells, airway smooth muscle cells, the mononuclear phagocyte system, innate lymphoid cells, eosinophils, mast cells, T cells, and B cells, all in the context of asthma. Furthermore, we explore unresolved clinical questions, such as the role of sex hormones in the link between asthma and obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio E Chiarella
- Division of Allergic Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Juan Carlos Cardet
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa
| | - Y S Prakash
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
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Allergen Exposure in Murine Neonates Promoted the Development of Asthmatic Lungs. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9060688. [PMID: 34207237 PMCID: PMC8235458 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9060688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously demonstrated that fetal allergen exposure caused T-helper 2 (Th2) cell sensitization. Although neonates are immunologically more mature than fetuses, asthmatic lungs were reportedly mitigated by neonatal allergen administration, mechanically referring to regulatory T-cells and TGF-β signaling but lacking the immunological profiles after neonatal exposure. To reappraise the immunological outcome of neonatal allergen exposure, we injected adjuvant-free ovalbumin intraperitoneally into 2-day-old BALB/c neonates, followed by aerosolized ovalbumin inhalation in adulthood. Mice were examined for the immunological profiles specifically after neonatal exposures, lung function and histology (hematoxylin-eosin or periodic acid Schiff staining), and gene expressions of intrapulmonary cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IFN-γ) and chemokines (CCL17, CCL22, CCL11 and CCL24). Neonatal ovalbumin exposure triggered Th2-skewed sensitization and ovalbumin-specific IgE production. Subsequent ovalbumin inhalation in adulthood boosted Th2 immunity and caused asthmatic lungs with structural and functional alterations of airways. Gender difference mainly involved airway hyperresponsiveness and resistance with greater female susceptibility to methacholine bronchospastic stimulation. In lungs, heightened chemoattractant gene expressions were only granted to neonatally ovalbumin-sensitized mice with aerosolized ovalbumin stress in adulthood, and paralleled by upregulated Th2 cytokine genes. Thus, aeroallergen stress in atopic individuals might upregulate the expression of intrapulmonary chemoattractants to recruit Th2 cells and eosinophils into the lungs, pathogenically linked to asthma development. Conclusively, murine neonates were sensitive to allergen exposures. Exposure events during neonatal stages were crucial to asthma predisposition in later life. These findings from a murine model point to allergen avoidance in neonatal life, possibly even very early in utero, as the best prospect of primary asthma prevention.
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Tang L, Zhu L, Zhang W, Yang X, Chen Q, Meng Z, Liu J, Sun Y, Hu J, Ni Z, Wang X. Qi-Xian Decoction Upregulated E-cadherin Expression in Human Lung Epithelial Cells and Ovalbumin-Challenged Mice by Inhibiting Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated Extracellular-Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) Activation. Med Sci Monit 2020; 26:e922003. [PMID: 32833955 PMCID: PMC7461650 DOI: 10.12659/msm.922003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Loss of the epithelial barrier is characterized by a reduction in E-cadherin expression and is a hallmark of asthma. Qi-xian decoction (QXT) is a Chinese medicinal formula that has been used to effectively treat asthma. This study aimed to investigate the effect of QXT on E-cadherin expression in human lung epithelial 16HBE cells and ovalbumin-challenged mice and to explore the underlying molecular mechanism. Material/Methods Ovalbumin (OVA)-induced mice were used as a model of asthma. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were utilized to examine mRNA and protein levels. Lung tissue reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were evaluated using dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA). Serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based analyses. 16HBE cells were utilized to explore the effect of QXT or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on the expression of E-cadherin in vitro. Results We found that QXT treatment increased E-cadherin expression and decreased extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation levels in the lung tissues of OVA-challenged mice. QXT also downregulated ROS levels and increased serum SOD and TAOC levels in OVA-challenged mice. In vitro studies demonstrated that increased ROS generation induced by H2O2 resulted in decreased E-cadherin expression levels in 16HBE cells, which was attenuated by inhibition of ERK signaling. Moreover, the H2O2-induced downregulation of E-cadherin expression, increased ROS generation, and ERK activation in 16HBE cells were restored by treatment with QXT water or ethanol extract. Conclusions These data demonstrate that one mechanism by which QXT protects against asthma is to restore E-cadherin expression in vivo and in vitro by inhibiting ROS-mediated ERK activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Tang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland)
| | - Linyun Zhu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland)
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland)
| | - Xiaoyan Yang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland)
| | - Qingge Chen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland)
| | - Ziyu Meng
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland)
| | - Jinjin Liu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland)
| | - Yipeng Sun
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland)
| | - Junsheng Hu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland)
| | - Zhenhua Ni
- Central Laboratory, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland)
| | - Xiongbiao Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland)
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9
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Dobashi-Okuyama K, Kawakami K, Miyasaka T, Sato K, Ishii K, Kawakami K, Masuda C, Suzuki S, Kasamatsu J, Yamamoto H, Tanno D, Kanno E, Tanno H, Kawano T, Takayanagi M, Takahashi T, Ohno I. Novel Toll-Like Receptor 9 Agonist Derived from Cryptococcus neoformans Attenuates Allergic Inflammation Leading to Asthma Onset in Mice. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2020; 181:651-664. [PMID: 32585675 DOI: 10.1159/000508535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The enhanced type 2 helper (Th2) immune response is responsible for the pathogenesis of allergic asthma. To suppress the enhanced Th2 immune response, activation of the Th1 immune response has been an alternative strategy for anti-asthma therapy. In this context, effective Th1-inducing adjuvants that inhibit the development of allergic asthma but do not flare the side effects of the primary agent are required in clinical treatment and preventive medicine. OBJECTIVE In this study, we aimed to determine the regulation of the Th2 type immune response in asthma by a novel immunostimulatory oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) derived from Cryptococcus neoformans, termed ODN112, which contains a cytosine-guanine (CG) sequence but not canonical CpG motifs. METHODS Using an ovalbumin-induced asthma mouse model, we assessed the effect of ODN112 on prototypical asthma-related features in the lung and on the Th1/Th2 profile in the lymph nodes and lung of mice treated with ODN112 during sensitization. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION ODN112 treatment attenuated asthma features in mice. In the bronchial lymph nodes of the lungs and in the spleen, ODN112 increased interferon-γ production and attenuated Th2 recall responses. In dendritic cells (DCs) after allergen sensitization, ODN112 enhanced cluster of differentiation (CD) 40 and CD80 expression but did not alter CD86 expression. Interleukin-12p40 production from DCs was also increased in a Th2-polarizing condition. Our results suggest that ODN112 is a potential Th1-inducing adjuvant during Th2 cell differentiation in the sensitization phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Dobashi-Okuyama
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Kawakami
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Mycology and Immunology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Intelligent Network for Infection Control, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tomomitsu Miyasaka
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan,
| | - Ko Sato
- Department of Intelligent Network for Infection Control, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Keiko Ishii
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Mycology and Immunology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Kaori Kawakami
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Chiaki Masuda
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Syugo Suzuki
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Mycology and Immunology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Jun Kasamatsu
- Department of Intelligent Network for Infection Control, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hideki Yamamoto
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Mycology and Immunology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Daiki Tanno
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Mycology and Immunology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Emi Kanno
- Department of Science of Nursing Practice, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hiromasa Tanno
- Department of Science of Nursing Practice, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tasuku Kawano
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Motoaki Takayanagi
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tomoko Takahashi
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Isao Ohno
- Center for Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
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Yanagisawa R, Koike E, Win-Shwe TT, Ichinose T, Takano H. Effects of lactational exposure to low-dose BaP on allergic and non-allergic immune responses in mice offspring. J Immunotoxicol 2018; 15:31-40. [PMID: 29482396 DOI: 10.1080/1547691x.2018.1442379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) can induce developmental and reproductive toxicity; however, the full scope of its immunotoxic effects remains unknown. This study aimed to assess effects of lactational exposure to low-dose BaP (comparable to human exposure) on potential allergic\non-allergic immune responses in murine offspring. Lactating C3H/HeJ dams were orally dosed with BaP at 0, 0.25, 5.0, or 100 pmol/animal/week) at post-natal days [PND] 1, 8, and 15. Five-weeks-old pups then received intratracheally ovalbumin (OVA) every 2 weeks for 6 weeks. Following the final exposure, mice were processed to permit analyses of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid cell profiles as well as levels of lung inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, serum OVA-specific immunoglobulin, and mediastinal lymph node (MLN) cell activation/proliferation. In OVA-sensitized male offspring, lactational low-dose BaP exposure led to enhanced (albeit not significantly) macrophage, neutrophil, and eosinophil infiltration to, and increased T-helper (TH)-2 cytokine production in, the lungs. In females, BaP exposure, regardless of dose, led to slightly enhanced lung levels of macrophages and eosinophils, and of inflammatory molecules. Protein levels of interleukin (IL)-33 in the OVA + BaP (middle dose) group, and interferon (IFN)-γ in the OVA + BaP (low dose) group, were higher than that of the OVA (no BaP) group. Ex vivo studies showed lactational exposure to BaP partially induced activation of T-cells and antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in the MLN cells of both male and female offspring, with or without OVA sensitization. Further, IL-4 and IFNγ levels in MLN culture supernatants were elevated even without OVA-re-stimulation in OVA + BaP groups. In conclusion, lactational exposure to low-dose BaP appeared to exert slight effects on later allergic and non-allergic immune responses in offspring by facilitating development of modest TH2 responses and activating MLN cells. In addition, lactational exposures to BaP might give rise to gender differences in allergic/non-allergic immune responses of offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rie Yanagisawa
- a Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research , National Institute for Environmental Studies , Tsukuba , Japan
| | - Eiko Koike
- a Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research , National Institute for Environmental Studies , Tsukuba , Japan
| | - Tin-Tin Win-Shwe
- a Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research , National Institute for Environmental Studies , Tsukuba , Japan
| | - Takamichi Ichinose
- b Department of Health Sciences , Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences , Oita , Japan
| | - Hirohisa Takano
- c Graduate School of Engineering , Kyoto University , Kyoto , Japan
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Masuda C, Miyasaka T, Kawakami K, Inokuchi J, Kawano T, Dobashi-Okuyama K, Takahashi T, Takayanagi M, Ohno I. Sex-based differences in CD103 + dendritic cells promote female-predominant Th2 cytokine production during allergic asthma. Clin Exp Allergy 2018; 48:379-393. [PMID: 29288569 DOI: 10.1111/cea.13081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gender disparities in adult patients with asthma regarding its prevalence and severity are mainly due to enhanced type 2 T-helper (Th2) cytokine production in female patients compared to that in male patients. However, the pathways mediating this effect remain unclear. OBJECTIVE We aimed to determine the roles of two major subsets of dendritic cells (DCs) in females, specifically those displaying CD11b or CD103, during enhanced Th2 priming after allergen exposure, using an ovalbumin-induced asthma mouse model. METHODS Sex-based differences in the number of DCs at inflamed sites, costimulatory molecule expression on DCs, and the ability of DCs to differentiate naïve CD4+ T cells into Th2 population were evaluated after allergen exposure in asthmatic mice. In addition, we assessed the role of 17β-oestradiol in CD103+ DC function during Th2 priming in vitro. RESULTS The number of CD11bhigh DCs and CD103+ DCs in the lung and bronchial lymph node (BLN) was increased to a greater extent in female mice than in male mice at 16 to 20 hours after ovalbumin (OVA) inhalation. In BLNs, CD86 and I-A/I-E expression levels and antigen uptake ability in CD103+ DCs, but not in CD11bhigh DCs, were greater in female mice than in male mice. Furthermore, CD4+ T cells cultured with CD103+ DCs from female mice produced higher levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13, compared with CD4+ T cells cultured with CD103+ DCs from male mice. The 17β-oestradiol-oriented enhancement of CD86 expression on CD103+ DCs after allergen exposure induced the enhanced IL-5 production from CD4+ T cells. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE These findings suggest that with regard to asthma, enhanced Th2 cytokine production in females might be attributed to 17β-oestradiol-mediated Th2-oriented CD103+ DCs in the BLN.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Masuda
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - T Miyasaka
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - K Kawakami
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - J Inokuchi
- Division of Glycopathology, Institute of Molecular Biomembranes and Glycobiology, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - T Kawano
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - K Dobashi-Okuyama
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - T Takahashi
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - M Takayanagi
- Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - I Ohno
- Center for Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
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12
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Ishikuro M, Matsubara H, Kikuya M, Obara T, Sato Y, Metoki H, Isojima T, Yokoya S, Kato N, Tanaka T, Chida S, Ono A, Hosoya M, Yokomichi H, Yamagata Z, Tanaka S, Kure S, Kuriyama S. Disease prevalence among nursery school children after the Great East Japan earthquake. BMJ Glob Health 2017; 2:e000127. [PMID: 28589008 PMCID: PMC5435256 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2016-000127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Revised: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To investigate the relationship between personal experience of the Great East Japan Earthquake and various disease types among nursery school children. Design We conducted a nationwide survey of nursery school children born between 2 April 2006 and 1 April 2007. Nursery school teachers completed questionnaires if they agreed to join the study. Questionnaire items for children consisted of their birth year and month, sex, any history of moving into or out of the current nursery school, presence of diseases diagnosed by a physician at the age of 66–78 months and type of disaster experience. The survey was conducted from September 2012 to December 2012. Setting Japan, nationwide. Participants A total of 60 270 nursery school children were included in the analysis, 840 of whom experienced the disaster on 11 March 2011. Main outcome measures The health status of children 1.5 years after the disaster based on nursery school records. Results Experiencing the disaster significantly affected the prevalence of overall and individual diseases. Furthermore, there was a difference in disease prevalence between boys and girls. In boys, experiencing the tsunami (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.22 to 5.24) and living in an evacuation centre (OR 2.92, 95% CI 1.46 to 5.83) were remarkably associated with a higher prevalence of atopic dermatitis, but these trends were not observed among girls. Instead, the home being destroyed (OR 3.50, 95% CI 2.02 to 6.07) and moving house (OR 4.19, 95% CI 2.01 to 8.71) were positively associated with a higher prevalence of asthma among girls. Conclusions Our study indicates that experiencing the disaster may have affected the health status of nursery school children at least up to 1.5 years after the disaster. Continuous monitoring of the health status of children is necessary to develop strategic plans for child health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mami Ishikuro
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hiroko Matsubara
- Department of Disaster Public Health, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Masahiro Kikuya
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Taku Obara
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yuki Sato
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hirohito Metoki
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Isojima
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Susumu Yokoya
- National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | - Shoichi Chida
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan
| | - Atsushi Ono
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Mitsuaki Hosoya
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | | | - Zentaro Yamagata
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Yamanashi, Chuo, Japan
| | - Soichiro Tanaka
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Shigeo Kure
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Shinichi Kuriyama
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Disaster Public Health, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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13
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Ito C, Okuyama-Dobashi K, Miyasaka T, Masuda C, Sato M, Kawano T, Ohkawara Y, Kikuchi T, Takayanagi M, Ohno I. CD8+ T Cells Mediate Female-Dominant IL-4 Production and Airway Inflammation in Allergic Asthma. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140808. [PMID: 26488300 PMCID: PMC4619475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence and severity of bronchial asthma are higher in females than in males after puberty. Although antigen-specific CD8+ T cells play an important role in the development of asthma through their suppressive effect on cytokine production, the contribution of CD8+ T cells to sex differences in asthmatic responses remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the sex-specific effect of CD8+ T cells in the suppression of asthma using an ovalbumin mouse model of asthma. The number of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, lung type 2 T-helper cytokine levels, and interleukin-4 (IL-4) production by bronchial lymph node cells were significantly higher in female wild-type (WT) mice compared with male mice, whereas no such sex differences were observed between male and female cd8α-disrupted mice. The adaptive transfer of male, but not female, CD8+ T cells reduced the number of inflammatory cells in the recovered BAL fluid of male recipient mice, while no such sex difference in the suppressive activity of CD8+ T cells was observed in female recipient mice. Male CD8+ T cells produced higher levels of IFN-γ than female CD8+ T cells did, and this trend was associated with reduced IL-4 production by male, but not female, CD4+ T cells. Interestingly, IFN-γ receptor expression on CD4+ T cells was significantly lower in female mice than in male mice. These results suggest that female-dominant asthmatic responses are orchestrated by the reduced production of IFN-γ by CD8+ T cells and the lower expression of IFN-γ receptor on CD4+ T cells in females compared with males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Ito
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, Miyagi, Japan
| | | | - Tomomitsu Miyasaka
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Chiaki Masuda
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Miki Sato
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Tasuku Kawano
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Yuichi Ohkawara
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Kikuchi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Motoaki Takayanagi
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Isao Ohno
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, Miyagi, Japan
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14
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Itoga M, Konno Y, Moritoki Y, Saito Y, Ito W, Tamaki M, Kobayashi Y, Kayaba H, Kikuchi Y, Chihara J, Takeda M, Ueki S, Hirokawa M. G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor agonist suppresses airway inflammation in a mouse model of asthma through IL-10. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0123210. [PMID: 25826377 PMCID: PMC4380451 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2014] [Accepted: 02/28/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Estrogen influences the disease severity and sexual dimorphism in asthma, which is caused by complex mechanisms. Besides classical nuclear estrogen receptors (ERαβ), G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) was recently established as an estrogen receptor on the cell membrane. Although GPER is associated with immunoregulatory functions of estrogen, the pathophysiological role of GPER in allergic inflammatory lung disease has not been examined. We investigated the effect of GPER-specific agonist G-1 in asthmatic mice. GPER expression in asthmatic lung was confirmed by immunofluorescent staining. OVA-sensitized BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were treated with G-1 by daily subcutaneous injections during an airway challenge phase, followed by histological and biochemical examination. Strikingly, administration of G-1 attenuated airway hyperresponsiveness, accumulation of inflammatory cells, and levels of Th2 cytokines (IL-5 and IL-13) in BAL fluid. G-1 treatment also decreased serum levels of anti-OVA IgE antibodies. The frequency of splenic Foxp3+CD4+ regulatory T cells and IL-10-producing GPER+CD4+ T cells was significantly increased in G-1-treated mice. Additionally, splenocytes isolated from G-1-treated mice showed greater IL-10 production. G-1-induced amelioration of airway inflammation and IgE production were abolished in IL-10-deficient mice. Taken together, these results indicate that extended GPER activation negatively regulates the acute asthmatic condition by altering the IL-10-producing lymphocyte population. The current results have potential importance for understanding the mechanistic aspects of function of estrogen in allergic inflammatory response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masamichi Itoga
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010–8543, Japan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu-cho, Hirosaki 036–8562, Japan
| | - Yasunori Konno
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010–8543, Japan
- Division of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010–8543, Japan
| | - Yuki Moritoki
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010–8543, Japan
| | - Yukiko Saito
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010–8543, Japan
| | - Wataru Ito
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010–8543, Japan
- Nagareyama Tobu Clinic, 909–1 Nazukari, Nagareyama City, Chiba, 270–0145, Japan
| | - Mami Tamaki
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010–8543, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Kobayashi
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010–8543, Japan
- Department of Otolaryngology, Kansai Medical University, 2-5-1 Shin-machi, Hirakata City, Osaka, 573–1010, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Kayaba
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010–8543, Japan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu-cho, Hirosaki 036–8562, Japan
| | - Yuta Kikuchi
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010–8543, Japan
| | - Junichi Chihara
- Soseikai General Hospital, 101 Shimotoba Hiroosacho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto, 612–8473, Japan
| | - Masahide Takeda
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010–8543, Japan
- Department of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Medicine, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010–8543, Japan
- * E-mail: (SU); (MT)
| | - Shigeharu Ueki
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010–8543, Japan
- * E-mail: (SU); (MT)
| | - Makoto Hirokawa
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010–8543, Japan
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15
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Okuyama K, Dobashi K, Miyasaka T, Yamazaki N, Kikuchi T, Sora I, Takayanagi M, Kita H, Ohno I. The involvement of glucocorticoids in psychological stress-induced exacerbations of experimental allergic asthma. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2014; 163:297-306. [PMID: 24776388 DOI: 10.1159/000360577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2013] [Accepted: 02/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychological stress is associated with the aggravation of asthma symptoms. Glucocorticoids (GC), which are stress hormones released upon exposure to stress, have the potential to shift immune responses towards a predominant Th2 response by priming antigen-presenting cells to produce lower levels of IL-12 as well as reducing the development of regulatory T cells. However, the involvement of GC in psychological stress-induced exacerbations of allergic asthma has not yet been clarified. METHODS Sensitized mice were exposed to restraint stress followed by forced swimming stress, during which a GC receptor antagonist or a GC synthesis inhibitor was administered, and then antigen was inhaled. Corticosterone levels in the blood were measured in stressed and nonstressed mice. After antigen inhalation, the airway responses to aerosolized methacholine, epithelial mucus secretion and airway inflammation were evaluated, and the IL-13 contents in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were measured. RESULTS The exposure to stress significantly increased corticosterone levels. Allergic airway responses and the increase of IL-13 contents evoked by antigen inhalation were significantly higher in stressed mice than in nonstressed mice. The administration of a GC receptor antagonist and a GC synthesis inhibitor during stress exposure significantly reduced the exacerbation of the airway responses and the increase of IL-13 contents in stressed mice challenged with antigen. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that the increased release of GC upon exposure to stress has a priming effect on the aggravation of allergic airway responses following the exposure, suggesting a pathophysiological role for the neuroendocrine axis in linking psychological stress to asthma exacerbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Okuyama
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
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16
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Expression and functional roles of G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) in human eosinophils. Immunol Lett 2014; 160:72-78. [PMID: 24718279 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2014.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2013] [Revised: 03/09/2014] [Accepted: 03/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism in asthma links the estrogen and allergic immune responses. The function of estrogen was classically believed to be mediated through its nuclear receptors, i.e., estrogen receptors (ERs). However, recent studies established the important roles of G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER/GPR30) as a novel membrane receptor for estrogen. To date, the role of GPER in allergic inflammation is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine whether GPER might affect the functions of eosinophils, which play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma. Here, we demonstrated that GPER was expressed in purified human peripheral blood eosinophils both at the mRNA and protein levels. Although GPER agonist G-1 did not induce eosinophil chemotaxis or chemokinesis, preincubation with G-1 enhanced eotaxin (CCL11)-directed eosinophil chemotaxis. G-1 inhibited eosinophil spontaneous apoptosis and caspase-3 activities. The anti-apoptotic effect was not affected by the cAMP-phospodiesterase inhibitor rolipram or phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitors. In contrast to resting eosinophils, G-1 induced apoptosis and increased caspase-3 activities when eosinophils were co-stimulated with IL-5. No effect of G-1 was observed on eosinophil degranulation in terms of release of eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN). The current study indicates the functional capacities of GPER on human eosinophils and also provides the previously unrecognized mechanisms of interaction between estrogen and allergic inflammation.
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17
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Takeda M, Tanabe M, Ito W, Ueki S, Konnno Y, Chihara M, Itoga M, Kobayashi Y, Moritoki Y, Kayaba H, Chihara J. Gender difference in allergic airway remodelling and immunoglobulin production in mouse model of asthma. Respirology 2014; 18:797-806. [PMID: 23490273 DOI: 10.1111/resp.12078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2012] [Revised: 12/17/2012] [Accepted: 12/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Epidemiological studies have shown that the prevalence of adult asthma and severe asthma is higher in women. It has also been reported that female mice are more susceptible than males to the development of allergic airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). The influence of gender difference in the pathogenesis of severe asthma, especially airway remodelling in an animal model, has been studied rarely. We investigated gender difference in the development of airway remodelling using a long-term antigen-challenged mouse asthma model. METHODS Following ovalbumin (OVA)/alum intraperitoneal injection, male or female mice (BALB/c) were challenged with aerosolized 1% OVA on 3 days/week for 5 weeks, and differences in AHR, airway inflammation and airway remodelling between the sexes were investigated. RESULTS In OVA-sensitized and OVA-challenged (OVA/OVA) female mice, eosinophils, lymphocytes, T-helper type 2 cytokines and growth factors in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were increased compared with OVA/OVA male mice. Histological features of airway remodelling were also increased in OVA/OVA female mice. Serum total and OVA-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) and serum IgA were significantly elevated in OVA/OVA female mice. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that female mice experience more airway remodelling compared with male mice. These results suggest the involvement of sex hormones and gender differences in cellular functions in airway remodelling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahide Takeda
- Department of Infection, Allergy, Clinical Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita
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18
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Han NR, Kim HM, Jeong HJ. The β-sitosterol attenuates atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions through down-regulation of TSLP. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2014; 239:454-64. [PMID: 24510054 DOI: 10.1177/1535370213520111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The compound β-sitosterol (BS) is one of the most common forms of phytosterols and has anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the effect of BS on atopic dermatitis (AD) has not been elucidated. Therefore, we investigated whether BS would be an effective treatment against AD. We treated BS on 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced AD-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice, anti-CD3/anti-CD28-stimulated splenocytes, and phorbol myristate acetate/calcium ionophore A23187-stimulated human mast cell line (HMC-1) cells. Histological analysis, ELISA, PCR, caspase-1 assay, and Western blot analysis were performed. BS reduced the total clinical severity in DNFB-treated NC/Nga mice. Infiltration of inflammatory cells and number of scratching were clearly reduced in the BS-treated group compared with the DNFB-treated group. BS significantly reduced the levels of inflammation-related mRNA and protein in the AD skin lesions. BS significantly reduced the levels of histamine, IgE, and interleukin-4 in the serum of DNFB-treated NC/Nga mice. The activation of mast cell-derived caspase-1 was decreased by treatment with BS in the AD skin lesions. BS also significantly decreased the production of tumor necrosis factor-α from the stimulated splenocytes. In the stimulated human mast cell line, HMC-1 cells, increased intracellular calcium levels were decreased by treatment with BS. Further, BS inhibited the production and mRNA expression of TSLP through blocking of caspase-1 and nuclear factor-κB signal pathways in the stimulated HMC-1 cells. These results provide additional evidence that BS may be considered an effective therapeutic drug for the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na-Ra Han
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea
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Alberg T, Hansen JS, Lovik M, Nygaard UC. Particles influence allergic responses in mice--role of gender and particle size. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2014; 77:281-292. [PMID: 24588227 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2013.863746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological evidence suggesting that exposure to traffic air pollution may enhance sensitization to common allergens in children is increasing, and animal studies support biological plausibility and causality. The effect of air pollution on respiratory symptoms was suggested to be gender dependent. Previous studies showed that allergy-promoting activity of polystyrene particles (PSP) increased with decreasing particle size after footpad injection of mice. The primary aim of this study was to confirm the influence of particle size on the immunoglobulin E (IgE)-promoting capacity of particles in an airway allergy model. A second aim was to examine whether the allergy-promoting capacity of particles was influenced by gender. Female and male mice were intranasally exposed to the allergen ovalbumin (OVA) with or without ultrafine, fine, or coarse PSP modeling the core of ambient air particles. After intranasal booster immunizations with OVA, serum levels of OVA-specific IgE antibodies, and also markers of airway inflammation and cellular responses in the lung-draining mediastinal lymph nodes (MLN), were determined. PSP of all sizes promoted allergic responses, measured as increased serum concentrations of OVA-specific IgE antibodies. Further, PSP produced eosinophilic airway inflammation and elevated MLN cell numbers as well as numerically reducing the percentage of regulatory T cells. Ultrafine PSP produced stronger allergic responses to OVA than fine and coarse PSP. Although PSP enhanced sensitization in both female and male mice, significantly higher IgE levels and numbers of eosinophils were observed in females than males. However, the allergy-promoting effect of PSP was apparently independent of gender. Thus, our data support the notion that ambient air particle pollution may affect development of allergy in both female and male individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torunn Alberg
- a Division of Environmental Medicine , Norwegian Institute of Public Health , Oslo , Norway
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Okuyama K, Suenaga M, Furuki S, Kawano T, Ohkawara Y, Takayanagi M, Kikuchi T, Ohno I. Contribution of CD4+ T cells and dendritic cells to female-dominant antigen-induced T helper type 2 cytokine production by bronchial lymph node cells. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2013; 161 Suppl 2:58-65. [PMID: 23711855 DOI: 10.1159/000350426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND After puberty, asthma severity is higher in women than in men. The underlying mechanisms of this gender difference are not fully understood. In murine models of allergic asthma, more severe airway inflammation in female mice is associated with higher levels of T helper type 2 (Th2) cytokines. The aim of this study was to investigate the contributions of CD4(+) T cells and dendritic cells (DCs) to the differences in Th2 cytokine production between sexes. METHODS Bronchial lymph node (BLN) cells from ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized male and female C57BL/6 mice were stimulated with OVA and anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies. The CD4(+) T cells and DCs purified from BLN cells were cocultured with OVA in a sex-matched or mismatched fashion. The CD4(+) T cells were also stimulated with anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies. The concentrations of interleukin (IL)-5, IL-4, IL-13 and interferon (IFN)-γ in the culture supernatants were measured. RESULTS The concentrations of IL-5, IL-4 and IL-13, but not IFN-γ, were significantly higher in female BLN cells stimulated with OVA than in male BLN cells. Sex differences were also observed in the CD4(+) T cells stimulated with anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies, whereas only IL-4 was significantly different in the BLN cells stimulated with antibodies. IL-5 production by OVA-stimulated male and female CD4(+) T cells, but not IL-4 or IL-13 production, was significantly increased in the coculture with female DCs when compared to the male DCs. CONCLUSIONS The differences in Th2 cytokine production between sexes by the BLN cells may be attributable, at least in part, to the differing functions of CD4(+) T cells and DCs between sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Okuyama
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
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21
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Jaramillo R, Cohn RD, Crockett PW, Gowdy KM, Zeldin DC, Fessler MB. Relation between objective measures of atopy and myocardial infarction in the United States. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2012; 131:405-11.e1-11. [PMID: 22921873 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2012.06.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2011] [Revised: 05/29/2012] [Accepted: 06/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although rodent studies indicate that atherosclerosis is a T(H)1-mediated disease and that atopic T(H)2 immunity is atheroprotective, findings in humans are conflicting. Total IgE (tIgE) is associated with atherosclerotic disease but has limited specificity for atopy. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to determine the relation between atopy, as indicated by a broad panel of serum allergen-specific IgE (sIgE), and past myocardial infarction (MI) in a sample representative of the US population. METHODS Data were analyzed from 4002 participants aged ≥ 20 years from the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. RESULTS Subjects reporting a history of MI had lower summed sIgE (5.51 vs 7.71 kU/L; P < .001) and were less likely to have ≥ 1 positive sIgE test (29.9% vs 44.6%; P = .02) or current hay fever (3.3% vs 7.6%; P = .002). After adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, family history of MI, smoking, total/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, body mass index, and C-reactive protein, the odds ratio (OR) for MI was 0.91 (95% CI, 0.85-0.97) per positive sIgE; 0.70 (95% CI, 0.57-0.85) per 2-fold increase in sum[sIgE]; and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.69-0.98) per 10% increase in the ratio of sum[sIgE] to tIgE. Analysis with 7 data-driven, prespecified allergen clusters found that house dust mite is the only allergen cluster for which sIgE is associated with reduced odds for MI (fully adjusted OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.20-0.64). CONCLUSION Serum sIgE is inversely related to MI in the US population in a manner independent of multiple coronary risk factors.
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Hüttemann M, Lee I, Gao X, Pecina P, Pecinova A, Liu J, Aras S, Sommer N, Sanderson TH, Tost M, Neff F, Aguilar-Pimentel JA, Becker L, Naton B, Rathkolb B, Rozman J, Favor J, Hans W, Prehn C, Puk O, Schrewe A, Sun M, Höfler H, Adamski J, Bekeredjian R, Graw J, Adler T, Busch DH, Klingenspor M, Klopstock T, Ollert M, Wolf E, Fuchs H, Gailus-Durner V, Hrabě de Angelis M, Weissmann N, Doan JW, Bassett DJP, Grossman LI. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4 isoform 2-knockout mice show reduced enzyme activity, airway hyporeactivity, and lung pathology. FASEB J 2012; 26:3916-30. [PMID: 22730437 DOI: 10.1096/fj.11-203273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Cytochrome c oxidase (COX) is the terminal enzyme of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. The purpose of this study was to analyze the function of lung-specific cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4 isoform 2 (COX4i2) in vitro and in COX4i2-knockout mice in vivo. COX was isolated from cow lung and liver as control and functionally analyzed. COX4i2-knockout mice were generated and the effect of the gene knockout was determined, including COX activity, tissue energy levels, noninvasive and invasive lung function, and lung pathology. These studies were complemented by a comprehensive functional screen performed at the German Mouse Clinic (Neuherberg, Germany). We show that isolated cow lung COX containing COX4i2 is about twice as active (88 and 102% increased activity in the presence of allosteric activator ADP and inhibitor ATP, respectively) as liver COX, which lacks COX4i2. In COX4i2-knockout mice, lung COX activity and cellular ATP levels were significantly reduced (-50 and -29%, respectively). Knockout mice showed decreased airway responsiveness (60% reduced P(enh) and 58% reduced airway resistance upon challenge with 25 and 100 mg methacholine, respectively), and they developed a lung pathology deteriorating with age that included the appearance of Charcot-Leyden crystals. In addition, there was an interesting sex-specific phenotype, in which the knockout females showed reduced lean mass (-12%), reduced total oxygen consumption rate (-8%), improved glucose tolerance, and reduced grip force (-14%) compared to wild-type females. Our data suggest that high activity lung COX is a central determinant of airway function and is required for maximal airway responsiveness and healthy lung function. Since airway constriction requires energy, we propose a model in which reduced tissue ATP levels explain protection from airway hyperresponsiveness, i.e., absence of COX4i2 leads to reduced lung COX activity and ATP levels, which results in impaired airway constriction and thus reduced airway responsiveness; long-term lung pathology develops in the knockout mice due to impairment of energy-costly lung maintenance processes; and therefore, we propose mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation as a novel target for the treatment of respiratory diseases, such as asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maik Hüttemann
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
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Okuyama K, Ide S, Sakurada S, Sasaki K, Sora I, Tamura G, Ohkawara Y, Takayanagi M, Ohno I. μ-opioid receptor-mediated alterations of allergen-induced immune responses of bronchial lymph node cells in a murine model of stress asthma. Allergol Int 2012; 61:245-58. [PMID: 22189590 DOI: 10.2332/allergolint.11-oa-0304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2011] [Accepted: 08/25/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychological stress has a recognized association with asthma symptoms. Using a murine model of allergic asthma, we recently demonstrated the involvement of μ-opioid receptors (MORs) in the central nervous system in the stress-induced exacerbation of airway inflammation. However, the involvement of MORs on neurons and immunological alterations in the stress asthma model remain unclear. METHODS MOR-knockout (MORKO) mice that express MORs only on noradrenergic and adrenergic neurons (MORKO/Tg mice) were produced and characterized for stress responses. Sensitized mice inhaled antigen and were then subjected to restraint stress. After a second antigen inhalation, bronchoalveolar lavage cells were counted. Before the second inhalation, bronchial lymph node (BLN) cells and splenocytes from stressed and non-stressed mice were cultured with antigen, and cytokine levels and the proportions of T cell subsets were measured. RESULTS Stress-induced worsening of allergic airway inflammation was observed in wild-type and MORKO/Tg mice but not MORKO mice. In wild-type stressed mice, IFN-γ/IL-4 ratios in cell culture supernatants and the proportion of regulatory T cells in BLN cell populations were significantly lower than those in non-stressed mice. These differences in BLN cells were not observed between the stressed and non-stressed MORKO mice. Restraint stress had no effect on cytokine production or T cell subsets in splenocytes. CONCLUSIONS Restraint stress aggravated allergic airway inflammation in association with alterations in local immunity characterized by greater Th2-associated cytokine production and a reduced development of regulatory T cells, mediated by MORs.
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MESH Headings
- Adrenergic Neurons/metabolism
- Adrenergic Neurons/pathology
- Animals
- Asthma/etiology
- Asthma/genetics
- Asthma/immunology
- Asthma/psychology
- Cells, Cultured
- Disease Models, Animal
- Female
- Humans
- Interferon-gamma/metabolism
- Interleukin-4/metabolism
- Lymph Nodes/pathology
- Lymphocyte Activation/genetics
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/genetics
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/immunology
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/metabolism
- Stress, Psychological/complications
- Stress, Psychological/genetics
- Stress, Psychological/immunology
- Stress, Psychological/psychology
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/immunology
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/metabolism
- T-Lymphocyte Subsets/pathology
- Th2 Cells/immunology
- Th2 Cells/metabolism
- Th2 Cells/pathology
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Okuyama
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, Miyagi, Japan
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CD4 and CD8 T cells require different membrane gangliosides for activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:E336-42. [PMID: 22308377 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1114965109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Initial events of T-cell activation involve movement of the T-cell receptor into lipid rafts. Gangliosides are major components of lipid rafts. While investigating T-cell activation in ganglioside-deficient mice, we observed that CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells required different ganglioside subsets for activation. Activation of CD4(+) T cells from GM3 synthase-null mice, deficient in GM3-derived gangliosides, is severely compromised, whereas CD8(+) T-cell activation is normal. Conversely, in cells from GM2/GD2 synthase-null mice, expressing only GM3 and GD3, CD4(+) T-cell activation is normal, whereas CD8(+) T-cell activation is deficient. Supplementing the cells with the corresponding missing gangliosides restores normal activation. GM3 synthase-null mice do not develop experimental asthma. Distinct expression patterns of ganglioside species in CD4(+) T and CD8(+) T cells, perhaps in uniquely functional lipid rafts, define immune functions in each T-cell subset. Control of ganglioside expression would offer a strategy targeting for specific T-cell subpopulations to treat immune diseases.
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Hansen JS, Alberg T, Rasmussen H, Lovik M, Nygaard UC. Determinants of experimental allergic responses: interactions between allergen dose, sex and age. Scand J Immunol 2011; 73:554-67. [PMID: 21323693 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.2011.02529.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of allergic diseases is influenced by sex and age. Although mouse models are widely used in allergy research, few experimental studies have examined the interaction effects of sex and age on allergy outcomes. Our aim was to investigate the individual and combined effects of sex and age on allergic sensitization and inflammation in two mouse models: an intraperitoneal (i.p.) and an intranasal (i.n.) sensitization model. We also investigated how the allergen immunization dose interacted with age and sex in the i.p. model. Female and male mice were immunized i.p. or i.n. with ovalbumin when 1, 6 or 20 weeks old. In both models, allergen challenges were performed by i.n. delivery. Serum antibodies, draining lymph node cytokine release and airway inflammatory responses were assessed. In the i.p. model, the antibody and cytokine levels and airway inflammation were highly influenced by immunization dose and age. The responses increased with age when using a low immunization dose, but decreased with age when using a high immunization dose. In the i.n. model, antibody production and airway tissue inflammation increased with age. Female compared with male mice generally developed more pronounced antibody and inflammatory responses. Relative to older mice, juvenile mice had augmented airway inflammation to allergen exposures. The study demonstrates that immunization dose, sex and age are highly influential on allergy outcomes. To better mimic different life stages of human allergic airway disease, murine models, therefore, require careful optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- J S Hansen
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
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Okuyama K, Hamanaka Y, Kawano T, Ohkawara Y, Takayanagi M, Kikuchi T, Ohno I. T cell subsets related with a sex difference in IL-5 production. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2011; 155 Suppl 1:21-6. [PMID: 21646791 DOI: 10.1159/000327261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Before puberty, the prevalence and severity of asthma are higher in boys than in girls, but this pattern is reversed after puberty. The underlying mechanisms of these gender differences in asthma are not fully understood. Using murine models of allergic asthma, a sex difference in Th2 cytokine production has been suggested to contribute to the gender differences in asthma. Therefore, we determined which subsets of T cells are involved in the sex difference in Th2 cytokine production. METHODS Splenocytes from wild-type mice and CD4+ T cell-, CD8+ T cell-, and iNKT cell-deficient mice were stimulated with anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies for 3 days, and the concentrations of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and IFN-γ in the cultures were measured by ELISA. RESULTS IL-5, but not IL-4 and IL-13, concentrations in culture derived from female wild-type mice were significantly higher than those in male wild-type mice. The sex difference in IL-5 concentrations was not observed in the cultures of splenocytes from CD4+ and CD8+ T cell-deficient mice. The disappearance of the sex differences in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell-deficient mice was attributable to a decrease in IL-5 concentration in female mice and an increase in IL-5 concentration in male mice. In iNKT cell-deficient mice, the sex difference was still observed. There was no significant difference between the sexes in any type of mice with respect to IFN-γ production. CONCLUSIONS There was a sex difference in IL-5 production by splenocytes stimulated by TCR activation. The difference might be attributable to sex differences in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Okuyama
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
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Wada K, Okuyama K, Ohkawara Y, Takayanagi M, Ohno I. Gender differences in transcriptional regulation of IL-5 expression by bronchial lymph node cells in a mouse model of asthma. Respirology 2010; 15:629-35. [PMID: 20337994 DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2010.01721.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE The severity of asthma after puberty is higher in women than in men. Increased numbers of eosinophils in the airways of female mice after antigen challenge was associated with increased levels of T helper (Th)2 cytokines at the site of inflammation, and in human and mouse studies, the profile of cytokines produced by immune cells from women showed greater Th2 predominance. The aim of this study was to investigate gender differences in the development of Th2 immune responses. METHODS Male and female C57BL/6 mice were sensitized with ovalbumin. Cells prepared from bronchial lymph nodes were cultured in the absence or presence of ovalbumin. Cytokine concentrations in the culture supernatants were measured, and IL-5 and GATA-binding protein 3 (GATA-3) gene expression were evaluated. T-cell subsets were analysed using specific surface markers. RESULTS The concentrations of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IL-10, but not interferon-gamma or transforming growth factor-beta(1), were higher in cell supernatants from female mice than in those from male mice. IL-5 and GATA-3 gene expressions were higher in cells from women than in cells from men. The numbers of CD3(+)CD4(+)T1/ST2(+) cells, but not CD3(+)CD4(+) or CD4(+)CD25(+) cells, were significantly higher in cells from women than in cells from men. CONCLUSIONS Greater antigen-induced Th2 cytokine production by bronchial lymph node cells from female mice was associated with enhanced Th2 cell differentiation and increased expression of the Th2-specific transcription factor, GATA-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kana Wada
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
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Hormonal influences on lung function and response to environmental agents: lessons from animal models of respiratory disease. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2010; 6:588-95. [PMID: 19934354 DOI: 10.1513/pats.200904-020rm] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies in humans and experimental animals have identified considerable sex differences in respiratory physiology and in the response of the lung to environmental agents. These differences appear to be mediated, at least in part, by sex hormones and their nuclear receptors. Moreover, animal models are increasingly used to study pathogenic mechanisms and test potential therapies for a variety of human lung diseases, many of which appear to be influenced by sex and sex hormones. In this article, data are summarized from studies of lung function and disease in which sex differences have been observed. Specific attention is paid to animal models of acute lung injury, nonallergic and allergic lung inflammation, and lung fibrosis. It is anticipated that continued investigation of the role of sex and sex hormones in animal models will provide valuable insight into the pathogenesis and potential treatments for a variety of acute and chronic human lung diseases.
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Almqvist C, Bradding PB, Chakir J, Ebo D, Grattan C, Kariyawasam HH, Savilahti E, Scadding GK, Vieths S, Wardlaw AJ, Woodfolk J. Developments in the field of allergy in 2008 through the eyes of Clinical & Experimental Allergy. Clin Exp Allergy 2010; 39:1482-98. [PMID: 19954428 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2009.03355.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In 2008, many thousands of articles were published on the subject of allergic disease with over 200 reviews, editorials and original papers in Clinical & Experimental Allergy alone. These represent a considerable amount of data and even the most avid reader could only hope to assimilate a small fraction of this knowledge. There is therefore a pressing need for the key messages that emerge from a journal such as Clinical & Experimental Allergy to be summarized by experts in the field in a form that highlights the significance of the developments and sets them in the context of important findings in the field published in other journals. This also has the advantage of making connections between new data in conditions such as asthma, where articles often appear in different sections of the journal. As can be seen from this review, the body of work is diverse both in terms of the disease of interest and the discipline that has been used to investigate it. However, taken as a whole, we hope that the reader will gain a flavour of where the field is mature, where there remain controversies and where the cutting edge is leading.
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Takeda M, Ito W, Tanabe M, Ueki S, Kato H, Kihara J, Tanigai T, Chiba T, Yamaguchi K, Kayaba H, Imai Y, Okuyama K, Ohno I, Sasaki T, Chihara J. Allergic airway hyperresponsiveness, inflammation, and remodeling do not develop in phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma-deficient mice. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2009; 123:805-12. [PMID: 19232703 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2008.11.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2008] [Revised: 11/07/2008] [Accepted: 11/11/2008] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bronchial asthma is characterized by chronic airway inflammation caused by inflammatory cells. Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are known to play a prominent role in fundamental cellular responses of various inflammatory cells, including proliferation, differentiation, and cell migration. PI3Ks therefore are expected to have therapeutic potential for asthma. Although some investigations of the involvement between the pathogenesis of asthma and PI3K have been performed, it is unknown whether PI3Kgamma, a PI3K isoform, is involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. OBJECTIVE We investigated the role of PI3Kgamma in allergen-induced allergic airway inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), and airway remodeling with PI3Kgamma-deficient mice. METHODS After ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization, wild-type (WT) and PI3Kgamma-deficient mice were exposed to aerosolized OVA 3 days per week for 5 weeks. RESULTS In OVA-sensitized and OVA-challenged (OVA/OVA) PI3Kgamma-deficient mice, levels of airway inflammation, AHR, and airway remodeling were significantly decreased compared with those in OVA/OVA WT mice. On the other hand, no significant differences were detected in serum OVA-specific IgE and IgG1 levels and CD4/CD8 balance in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid between OVA/OVA WT mice and OVA/OVA PI3Kgamma-deficient mice. To determine in which phase of allergic responses PI3Kgamma plays a role, we transferred splenocytes from OVA-sensitized WT or PI3Kgamma-deficient mice to naive mice of either genotype. Similar increased levels of eosinophils were induced in both WT recipient mice but not in both PI3Kgamma-deficient recipient mice. CONCLUSION PI3Kgamma might be involved in allergic airway inflammation, AHR, and airway remodeling by regulating the challenge/effector phase of allergic responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahide Takeda
- Department of Clinical and Laboratory Medicine, Akita University School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
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