RORα-dependent type 2 innate lymphoid cells are required and sufficient for mucous metaplasia in immature mice

• Published in: American journal of physiology. Lung cellular and molecular physiology Vol. 312; no. 6; pp. L983 - L993
• Main Authors: Rajput, Charu, Cui, Tracy, Han, Mingyuan, Lei, Jing, Hinde, Joanna L, Wu, Qian, Bentley, J Kelley, Hershenson, Marc B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Physiological Society 01.06.2017
• Subjects: Adoptive Transfer; Aging - immunology; Animals; Asthma; CD25 antigen; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cell Separation; Cells; Gene expression; HeLa Cells; Histology; Humans; Immunity, Innate - drug effects; Interleukin 13; Interleukin 2 receptors; Lungs; Lymphatic system; Lymphocytes - drug effects; Lymphocytes - immunology; Lymphoid cells; Metaplasia; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mucus - immunology; Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 1 - metabolism; Organic chemistry; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory tract; Respiratory tract diseases; Retinoic acid; Rhinovirus; Rhinovirus - drug effects; Ribonucleic acid; Risk analysis; RNA; Rodents; Sulfonamides; Thiophenes; Wheezing; asthma; type 2 innate lymphoid cells; newborn; retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-α; rhinovirus
• ISSN: 1040-0605; 1522-1504; 1522-1504
• DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00368.2016

Early-life wheezing-associated respiratory tract infection by rhinovirus (RV) is considered a risk factor for asthma development. We have shown that RV infection of 6-day-old BALB/c mice, but not mature mice, induces an asthmalike phenotype that is associated with an increase in the population of type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) and dependent on IL-13 and IL-25. We hypothesize that ILC2s are required and sufficient for development of the asthmalike phenotype in immature mice. Mice were infected with RV1B on of life and treated with vehicle or a chemical inhibitor of retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-α (RORα), SR3335 (15 mg·kg ·day ip for 7 days). We also infected mice without functional ILC2s. ILC2s were identified as negative for lineage markers and positive for cluster of differentiation 25 (CD25)/IL-2Rα and CD127/IL-7Rα. Effects of SR3335 on proliferation and function of cultured ILC2s were determined. Finally, sorted ILC2s were transferred into naïve mice, and lungs were harvested 14 days later for assessment of gene expression and histology. SR3335 decreased the number of RV-induced lung lineage-negative, CD25 , CD127 ILC2s in immature mice. SR3335 also attenuated lung mRNA expression of IL-13, Muc5ac, and Gob5 as well as mucous metaplasia. We also found reduced expansion of ILC2s in RV-infected mice. SR3335 also blocked IL-25 and IL-33-induced ILC2 proliferation and IL-13 production ex vivo. Finally, adoptive transfer of ILC2s led to development of asthmalike phenotype in immature and adult mice. RORα-dependent ILC2s are required and sufficient for type 2 cytokine expression and mucous metaplasia in immature mice.