Regulation of Th2 responses by different cell types expressing the interleukin-31 receptor

• Published in: Allergy, asthma, and clinical immunology Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 23
• Main Authors: Saito, Saburo, Aoki, Ayana, Arai, Iwao, Takaishi, Shinya, Ito, Haruyasu, Akiyama, Nobutake, Kiyonari, Hiroshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 17.04.2017; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Allergies; Antigens; Cry j 2; Cytokines; Deficient mice; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Dermatitis; Disease; DNA; Eczema; Gene expression; Genetic aspects; Health aspects; IgE; IL-31 receptor; Inflammation; Interleukins; Kinases; Lungs; Proteins; Rodents; T cells; Th2; Transgenic animals; Deficient mice; Cry j 2; IL-31 receptor; IgE; Th2
• ISSN: 1710-1484; 1710-1492; 1710-1492
• DOI: 10.1186/s13223-017-0194-9

Interleukin-31 (IL-31) is a recently identified cytokine produced by Th2 cells that is involved in the development of atopic dermatitis-induced skin inflammation and pruritus. Its receptor, IL-31RA, is expressed by a number of cell types, including epithelial cells, eosinophils, and activated monocytes and macrophages. To date, however, the regulation of Th2 responses by distinct cell types and tissues expressing IL-31RA has not been well studied. In this study, Cry j 2, one of the major allergens of Japanese cedar pollen, was administered to IL-31RA-deficient or wild-type (WT) mice via nasal or intraperitoneal injection for induction of specific Th2 responses. After nasal administration of Cry j 2, IL-31RA-deficient mice showed lower Cry j 2-specific CD4+ T cell proliferation, Th2 cytokine (IL-5 and IL-13) production, and Th2-mediated (IgE, IgG1, and IgG2b) antibody responses than WT mice. In contrast, IL-31RA-deficient mice administered Cry j 2 intraperitoneally showed stronger Th2 immune responses than WT mice. These results indicate that IL-31R signaling positively regulates Th2 responses induced by nasal administration of Cry j 2, but negatively regulates these responses when Cry j 2 is administered intraperitoneally. Collectively, these data indicate that the induction of antigen-specific Th2 immune responses might depend on tissue-specific cell types expressing IL-31RA.