Nippostrongylus-Induced Intestinal Hypercontractility Requires IL-4 Receptor Alpha-Responsiveness by T Cells in Mice

Abstract

Gut-dwelling helminthes induce potent IL-4 and IL-13 dominated type 2 T helper cell (TH2) immune responses, with IL-13 production being essential for Nippostrongylus brasiliensis expulsion. This TH2 response results in intestinal inflammation associated with local infiltration by T cells and macrophages. The resulting increased IL-4/IL-13 intestinal milieu drives goblet cell hyperplasia, alternative macrophage activation and smooth muscle cell hypercontraction. In this study we investigated how IL-4-promoted T cells contributed to the parasite induced effects in the intestine. This was achieved using pan T cell-specific IL-4 receptor alpha-deficient mice (iLckcreIL-4Rα-/lox) and IL-4Rα-responsive control mice. Global IL-4Rα-/- mice showed, as expected, impaired type 2 immunity to N. brasiliensis. Infected T cell-specific IL-4Rα-deficient mice showed comparable worm expulsion, goblet cell hyperplasia and IgE responses to control mice. However, impaired IL-4-promoted TH2 cells in T cell-specific IL-4Rα deficient mice led to strikingly reduced IL-4 production by mesenteric lymph node CD4+ T cells and reduced intestinal IL-4 and IL-13 levels, compared to control mice. This reduced IL-4/IL-13 response was associated with an impaired IL-4/IL-13-mediated smooth muscle cell hypercontractility, similar to that seen in global IL-4Rα-/- mice. These results demonstrate that IL-4-promoted T cell responses are not required for the resolution of a primary N. brasiliensis infection. However, they do contribute significantly to an important physiological manifestation of helminth infection; namely intestinal smooth muscle cell-driven hypercontractility. © 2012 Schmidt et al.