Pulmonary IL-17E (IL-25) Production and IL-17RB+ Myeloid Cell-Derived Th2 Cytokine Production Are Dependent upon Stem Cell Factor-Induced Responses during Chronic Allergic Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

In the present studies local neutralization of allergen-induced stem cell factor (SCF) leads to decreased production of Th2 cytokines, a reduction in inflammation, allergen-specific serum IgE/IgG1, and attenuation of severe asthma-like responses. The local blockade of pulmonary SCF also resulted in a significant reduction of IL-17E (IL-25). Sorted cell populations from the lung indicated that IL-25 was produced from c-kit+ cells, whereas Th2 cytokine production was primarily from c-kit− cell populations. SCF stimulated c-kit+ eosinophils produced IL-25, whereas bone marrow-derived mast cells did not. Using 4get mice that contain a IL-4-IRES-eGFP that when transcribed coexpress GFP and IL-4, our studies identified cells that comprised a CD11b+, GR1+, Ly6C+/−, c-kit−, CD4−, CD11c−, MHC class IIlow cell population as a source of IL-4 in the lung after chronic allergen challenge. In the bone marrow a similar cell was identified with approximately a third of the IL-4+ cells also expressing c-kit+. The pulmonary and bone marrow IL-4+ cell populations were significantly reduced upon local pulmonary anti-SCF treatment. Subsequently, when IL-25R was examined during the chronic allergen responses the expression was found on the IL-4+ myeloid cell population that expressed CD11b+GR1+. Interestingly, the IL-25R+ cells in the bone marrow were also all CD11b+GR1+, similar to the lung cells, but they were also all c-kit+, potentially suggesting a maturation of the bone marrow cell once it enters the lung and/or is stimulated by SCF. Overall, these studies suggest a complex relationship between SCF, bone marrow-derived IL-25-responsive myeloid cells, Th2 cytokines, and chronic allergic disease.