A mast cell-ILC2-Th9 pathway promotes lung inflammation in cystic fibrosis

作者：Moretti Silvia; Renga Giorgia; Oikonomou Vasilis; Galosi Claudia; Pariano Marilena; Iannitti Rossana G; Borghi Monica; Puccetti Matteo; De Zuani Marco; Pucillo Carlo E; Paolicelli Giuseppe; Zelante Teresa; Renauld Jean Christophe; Bereshchenko Oxana; Sportoletti Paolo; Lucidi Vincenzina; Russo Maria Chiara; Colombo Carla; Fiscarelli Ersilia; Lass Floerl Cornelia; Majo Fabio; Ricciotti Gabriella; Ellemunter Helmut; Ratclif Luigi; Talesa Vincenzo Nicola

来源：Nature Communications, 2017, 8(1): 14017.

DOI：10.1038/ncomms14017

T helper 9 (Th9) cells contribute to lung inflammation and allergy as sources of interleukin-9 (IL-9). However, the mechanisms by which IL-9/Th9 mediate immunopathology in the lung are unknown. Here we report an IL-9-driven positive feedback loop that reinforces allergic inflammation. We show that IL-9 increases IL-2 production by mast cells, which leads to expansion of CD25(+) type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) and subsequent activation of Th9 cells. Blocking IL-9 or inhibiting CD117 (c-Kit) signalling counteracts the pathogenic effect of the described IL-9-mast cell-IL-2 signalling axis. Overproduction of IL-9 is observed in expectorates from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, and a sex-specific variant of IL-9 is predictive of allergic reactions in female patients. Our results suggest that blocking IL-9 may be a therapeutic strategy to ameliorate inflammation associated with microbial colonization in the lung, and offers a plausible explanation for gender differences in clinical outcomes of patients with CF.

• 出版日期2017-1-16
• 单位Perugia