SPLUNC1 deficiency enhances airway eosinophilic inflammation in mice

Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2012 Aug;47(2):253-60. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2012-0064OC. Epub 2012 Apr 12.

Abstract

Short palate, lung and nasal epithelium clone 1 (SPLUNC1) is enriched in normal airway lining fluid, but is significantly reduced in airway epithelium exposed to a Th2 cytokine milieu. The role of SPLUNC1 in modulating airway allergic inflammation (e.g., eosinophils) remains unknown. We used SPLUNC1 knockout (KO) and littermate wild-type (C57BL/6 background) mice and recombinant SPLUNC1 protein to determine the impact of SPLUNC1 on airway allergic/eosinophilic inflammation, and to investigate the underlying mechanisms. An acute ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization and challenge protocol was used to induce murine airway allergic inflammation (e.g., eosinophils, eotaxin-2, and Th2 cytokines). Our results showed that SPLUNC1 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of OVA-challenged wild-type mice was significantly reduced (P < 0.05), which was negatively correlated with levels of lung eosinophilic inflammation. Moreover, SPLUNC1 KO mice demonstrated significantly higher numbers of eosinophils in the lung after OVA challenges than did wild-type mice. Alveolar macrophages isolated from OVA-challenged SPLUNC1 KO versus wild-type mice had higher concentrations of baseline eotaxin-2 that was amplified by LPS (a known risk factor for exacerbating asthma). Human recombinant SPLUNC1 protein was applied to alveolar macrophages to study the regulation of eotaxin-2 in the context of Th2 cytokine and LPS stimulation. Recombinant SPLUNC1 protein attenuated LPS-induced eotaxin-2 production in Th2 cytokine-pretreated murine macrophages. These findings demonstrate that SPLUNC1 inhibits airway eosinophilic inflammation in allergic mice, in part by reducing eotaxin-2 production in alveolar macrophages.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / immunology
  • Chemokine CCL24 / immunology
  • Chemokine CCL24 / metabolism
  • Eosinophils / immunology*
  • Eosinophils / metabolism
  • Glycoproteins / deficiency*
  • Glycoproteins / immunology
  • Glycoproteins / metabolism
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-13 / immunology
  • Interleukin-13 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-4 / immunology
  • Interleukin-4 / metabolism
  • Lipopolysaccharides / immunology
  • Lung / immunology
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Macrophages, Alveolar / immunology
  • Macrophages, Alveolar / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Phosphoproteins / deficiency*
  • Phosphoproteins / immunology
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism
  • Pneumonia / immunology*
  • Pneumonia / metabolism
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Th2 Cells / immunology
  • Th2 Cells / metabolism

Substances

  • Bpifa1 protein, mouse
  • Chemokine CCL24
  • Glycoproteins
  • Interleukin-13
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Interleukin-4
  • Ovalbumin