Allergic pulmonary inflammation in mice is dependent on eosinophil-induced recruitment of effector T cells

J Exp Med. 2008 Mar 17;205(3):699-710. doi: 10.1084/jem.20071840. Epub 2008 Mar 3.

Abstract

The current paradigm surrounding allergen-mediated T helper type 2 (Th2) immune responses in the lung suggests an almost hegemonic role for T cells. Our studies propose an alternative hypothesis implicating eosinophils in the regulation of pulmonary T cell responses. In particular, ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized/challenged mice devoid of eosinophils (the transgenic line PHIL) have reduced airway levels of Th2 cytokines relative to the OVA-treated wild type that correlated with a reduced ability to recruit effector T cells to the lung. Adoptive transfer of Th2-polarized OVA-specific transgenic T cells (OT-II) alone into OVA-challenged PHIL recipient mice failed to restore Th2 cytokines, airway histopathologies, and, most importantly, the recruitment of pulmonary effector T cells. In contrast, the combined transfer of OT-II cells and eosinophils into PHIL mice resulted in the accumulation of effector T cells and a concomitant increase in both airway Th2 immune responses and histopathologies. Moreover, we show that eosinophils elicit the expression of the Th2 chemokines thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine/CCL17 and macrophage-derived chemokine/CCL22 in the lung after allergen challenge, and blockade of these chemokines inhibited the recruitment of effector T cells. In summary, the data suggest that pulmonary eosinophils are required for the localized recruitment of effector T cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer
  • Allergens
  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Chemokine CCL17 / biosynthesis
  • Chemokine CCL22 / biosynthesis
  • Eosinophils / immunology*
  • Eosinophils / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Models, Immunological
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Pneumonia / immunology*
  • Pneumonia / pathology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Th2 Cells / immunology
  • Th2 Cells / pathology

Substances

  • Allergens
  • Ccl17 protein, mouse
  • Ccl22 protein, mouse
  • Chemokine CCL17
  • Chemokine CCL22
  • Ovalbumin