Interleukin-25: a cytokine linking eosinophils and adaptive immunity in Churg-Strauss syndrome

B Terrier, I Bièche, T Maisonobe… - Blood, The Journal …, 2010 - ashpublications.org
B Terrier, I Bièche, T Maisonobe, I Laurendeau, M Rosenzwajg, JE Kahn, MC Diemert…
Blood, The Journal of the American Society of Hematology, 2010ashpublications.org
Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is characterized by systemic vasculitis and blood and tissue
eosinophilia. Blood eosinophilia correlates with disease activity, and activated T cells from
CSS patients are predominantly T helper 2 (Th2). Interleukin (IL)-25 has been shown to link
innate and adaptive immunity by enhancing Th2 cytokine production. We sought to
determine the involvement of IL-25 and its receptor IL-17RB in the pathogenesis of CSS. We
found increased levels of IL-25 in the serum of active CSS patients (952±697 vs 75±49 …
Abstract
Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is characterized by systemic vasculitis and blood and tissue eosinophilia. Blood eosinophilia correlates with disease activity, and activated T cells from CSS patients are predominantly T helper 2 (Th2). Interleukin (IL)-25 has been shown to link innate and adaptive immunity by enhancing Th2 cytokine production. We sought to determine the involvement of IL-25 and its receptor IL-17RB in the pathogenesis of CSS. We found increased levels of IL-25 in the serum of active CSS patients (952 ± 697 vs 75 ± 49 pg/mL in inactive patients and 47 ± 6 pg/mL in healthy donors). IL-25 was correlated with disease activity and eosinophil level. Eosinophils were the main source of IL-25, whereas activated CD4+ memory T cells were the IL-17RB–expressing cells in CSS. IL-25 enhanced the production of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 by activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. IL-25 and IL-17RB were observed within the vasculitic lesions of patients with CSS, and IL-17RB colocalized with T cells. Increased expression of IL-17RB, tumor necrosis factor receptor–associated factor 6, and JunB in vasculitic lesions of CSS underscored the IL-25–mediated activation, whereas up-regulation of GATA3 and IL-10 supported Th2 differentiation. Our findings suggest that eosinophils, through the production of IL-25, exert a critical role in promoting Th2 responses in target tissues of CSS.
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