| First Author | Muallem G | Year | 2017 |
| Journal | PLoS Pathog | Volume | 13 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | e1006173 |
| PubMed ID | 28129374 | Mgi Jnum | J:245923 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5914572 | Doi | 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006173 |
| Citation | Muallem G, et al. (2017) IL-27 Limits Type 2 Immunopathology Following Parainfluenza Virus Infection. PLoS Pathog 13(1):e1006173 |
| abstractText | Respiratory paramyxoviruses are important causes of morbidity and mortality, particularly of infants and the elderly. In humans, a T helper (Th)2-biased immune response to these infections is associated with increased disease severity; however, little is known about the endogenous regulators of these responses that may be manipulated to ameliorate pathology. IL-27, a cytokine that regulates Th2 responses, is produced in the lungs during parainfluenza infection, but its role in disease pathogenesis is unknown. To determine whether IL-27 limits the development of pathogenic Th2 responses during paramyxovirus infection, IL-27-deficient or control mice were infected with the murine parainfluenza virus Sendai virus (SeV). Infected IL-27-deficient mice experienced increased weight loss, more severe lung lesions, and decreased survival compared to controls. IL-27 deficiency led to increased pulmonary eosinophils, alternatively activated macrophages (AAMs), and the emergence of Th2 responses. In control mice, IL-27 induced a population of IFN-gamma+/IL-10+ CD4+ T cells that was replaced by IFN-gamma+/IL-17+ and IFN-gamma+/IL-13+ CD4+ T cells in IL-27-deficient mice. CD4+ T cell depletion in IL-27-deficient mice attenuated weight loss and decreased AAMs. Elimination of STAT6 signaling in IL-27-deficient mice reduced Th2 responses and decreased disease severity. These data indicate that endogenous IL-27 limits pathology during parainfluenza virus infection by regulating the quality of CD4+ T cell responses and therefore may have therapeutic potential in paramyxovirus infections. |
