| First Author | Spolski R | Year | 2012 |
| Journal | J Immunol | Volume | 188 |
| Issue | 4 | Pages | 1924-32 |
| PubMed ID | 22238461 | Mgi Jnum | J:181192 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5309057 | Doi | 10.4049/jimmunol.1100767 |
| Citation | Spolski R, et al. (2012) IL-21 promotes the pathologic immune response to pneumovirus infection. J Immunol 188(4):1924-32 |
| abstractText | IL-21 is a cytokine with pleiotropic actions, promoting terminal differentiation of B cells, increased Ig production, and the development of Th17 and T follicular helper cells. IL-21 is also implicated in the development of autoimmune disease and has antitumor activity. In this study, we investigated the role of IL-21 in host defense to pneumonia virus of mice (PVM), which initiates an infection in mice resembling that of respiratory syncytial virus disease in humans. We found that PVM-infected mice expressed IL-21 in lung CD4(+) T cells. Following infection, Il21r(-/-) mice exhibited less lung infiltration by neutrophils than did wild-type (WT) mice and correspondingly had lower levels of the chemokine CXCL1 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung parenchyma. CD8(+), CD4(+), and gammadelta T cell numbers were also lower in the lungs of PVM-infected Il21r(-/-) mice than in infected WT mice, with normal Th17 cytokines but diminished IL-6 production in PVM-infected Il21r(-/-) mice. Strikingly, Il21r(-/-) mice had enhanced survival following PVM infection, and moreover, treatment of WT mice with soluble IL-21R-Fc fusion protein enhanced their survival. These data reveal that IL-21 promotes the pathogenic inflammatory effect of PVM and indicate that manipulating IL-21 signaling may represent an immunomodulatory strategy for controlling PVM and potentially other respiratory virus infections. |
