IL-17A blockade attenuates obliterative bronchiolitis and IFN-γ cellular immune response in lung allografts

PK Gupta, SR Wagner, Q Wu… - American journal of …, 2017 - atsjournals.org
PK Gupta, SR Wagner, Q Wu, RA Shilling
American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, 2017atsjournals.org
Obliterative bronchiolitis (OB), characterized by fibrous obliteration of the small airways, is a
major impediment to long-term survival in lung allograft recipients. We found previously that
IL-17A is produced primarily by CD4+ T cells and γδ T cells after lung transplant in a mouse
model of orthotopic lung transplant. The absence of either subset of T cells was
compensated for by expansion of the other subset, which suggested that systemic blockade
of IL-17A was necessary. To determine the specific role of IL-17A in the development of OB …
Obliterative bronchiolitis (OB), characterized by fibrous obliteration of the small airways, is a major impediment to long-term survival in lung allograft recipients. We found previously that IL-17A is produced primarily by CD4+ T cells and γδ T cells after lung transplant in a mouse model of orthotopic lung transplant. The absence of either subset of T cells was compensated for by expansion of the other subset, which suggested that systemic blockade of IL-17A was necessary. To determine the specific role of IL-17A in the development of OB, we treated lung allograft recipients with an IL-17A antagonistic antibody. After IL-17A blockade, the incidence of OB was significantly reduced in lung allografts. IL-17A blockade also significantly attenuated the severity of acute rejection and overall lung fibrosis. The decreased OB incidence was associated with reduced lymphocyte recruitment, particularly CD8+ T cells and other IFN-γ–producing lymphocytes, to the lung allograft. Interestingly, IL-17A blockade led to an increase in the frequency of IL-17A–producing T-helper cell type 17 cells and γδ T cells in lung allografts, suggesting that IL-17A is a negative regulator of these T cells. Our data suggest that blocking IL-17A after lung transplant reduces the overall IFN-γ–mediated lymphocyte response and decreases the development of OB.
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