Open AccessUp-regulation of CD44 expression by interleukin-13 in a murine model of asthma
Author(s) -
Xue Li,
Hongyan Liang,
Xiaofeng Jiang
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
molecular medicine reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.727
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1791-3004
pISSN - 1791-2997
DOI - 10.3892/mmr.2011.552
Subject(s) - cd44 , bronchoalveolar lavage , immunology , cell adhesion molecule , interleukin , lymphocyte , medicine , inflammation , cell , lung , biology , cytokine , genetics
Allergic asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the infiltration of inflammatory cells, the elevated production of cytokines and enhanced airway hyperreactivity (AHR). CD44 is a widely expressed cell adhesion molecule that is involved in lymphocyte adhesion to inflamed endothelium. Previous studies showed that pulmonary eosinophils and CD4⁺ T cells express high levels of CD44 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid following antigen administration. The aim of this study was to investigate whether interleukin (IL)-13 is capable of modulating CD44 expression in lung tissue and lymphocytes, further promoting inflammatory cell recruitment into the lungs and exacerbating asthmatic responses. Six- to eight-week-old male Balb/c mice were used. Quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry were employed to determine the effect on CD44 expression. Our findings showed that IL-13 may play a significant role during the challenge phase in that CD44 expression was up-regulated in lung tissue and lymphocytes following IL-13 treatment, resulting in inflammatory cells infiltrating into lungs and enhancing AHR.