AUTHOR=Girkin Jason L. N. , Sokulsky Leon A. , Starkey Malcolm R. , Hansbro Philip M. , Foster Paul S. , Collison Adam M. , Mattes Joerg TITLE=A unique role for IL-13 in inducing esophageal eosinophilia through MID-1 and STAT6 JOURNAL=Frontiers in Allergy VOLUME=4 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/allergy/articles/10.3389/falgy.2023.1248432 DOI=10.3389/falgy.2023.1248432 ISSN=2673-6101 ABSTRACT=Introduction

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is associated with allergen-driven inflammation of the esophagus and an upregulated Th2 cytokine signature. Recombinant interleukin (IL)-13 (rIL-13) administration to mice induces some of the hallmark features of EoE, including increased eotaxin expression and eosinophil recruitment. Inflammation in EoE has previously been shown to depend on the expression of TRAIL and MID-1, which reduced protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity. The relationship between IL-13 and TRAIL signalling in esophageal eosinophilia is currently unknown.

Objective

To investigate the interaction between IL-13-driven eosinophil infiltration and TRAIL or MID-1 in the esophagus.

Method

We administered rIL-13 to wild type (WT), TRAIL-deficient (Tnsf10−/−) or STAT6-deficient (STAT6−/−) mice and targeted MID-1 with small interfering RNA.

Results

rIL-13 administration to mice increased TRAIL and MID-1 expression in the esophagus while reducing PP2A activity. TRAIL deficient, but not STAT6 deficient mice demonstrated increased MID-1 expression and PP2A reduction upon IL-13 challenge which correlated with eosinophil infiltration into the esophagus. Silencing MID-1 expression with siRNA completely ablated IL-13 induced eosinophil infiltration of the esophagus, restored PP2A activity, and reduced eotaxin-1 expression.

Conclusion

IL-13-driven eosinophil infiltration of the esophagus induced eosinophilia and eotaxin-1 expression in a STAT6-dependent and MID-1-dependent manner. This study highlights a novel mechanism employed by IL-13 to perpetuate eosinophil infiltration.