AUTHOR=Xu Yanan , Cao Lili , Chen Jiong , Jiang Danyan , Ruan Peisen , Ye Qinsong 

TITLE=CLCA1 mediates the regulatory effect of IL-13 on pediatric asthma

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2022.959439

DOI=10.3389/fped.2022.959439

ISSN=2296-2360

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Objective</title><p><italic>CLCA1</italic> is a secreted protein with protease activity, and its expression is associated with inflammatory airway diseases. This study aimed to investigate the role of <italic>CLCA1</italic> and IL-13 in pediatric asthma.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>In asthmatic and healthy children, the correlation between <italic>CLCA1</italic> expression and blood IL-4, and IL-13 levels were investigated by serological analyses such as RT-qPCR and ELISA. The effects on the activity and apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells following IL-13 stimulation were explored <italic>in vitro</italic> by the CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. <italic>CLCA1</italic> siRNA was used to knock down the expression level of bronchial epithelial cells and the effect of IL-13 stimulation on these cells was assessed by the CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p><italic>CLCA1</italic>, IL-4, and IL-13 were highly expressed in the serum of children with asthma. <italic>CLCA1</italic> expression was highly correlated to serum IL-13. IL-13 stimulation reduced the activity of bronchial epithelial cells <italic>in vitro</italic> and promoted apoptosis. Lastly, knockdown of <italic>CLCA1</italic> rescued the IL-13-induced decrease in activity and apoptosis.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p><italic>CLCA1</italic> is highly expressed in children with asthma and mediates the contributory effect of IL-13 on the occurrence and development of pediatric asthma.</p></sec>