• Weiguo Chen, Umasundari Sivaprasad, Aaron M Gibson, Mark B Ericksen, Christie M Cunningham, Stacey A Bass, Kayla G Kinker, Fred D Finkelman, Marsha Wills-Karp, and Gurjit K Khurana Hershey.
• Division of Asthma Research, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.
• J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 2013 Oct 1; 132 (4): 951-8.e1-6.

BackgroundIL-13 receptor α2 (IL-13Rα2) binds IL-13 with high affinity and modulates IL-13 responses. There are soluble and membrane forms of IL-13Rα2 generated by alternative splicing in mice, but human subjects express only the membrane form of IL-13Rα2 (memIL-13Rα2).ObjectiveWe determined the role of memIL-13Rα2 in the development of allergic inflammation in mouse models of asthma.MethodsIL-13Rα2-deficient and memIL-13Rα2 lung epithelium-specific transgenic mice were challenged with house dust mite (HDM). Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and inflammation were assessed based on the airway pressure-time index, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cell counts, and lung histology. Mucus production was determined by means of periodic acid-Schiff staining of lung sections, Western blot analysis of chloride channel calcium activated 3 (CLCA3) expression in lung homogenates, and ELISA of Muc5ac in BAL fluid. The expression of cytokines and chemokines was determined by using RT-quantitative PCR.ResultsIn IL-13Rα2-deficient mice AHR and airway inflammation were attenuated compared with levels seen in wild-type mice after HDM challenge. Lung epithelial overexpression of memIL-13Rα2 in the IL-13Rα2-deficient mice reconstituted AHR and inflammation to levels similar to those observed in HDM-challenged wild-type mice. Mucus production was attenuated in lungs from HDM-treated IL-13Rα2-deficient mice, whereas lung epithelial overexpression of memIL-13Rα2 increased mucus production. Lung epithelial overexpression of memIL-13Rα2 had no effect on levels of the soluble form of IL-13Rα2 in serum or BAL fluid and did not affect IL-13-dependent signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 activation in the lungs.ConclusionThese data collectively support a distinct role for memIL-13Rα2 in the lung and suggest that memIL-13Rα2 might contribute to allergic inflammation.Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

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