The TLR7 ligand 9-benzyl-2-butoxy-8-hydroxy adenine inhibits IL-17 response by eliciting IL-10 and IL-10-inducing cytokines

J Immunol. 2011 Apr 15;186(8):4707-15. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1002398. Epub 2011 Mar 9.

Abstract

This study evaluates the ability of a novel TLR7 ligand (9-benzyl-2-butoxy-8-hydroxy adenine, called SA-2) to affect IL-17 response. The SA-2 activity on the expression of IL-17A and IL-17-related molecules was evaluated in acute and chronic models of asthma as well as in in vivo and in vitro α-galactosyl ceramide (α-GalCer)-driven systems. SA-2 prepriming reduced neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and decreased methacoline-induced airway hyperresponsiveness in murine asthma models. These results were associated with the reduction of IL-17A (and type 2 cytokines) as well as of molecules favoring Th17 (and Th2) development in lung tissue. The IL-17A production in response to α-GalCer by spleen mononuclear cells was inhibited in vitro by the presence of SA-2. Reduced IL-17A (as well as IFN-γ and IL-13) serum levels in mice treated with α-GalCer plus SA-2 were also observed. The in vitro results indicated that IL-10 produced by B cells and IL-10-promoting molecules such as IFN-α and IL-27 by dendritic cells are the major player for SA-2-driven IL-17A (and also IFN-γ and IL-13) inhibition. The in vivo experiments with anti-cytokine receptor Abs provided evidence of an early IL-17A inhibition essentially due to IL-10 produced by resident peritoneal cells and of a delayed IL-17A inhibition sustained by IFN-α and IL-27, which in turn drive effector T cells to IL-10 production. These findings suggest that such TLR7 agonist downregulating Th17 (as well as Th2) response has to be considered a valid candidate for novel vaccine formulations in allergy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenine / administration & dosage
  • Adenine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Adenine / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Asthma / genetics
  • Asthma / metabolism
  • Asthma / pathology
  • B-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • B-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytokines / blood
  • Cytokines / genetics*
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Galactosylceramides / administration & dosage
  • Galactosylceramides / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Injections, Intraperitoneal
  • Interferon-gamma / blood
  • Interferon-gamma / genetics
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Interleukin-10 / blood
  • Interleukin-10 / genetics*
  • Interleukin-10 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-13 / blood
  • Interleukin-13 / genetics
  • Interleukin-13 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-17 / blood
  • Interleukin-17 / genetics*
  • Interleukin-17 / metabolism
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / drug effects
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / metabolism
  • Lung / drug effects
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Lung / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Th17 Cells / drug effects
  • Th17 Cells / metabolism
  • Th2 Cells / drug effects
  • Th2 Cells / metabolism
  • Toll-Like Receptor 7 / agonists*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 7 / metabolism

Substances

  • 9-benzyl-2-butoxy-8-hydroxyadenine
  • Cytokines
  • Galactosylceramides
  • Interleukin-13
  • Interleukin-17
  • Toll-Like Receptor 7
  • alpha-galactosylceramide
  • Interleukin-10
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Adenine