Dopamine D1-like receptor antagonist attenuates Th17-mediated immune response and ovalbumin antigen-induced neutrophilic airway inflammation

J Immunol. 2011 May 15;186(10):5975-82. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1001274. Epub 2011 Apr 6.

Abstract

Allergic airway inflammation is generally considered a Th2-type immune response. Recent studies, however, demonstrated that Th17-type immune responses also play important roles in this process, especially in the pathogenesis of neutrophilic airway inflammation, a hallmark of severe asthma. We previously reported that dendritic cells release dopamine to naive CD4(+) T cells in Ag-specific cell-cell interaction, in turn inducing Th17 differentiation through dopamine D1-like receptor (D1-like-R). D1-like-R antagonist attenuates Th17-mediated diseases such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and autoimmune diabetes. However, the effect of antagonizing D1-like-R on Th17-mediated airway inflammation has yet to be studied. In this study, we examined whether D1-like-R antagonist suppresses OVA-induced neutrophilic airway inflammation in OVA TCR-transgenic DO11.10 mice and then elucidated the mechanism of action. DO11.10 mice were nebulized with OVA or PBS, and some mice received D1-like-R antagonist orally before OVA nebulization. D1-like-R antagonist significantly suppressed OVA-induced neutrophilic airway inflammation in DO11.10 mice. It also inhibited the production of IL-17 and infiltration of Th17 cells in the lung. Further, D1-like-R antagonist suppressed the production of IL-23 by lung CD11c(+) APCs. In contrast, D1-like-R antagonist did not increase Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells in the lung. D1-like-R antagonist neither suppressed nonspecific LPS-induced neutrophilic airway inflammation nor OVA-induced eosinophilic airway inflammation. These results indicate that D1-like-R antagonist could suppress Th17-mediated neutrophilic airway inflammation, raising the possibility that antagonizing D1-like-R serves as a promising new strategy for treating neutrophil-dominant severe asthma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Benzazepines / pharmacology*
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / cytology
  • Dopamine / immunology
  • Dopamine / metabolism
  • Female
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Inflammation / immunology
  • Interleukin-23 / metabolism
  • Lipopolysaccharides / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neutrophils / immunology*
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Receptors, Dopamine D1 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Receptors, Dopamine D1 / metabolism
  • Respiratory Hypersensitivity / immunology*
  • Respiratory Hypersensitivity / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology
  • Th17 Cells / immunology*

Substances

  • Benzazepines
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxp3 protein, mouse
  • Interleukin-23
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Receptors, Dopamine D1
  • SCH 23390
  • Ovalbumin
  • Dopamine