Nascent endothelium initiates Th2 polarization of asthma

J Immunol. 2013 Apr 1;190(7):3458-65. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1202095. Epub 2013 Feb 20.

Abstract

Asthma airway remodeling is linked to Th2 inflammation. Angiogenesis is a consistent feature of airway remodeling, but its contribution to pathophysiology remains unclear. We hypothesized that nascent endothelial cells in newly forming vessels are sufficient to initiate Th2-inflammation. Vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin is a constitutively expressed endothelial cell adhesion molecule that is exposed in its monomer form on endothelial tip cells prior to adherens junction formation. Abs targeted to VE-cadherin monomers inhibit angiogenesis by blocking this adherens junction formation. In this study, VE-cadherin monomer Ab reduced angiogenesis in the lungs of the allergen-induced murine asthma model. Strikingly, Th2 responses including, IgE production, eosinophil infiltration of the airway, subepithelial fibrosis, mucus metaplasia, and airway-hyperreactivity were also attenuated by VE-cadherin blockade, via mechanisms that blunted endothelial IL-25 and proangiogenic progenitor cell thymic stromal lymphopoietin production. The results identify angiogenic responses in the origins of atopic inflammation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Airway Remodeling / drug effects
  • Airway Remodeling / immunology
  • Allergens / immunology
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / pharmacology
  • Antigens, CD
  • Asthma / immunology*
  • Asthma / metabolism
  • Bone Marrow Cells / immunology
  • Cadherins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cytokines / immunology
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Endothelial Cells / immunology
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Endothelium / immunology*
  • Endothelium / metabolism
  • Female
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / immunology
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Immunoglobulin E / immunology
  • Interleukins / metabolism
  • Lung / immunology
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic / drug effects
  • Phenotype
  • STAT6 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Th2 Cells / immunology*
  • Th2 Cells / metabolism
  • Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin

Substances

  • Allergens
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antigens, CD
  • Cadherins
  • Cytokines
  • Interleukins
  • Mydgf protein, mouse
  • STAT6 Transcription Factor
  • cadherin 5
  • Immunoglobulin E
  • Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin
  • TSLP protein, mouse