Transgenic modeling of interleukin-13 in the lung

Chest. 2003 Mar;123(3 Suppl):339S-45S.

Abstract

Interleukin (IL)-13 is a key cytokine in asthma pathogenesis. We used constitutive and inducible overexpression transgenic mice to characterize the mechanisms by which IL-13 causes phenotypic alterations in the lung. These studies demonstrated that chemokine receptor-2, transforming growth factor-beta(1), and IL-11 play an important role in the regulation of inflammation and remodeling in the IL-13-treated lung. The study results also demonstrated that IL-13 induces vascular endothelial growth factor, which causes bronchial circulation neovascularization in the murine airway. Last, it was demonstrated that IL-13 induces adenosine accumulation and that adenosine in turn stimulates IL-13 elaboration. These approaches validated in vivo genetic targets against which therapies can be directed to selectively regulate aspects of the IL-13 phenotype.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Asthma / genetics*
  • Asthma / physiopathology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Interleukin-13 / genetics*
  • Interleukin-13 / physiology*
  • Lung / physiopathology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Transgenes / genetics*
  • Transgenes / physiology*

Substances

  • Interleukin-13