Allergy Asthma Immunol Res.  2011 Apr;3(2):81-88. 10.4168/aair.2011.3.2.81.

IL-33 and Airway Inflammation

• Oboki K
• Nakae S
• Matsumoto
• Saito H

• KMID: 2130358
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aair.2011.3.2.81

Abstract

Interleukin-33 (IL-33) is the 11th member of IL-1 cytokine family which includes IL-1 and IL-18. Unlike IL-1beta and IL-18, IL-33 is suggested to function as an alarmin that is released upon endothelial or epithelial cell damage and may not enhance acquired immune responses through activation of inflammasome. ST2, a IL-33 receptor component, is preferentially expressed by T-helper type (Th) 2 cells, mast cells, eosinophils and basophils, compared to Th1 cells, Th17 cells and neutrophils. Thus, IL-33 profoundly enhances allergic inflammation through increased expression of proallergic cytokines and chemokines. Indeed, IL-33 and its receptor genes are recognized as the most susceptible genes for asthma by several recent genomewide association studies. It has also recently been shown that IL-33 plays a crucial role in innate eosinophilic airway inflammation rather than acquired immune responses such as IgE production. As such, IL-33 provides a unique therapeutic way for asthma, i.e., ameliorating innate airway inflammation.

Keyword

IL-33; ST2; host defense; allergy; autoimmunity; chronic disease; mast cell; basophil; eosinophil

MeSH Terms

Asthma
Autoimmunity
Basophils
Chemokines
Chronic Disease
Cytokines
Eosinophils
Epithelial Cells
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Immunoglobulin E
Inflammation
Interleukin-1
Interleukin-18
Mast Cells
Neutrophils
Th1 Cells
Th17 Cells
Chemokines
Cytokines
Immunoglobulin E
Interleukin-1
Interleukin-18

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Heterodimeric receptors for interleukin-1 (IL-1) family cytokines. IL-1 receptor and IL-33 receptor share IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP) amplifying the receptor signaling.

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  Fig. 2 The major role of interleukin-33 (IL-33) in asthma pathogenesis in comparison with thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). IL-33 is crucial for protease-mediated innate airway inflammation associated with cell damage, while TSLP profoundly affect the allergen-specific IgE production/Th2 differentiation.

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