[PDF][PDF] Interleukin-22 induces interleukin-18 expression from epithelial cells during intestinal infection

M Muñoz, C Eidenschenk, N Ota, K Wong, U Lohmann… - Immunity, 2015 - cell.com
M Muñoz, C Eidenschenk, N Ota, K Wong, U Lohmann, AA Kühl, X Wang, P Manzanillo, Y Li…
Immunity, 2015cell.com
Summary T helper 1 (Th1) cell-associated immunity exacerbates ileitis induced by oral
Toxoplasma gondii infection. We show here that attenuated ileitis observed in interleukin-22
(IL-22)-deficient mice was associated with reduced production of Th1-cell-promoting IL-18.
IL-22 not only augmented the expression of Il18 mRNA and inactive precursor protein (proIL-
18) in intestinal epithelial cells after T. gondii or Citrobacter rodentium infection, but also
maintained the homeostatic amount of proIL-18 in the ileum. IL-22, however, did not induce …
Summary
T helper 1 (Th1) cell-associated immunity exacerbates ileitis induced by oral Toxoplasma gondii infection. We show here that attenuated ileitis observed in interleukin-22 (IL-22)-deficient mice was associated with reduced production of Th1-cell-promoting IL-18. IL-22 not only augmented the expression of Il18 mRNA and inactive precursor protein (proIL-18) in intestinal epithelial cells after T. gondii or Citrobacter rodentium infection, but also maintained the homeostatic amount of proIL-18 in the ileum. IL-22, however, did not induce the processing to active IL-18, suggesting a two-step regulation of IL-18 in these cells. Although IL-18 exerted pathogenic functions during ileitis triggered by T. gondii, it was required for host defense against C. rodentium. Conversely, IL-18 was required for the expression of IL-22 in innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) upon T. gondii infection. Our results define IL-18 as an IL-22 target gene in epithelial cells and describe a complex mutual regulation of both cytokines during intestinal infection.
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