Serine protease activity of Cur l 1 from Curvularia lunata augments Th2 response in mice.

Abstract

RATIONALE:

Studies with mite allergens demonstrated that proteolytic activity augments allergic airway inflammation. This knowledge is limited to few enzyme allergens.

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of serine protease Cur l 1 from Curvularia lunata in airway inflammation/hyper-responsiveness.

METHODS:

Cur l 1 was purified and inactivated using a serine protease inhibitor. Balb/c mice were sensitized with enzymatically active Cur l 1 or C. lunata extract. Sensitized mice were given booster dose on day 14 with active or inactivated Cur l 1. Intranasal challenge was given on day 28, 29, and 30. Airway hyper-responsiveness was measured by plethysmography. Blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), spleen, and lungs from mice were analyzed for cellular infiltration, immunoglobulins, and cytokine levels.

RESULTS:

Mice challenged with enzymatically active Cur l 1 demonstrated significantly higher airway inflammation than inactive Cur l 1 group mice (p < 0.01). There was a significant difference in serum IgE and IgG1 levels among mice immunized with active Cur l 1 and inactive Cur l 1 (p < 0.01). IL-4 and IL-5 were higher in BALF and splenocyte culture supernatant of active Cur l 1 than inactive Cur l 1 mice. Lung histology revealed increased eosinophil infiltration, goblet cell hyperplasia and mucus secretion in active group.

CONCLUSION:

Proteolytic activity of Cur l 1 plays an important role in airway inflammation and the inactivated Cur l 1 has potential to be explored for immunotherapy.

• Authors: Prabhanshu Tripathi, Neetu Kukreja, B P Singh, Naveen Arora
• Journal: Journal of clinical immunology (J Clin Immunol) Vol. 29 Issue 3 Pg. 292-302 (May 2009) ISSN: 1573-2592 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 19020963 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Allergens
• Antigens, Plant
• Cytokines
• Fungal Proteins
• Immunoglobulins
• Ovalbumin
• Cur I 1 allergen, Curvularia lunata
• Serine Endopeptidases

Topics

• Allergens (immunology, metabolism)
• Animals
• Antigens, Plant
• Asthma (blood, immunology, microbiology)
• Cytokines (metabolism)
• Eosinophils (pathology)
• Female
• Fungal Proteins (immunology, metabolism)
• Immunization
• Immunoglobulins (blood)
• Lung (immunology, pathology)
• Lymphocyte Activation
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Mitosporic Fungi (enzymology, immunology)
• Ovalbumin (metabolism)
• Serine Endopeptidases (immunology, metabolism)
• Th1 Cells (immunology, metabolism, pathology)
• Th2 Cells (immunology, metabolism, pathology)