Originally shown to promote the growth and activation of B cells, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is now known to have wide-ranging impacts on both hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cell lineages, including dendritic cells (DCs), basophils, eosinophils, mast cells, CD4+, CD8+ and natural killer (NK) T cells, B cells and epithelial cells. While TSLP's role in the promotion of TH2 responses has been extensively studied in the context of lung- and skin-specific allergic disorders, it is becoming increasingly clear that TSLP may impact multiple disease states within multiple organ systems, including the blockade of TH1/TH17 responses and the promotion of cancer and autoimmunity. This review will highlight recent advances in the understanding of TSLP signal transduction, as well as the role of TSLP in allergy, autoimmunity and cancer. Importantly, these insights into TSLP's multifaceted roles could potentially allow for novel therapeutic manipulations of these disorders.

The cytokine thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) has been implicated in the development and progression of allergic inflammation in both humans and mice. TSLP has been shown to promote Th2-type response through upregulation of OX40L on dendritic cells, and through direct induction of IL-4 production in naïve CD4 T cells. However, its direct effect on effector Th cells has not been extensively investigated. In this study, we show that the level of TSLPR expression on mouse effector Th2 cells is higher than on Th1 and Th17 cells, and that TSLP induced proliferation of effector Th2, but not Th1 and Th17 cells. TSLP also induced the phosphorylation of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (Stat) 5, and expression of anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2 in Th2 cells. Finally, TSLP-mediated proliferation on Th2 cells was enhanced by TCR stimulation, through IL-4-mediated induction of TSLPR expression. Taken together, these results indicate that TSLP is involved in exacerbation of mouse Th2-mediated allergic inflammation in a Th2 environment through direct stimulation of Th2 effector cells.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are a critical player in immune responses, linking innate and adaptive immunity. We show here that DC-specific deletion of the STAT5 was not critical for development, but was required for type-2, but not type-1, allergic responses in both the skin and lung. Loss of STAT5 in DCs led to the inability to respond to thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). STAT5 was required for TSLP-dependent DC activation, including upregulation of costimulatory molecules and chemokine production. Furthermore, type-2 responses in mice with DC-specific loss of STAT5resembled those seen in TSLPR-deficient mice. These results show that the TSLP- STAT5 axis in DCs is a critical component for the promotion of type-2 immunity at barrier surfaces.

Originally shown to promote the growth and activation of B cells, TSLP is now known to have wide-ranging impacts on hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cell lineages, including DCs, basophils, eosinophils, mast cells, CD4(+), CD8(+), and NK T cells, B cells, and epithelial cells. Whereas the role of TSLP in the promotion of TH2 responses has been studied extensively in the context of lung- and skin-specific allergic disorders, it is becoming increasingly clear that TSLP may impact multiple disease states within multiple organ systems, including the blockade of TH1/TH17 responses and the promotion of cancer and autoimmunity. This review will highlight recent advances in the understanding of TSLP signal transduction, as well as the role of TSLP in allergy, autoimmunity, and cancer. Importantly, these insights into the multifaceted roles of TSLP could potentially allow for novel, therapeutic manipulations of these disorders.