LIM-only protein FHL2 is associated with several immune and inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, influenza A virus infection, and lung inflammation. However, the role of FHL2 in macrophage differentiation and in the development of granuloma formation is unknown. Here, we show that expression of FHL2 is induced in mouse bone marrow derived macrophages (BMMs) following stimulation with M2 cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-10. FHL2-knockout (FHL2-KO) BMMs exhibit a proinflammatory M1 phenotype after LPS treatment and display a reduced anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype following IL-4 treatment. Furthermore, thioglycollate-induced migration of macrophages and B cells is enhanced in FHL2-KO mice. To evaluate the importance of FHL2 in the development of pulmonary granuloma formation, FHL2-KO mice were challenged with Schistosoma mansoni eggs. FHL2-KO mice show an enhanced number of granulomas and display decreased expression of Th2 markers and an exacerbated Th1 type of inflammation, characterized by enhanced expression of neutrophil markers and Th1 cytokines. Furthermore, the expression of barrier proteins is reduced in FHL2-KO lung compared to WT. Collectively, these data identify a previously unrecognized role for FHL2 in the pathogenesis of pulmonary granulomatous inflammation, partly through its effect on macrophage polarization, modulation of the Th1/Th2 balance and regulation of permeability in lung.
Keywords: FHL2 granuloma Macrophages Permeability Schistosoma mansoniAdditional supporting information may be found in the online version of this article at the publisher's web-site
IntroductionThe helminth parasite, Schistosoma mansoni (Sm) causes some of the most debilitating and chronic diseases of mankind affecting Correspondence: Prof. Carlie J.M. de Vries e-mail: c.j.devries@amc.uva.nl more than 200 million people worldwide [1][2][3]. Schistosomiasis is a chronic disease that persists for years because of impaired ability to remove adult worms and the eggs that become trapped in the liver, lungs, and intestine as well as inadequate repair of local cellular damage [4]. Infection by Sm involves distinct phases, including an initial Th1 response involving IFN-γ followed by a stronger Th2 response, reflected by excessive expression of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, resulting in recruitment and activation of dendritic cells, C 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim www.eji-journal.eu Eur. J. Immunol. 2015. 45: 3098-3106 Immunity to infection 3099 eosinophils, Th2 cells, and alternatively activated macrophages or M2 macrophages [3,5]. Macrophages are a heterogeneous population of immune cells playing a crucial role in the regulation of both innate and adaptive immune responses in inflammatory diseases, such as airway inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease, and atherosclerosis [6]. Macrophage polarization is a key event in multiple chronic pulmonary diseases including schistosomiasis and may help in regulation of tissue repair. Classical activation of macrophages (often indicated as M1) is induced by IFN-γ or LPS ...