Alarmin IL-33 in human duodenum. Link to Celiac Disease

FERNANDO G. CHIRDO; MARCELA HERMOSO; FEDERICO PEREZ; DAVID DIAZ GIMÉNEZ

Copenhague

Congreso; 10th European Mucosal Immunology Group meeting (EMIG); 2016

European Mucosal Immunology Group

IL-33 is a cytokine belonging to the IL-1 family. It is located mainly in the nucleus. Upon release by living or necrotic cells, works as alarmin binding to its receptor, ST2L, expressed in several innate cells as well as some T cells. ST2s, a soluble form of the receptor, acts as decoy factor. IL-33/ST2 axis was firstly linked to Th2 response. Recently, evidence of its role in Th1 cells responses was described. There is limited information about the role of this axis in normal small intestine, and particularly in celiac disease (CD), a Th1-driven enteropathy. The aim of this work was to evaluate the expression of IL-33/ST2 axis in small intestine of healthy controls and CD patients. Higher serum levels of IL-33 and ST2 (p=0,07 and p=0,03, respectively) were found in CD patients (n=23) than in healthy controls (n=14). The immunofluorescence analysis on duodenal sections from healthy controls (n=9) and CD patients (n=9) showed increased number of IL-33+ cells (p=0,03) and ST2+ cells (p= 0,02) in duodenal lamina propria of CD patients. Some of ST2+ cells were CD3+ lymphocytes. In conclusion, an increased expression of the IL-33/ST2 axis was observed in untreated CD patients, linking IL-33 with a well-known Th1 disorder.