Blocking interleukin-17 attenuates enhanced inflammation by staphylococcal enterotoxin B in murine allergic rhinitis model

Abstract

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) enhances inflammation in allergic rhinitis (AR) and interleukin (IL)-17 may play a significant role in regulation of the inflammatory process induced by SEB. Objectives: Exposure to SEB is associated with severe symptoms in AR patients. However, how SEB influences the inflammatory process in AR has not been elucidated so far. The aim of this study was to identify the role of SEB and IL-17 in AR. Methods: BALB/c and IL-17-deficient mice were divided into three groups: control, OVA, and SEB groups. The control group was challenged with phosphate-buffered saline, the AR group was challenged with ovalbumin (OVA), and the SEB group was treated with SEB before OVA challenge. Nasal symptoms, eosinophil infiltration, serum total and OVA-specific immunoglobulin E levels, and cytokine levels including IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, and interferon (IFN)-γ in splenocyte culture were compared between the groups. Results: The SEB group produced significantly greater amounts of cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, and IFN-γ than the OVA group in wild-type mice. However, these enhanced inflammatory responses in the SEB group compared with the OVA group were not observed in IL-17-deficient mice.

Keywords::

• Superantigens
• inflammatory process
• cytokines
• allergic rhinitis

Acknowledgment

This research was supported by grant no. 04-2010-1100 from the Seoul National University Hospital Research Fund.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.