Graduate Student Virginia Commonwealth Univ., United States
Disclosure(s):
Tania D. Maldonado, MS: No financial relationships to disclose
Introduction/Rationale: Allergic asthma is more common and severe in women than in men. One component of allergic inflammation is IL-33, a cytokine released by the airway epithelium when damaged by allergens.
Methods: We used mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells for in vitro analysis of IL-33-induced cytokine production, inflammatory lipid secretion, and signal transduction. We also performed in vivo analysis of IL-33-induced peritonitis.
Results: Using both in vitro and in vivo models of IL-33-mediated inflammation, we found that IL-33 effects are more prominent in females. We show that mast cells cultured from female C57BL/6 or C3H/HeJ mice produce stronger IL-33-induced cytokines than matched male cultures. We also demonstrate that female-dominant responses include arachidonic acid metabolites. Importantly, we reveal that IL-33-mediated JNK activation is heightened in female mast cells. Surprisingly, ERK activation is greater in male mast cells.
Conclusion: Overall, these data support the hypothesis that specific cell signaling differences contribute to the female-dominant IL-33 response.
