TSLP is localized in and released from human lung macrophages activated by T2-high and T2-low stimuli: relevance in asthma and COPD

• Published in: European journal of internal medicine 2024-06, Vol.124, p.89-98
• Main Authors: Canè, Luisa, Poto, Remo, Palestra, Francesco, Pirozzi, Marinella, Parashuraman, Seetharaman, Iacobucci, Ilaria, Ferrara, Anne Lise, La Rocca, Antonello, Mercadante, Edoardo, Pucci, Piero, Marone, Gianni, Monti, Maria, Loffredo, Stefania, Varricchi, Gilda
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Angiogenesis; Asthma; Asthma - immunology; Asthma - metabolism; Cells, Cultured; Cytokines - metabolism; Humans; Interleukin-13 - metabolism; Interleukin-4 - metabolism; Lipopolysaccharides - pharmacology; Macrophage; Macrophages, Alveolar - immunology; Macrophages, Alveolar - metabolism; Mast cell; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - immunology; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - metabolism; Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin; TSLP; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - metabolism; VEGF-A
• ISSN: 0953-6205; 1879-0828; 1879-0828
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejim.2024.02.020

•Human lung macrophages (HLMs) are a key source of TSLP in airway diseases.•TSLP is selectively localized in the cytoplasm of HLMs.•Both Type-2 high and Type-2 low stimuli induce TSLP release from HLMs.•Long form TSLP (lfTSLP) stimulates VEGF-A release from HLMs.•Short form TSLP neither activates nor interferes with the activating TSLP property. Macrophages are the predominant immune cells in the human lung and play a central role in airway inflammation, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a pleiotropic cytokine mainly expressed by bronchial epithelial cells, plays a key role in asthma and COPD pathobiology. TSLP exists in two variants: the long form (lfTSLP) and a shorter TSLP isoform (sfTSLP). We aimed to localize TSLP in human lung macrophages (HLMs) and investigate the mechanisms of its release from these cells. We also evaluated the effects of the two variants of TSLP on the release of angiogenic factor from HLMs. We employed immunofluorescence and Western blot to localize intracellular TSLP in HLMs purified from human lung parenchyma. HLMs were activated by T2-high (IL-4, IL-13) and T2-low (lipopolysaccharide: LPS) immunological stimuli. TSLP was detected in HLMs and subcellularly localized in the cytoplasm. IL-4 and LPS induced TSLP release from HLMs. Preincubation of macrophages with brefeldin A, known to disrupt the Golgi apparatus, inhibited TSLP release induced by LPS and IL-4. lfTSLP concentration-dependently induced the release of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), the most potent angiogenic factor, from HLMs. sfTSLP neither activated nor interfered with the activating property of lfTSLP on macrophages. Our results highlight a novel immunologic circuit between HLMs and TSLP. Given the central role of macrophages in airway inflammation, this autocrine loop holds potential translational relevance in understanding innovative aspects of the pathobiology of asthma and chronic inflammatory lung disorders.