Blockade of Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway Aggravated Silica-Induced Lung Inflammation through Tregs Regulation on Th Immune Responses.

ABSTRACT: CD4(+) T cells play an important role in regulating silica-induced inflammation and fibrosis. Recent studies showed that Wnt/β-catenin pathway could modulate the function and the differentiation of CD4(+) T cells. Therefore, Wnt/β-catenin pathway may participate in the development and progress of silicosis. To investigate the role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway, we used lentivirus expressing β-catenin shRNA to block the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by intratracheal instillation to the mice model of silicosis. Treatment of lentivirus could significantly aggravate the silica-induced lung inflammation and attenuated the fibrosis at the late stage. By analyzing CD4(+) T cells, we found that blockade of Wnt/β-catenin pathway suppressed regulatory T cells (Tregs). Reciprocally, enhanced Th17 response was res

SUBMITTER: Dai W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4812397 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature