Syk Regulates Neutrophilic Airway Hyper-Responsiveness in a Chronic Mouse Model of Allergic Airways Inflammation

BACKGROUND Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by airways hyper-responsiveness (AHR), reversible airway obstruction, and airway inflammation and remodeling. We previously showed that Syk modulates methacholine-induced airways contractility in naïve mice and in mice with allergic airways inflammation. We hypothesize that Syk plays a role in the pathogenesis of AHR; this was evaluated in a chronic 8-week mouse model of house dust mite (HDM)-induced allergic airways inflammation. METHODS We used the Sykflox/flox//rosa26CreERT2 conditional Syk knock-out mice to assess the role of Syk prior to HDM exposure, and treated HDM-sensitized mice with the Syk inhibitor, GSK143, to evaluate its role in established allergic airways inflammation. Respiratory mechanics and methacholine (MCh)-responsiveness were assessed using the flexiVent® system. Lungs underwent bronchoalveolar lavage to isolate inflammatory cells or were frozen for determination of gene expression in tissues. RESULTS MCh-induced AHR was observed following HDM sensitization in the Syk-intact (Sykflox/flox) and vehicle-treated BALB/c mice. MCh responsiveness was reduced to control levels in HDM-sensitized Sykdel/del mice and in BALB/c and Sykflox/flox mice treated with GSK143. Both Sykdel/del and GSK143-treated mice mounted appropriate immune responses to HDM, with HDM-specific IgE levels that were comparable to Sykflox/flox and vehicle-treated BALB/c mice. HDM-induced increases in bronchoalveolar lavage cell counts were attenuated in both Sykdel/del and GSK143-treated mice, due primarily to decreased neutrophil recruitment. Gene expression analysis of lung tissues revealed that HDM-induced expression of IL-17 and CXCL-1 was significantly attenuated in both Sykdel/del and GSK143-treated mice. CONCLUSION Syk inhibitors may play a role in the management of neutrophilic asthma.