Macroscopically, colonic tumors were observed in all mice with a higher concentration toward the distal rectum, which was expected as this is the area known to endure the greatest injury with DSS treatments. the first study to explore the therapeutic potential of using an IL-25 blocking antibody during a chronic inflammatory setting. Taken together these data suggest that IL-25 plays an inhibitory role in the growth and development of colonic tumors. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a type of inflammatory bowel disease in which immune dysregulation promotes development of ulcerations in the lining of the colon. UC has an incidence of 1 1.2C20.3 cases per 100,000 people per year and a prevalence of 7.6C246.0 cases per 100,000 people per year1. Chronic inflammation observed in patients with UC is associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer (CRC) by as much as 2.4-fold2. Despite the clear correlation between UC and CRC, the immunological factors contributing to the progression from inflammation to cancer are largely unknown. Mucosal inflammation in UC is characterized as an atypical type-2 response. IL-25, a member of the IL-17 cytokine family (IL-17E), initiates production of type-2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) thereby enhancing a TH2 response3,4,5,6. Through its ability to induce IgE production and eosinophilia, IL-25 plays an essential role in host defense to helminth infections. However, its production can also result in a pathogenic role in allergic disorders. IL-25 is expressed in both the colon and specific macrophage and epithelial cells located in the gut3,7, is detected in the colons of mice under steady-state conditions, and is significantly elevated (-)-Blebbistcitin upon acute exposure to a DSS-induced colitis model8. While little is known about how IL-25 modulates tumor pathogenesis, recent studies have revealed it could prove to be an important therapeutic target. IL-25 was shown to induce cell death in breast cancer cells, whereas non-malignant cells were left unaffected9. This effect was hypothesized to be due to the increased levels of IL-25 receptor (IL-17RB) expressed in malignant tumor (-)-Blebbistcitin cells, which correlates with previous findings associating low levels of IL-17RB with aggressive breast cancers and decreased overall survival10,11. Along with breast cancers, IL-25 was shown to exert antitumor effects in melanoma, lung, colon, and pancreatic cancers with a dependence on both B cells and increased levels of IL-5 inducing eosinophilia12. IL-25 influences both innate and adaptive immunity to induce type-2 inflammation; because a Th2 phenotype is generally associated with tolerance in the setting of tumors, it will be critical to define the functional significance of this important cytokine in the context of tumor immunity. There are conflicting reports on the ability of IL-25 to be either protective or detrimental in models of ulcerative colitis. In the United States, 1C1.3 million people suffer from inflammatory bowel disease13; given the development of new therapeutic strategies for inhibiting chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, we sought to establish the role of IL-25 in the context of colitis-driven colon cancer. We hypothesized the increased IL-25 in colitis, resulting in type-2 Rabbit polyclonal to ALS2CR3 inflammation, would create an environment more favorable for tumor growth and development. To test this hypothesis, WT mice were treated with an -IL-25 blocking antibody in a model of colitis-induced colon cancer. Contrary to our hypothesis, antibody suppression of IL-25 resulted in increased tumor burden compared to controls. Mice with increased tumor burden also exhibited an increased overall colitis score and decreased eosinophil infiltrates in colonic tissue. Interestingly, genetic ablation of IL-25 had no effect on tumor growth. These data suggest that while IL-25 may be promoting the type-2 inflammation associated with UC, it is (-)-Blebbistcitin also inhibiting the pro-tumorigenic potential associated with long term inflammation. Results IL-25 neutralizing antibody increases Tumor Burden in a murine Colitis-Associated Cancer (CAC) Model To investigate the role of IL-25 in colitis-induced colon cancer, a previously established model14,15 was utilized in which the mice were treated with the carcinogen azoxymethane (AOM) followed by two rounds of 2% dextran sodium sulphate (-)-Blebbistcitin (DSS) in their drinking water. Previous studies have shown that BALB/cJ mice would develop 4 to 12 colonic neoplasms per mouse after 10 weeks. To establish what role IL-25 plays in the progression of colitis into cancer, the mice were given i.p. injections with either -IL-25 or an isotype control starting with the initial dose of DSS, 3 days later, and weekly thereafter (Fig. 1A). Open in a separate window Figure 1 IL-25 neutralizing antibody increases tumor burden.Balb/cJ mice were given an i.p. injection of AOM on day 0, 2% DSS in drinking water for 7 days starting on days 7 and 28, and euthanized on day 70. (A) WT Balb/c mice were given i.p. injections of either.
