Inhibiting or blocking LIGHT, a TNF superfamily member, for treating airway remodeling

Abstract

Evaluation of: Doherty TA, Soroosh P, Khorram N et al. The tumor necrosis factor family member LIGHT is a target for asthmatic airway remodeling. Nat. Med. 17, 596–603 (2011).Individuals with chronic asthma demonstrate a progressive decline in lung function that is thought to be due to structural remodeling of the airways, characterized by subepithelial fibrosis and smooth muscle hyperplasia. Here we report on a recent publication showing that the tumor necrosis factor family member LIGHT is expressed on lung inflammatory cells after allergen exposure. Pharmacological inhibition of LIGHT using a fusion protein between the IgG Fc domain and lymphotoxin-β-receptor reduces lung fibrosis, smooth muscle hyperplasia and airway hyperresponsiveness in mouse models of chronic asthma, despite having little effect on airway eosinophilia. LIGHT-deficient mice also show a similar impairment in fibrosis and smooth muscle accumulation. Blockade of LIGHT suppresses expression of lung TGF-β and IL-13, cytokines implicated in remodeling in humans, whereas exogenous administration of LIGHT to the airways induces fibrosis and smooth muscle hyperplasia; thus, LIGHT may be targeted to prevent asthma-related airway remodeling.