Transgenic expression of secreted/active IL-33 results in type 2 immune responses and eosinophilic esophagitis

Abstract

EoE is an increasingly common inflammatory condition of the esophagus, however, the underlying immunologic mechanisms remain poorly understood. The epithelium-derived cytokine IL-33 is associated with type 2 responses and is elevated in esophageal biopsies from EoE subjects. We hypothesized that overexpression of secreted and active IL-33 by the esophageal epithelium would result in innate and adaptive immune responses associated with type 2 inflammation representative of human disease.