Anti-Inflammatory Effect of IL-37b in Children with Allergic Rhinitis

Abstract EN

Background.

Interleukin-37 (IL-37), a newly described member of IL-1family, functioned as a fundamental inhibitor of innate inflammatory and immune responses, especially its isoform IL-37b.

Objective.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the expression and regulation of IL-37b in children with allergic rhinitis (AR).

Methods.

Forty children with AR and twenty-five normal controls were included.

The relationship between IL-37b and Th1/2 cytokines production in serum and nasal lavage was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were purified for in vitro regulation experiment of IL-37b.

Intranasal mometasone furoate was given in AR children and IL-37b change after one-month treatment was detected using ELISA.

Results.

We observed significantly decreased IL-37b expression levels in both serum and nasal lavage compared to controls.

IL-37b was negatively correlated with Th2 cytokines.

Our results also showed that IL-37b downregulated Th2 cytokine expressed by PBMCs and this modulation was through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway.

We also found that intranasal mometasone furoate therapy can promote nasal IL-37b expression.

Conclusion.

IL-37b may be involved in Th2 cytokine regulation in AR and its expression was related to the efficacy of intranasal steroid therapy.