Ablation of IL-17A leads to severe colitis in IL-10-deficient mice: implications of myeloid-derived suppressor cells and NO production
Abstract IL-10 is an immune regulatory cytokine and its genetic defect leads to gastrointestinal inflammation in humans and mice. Moreover, the IL-23/Th17 axis is known to be involved in these inflammatory disorders. IL-17A, a representative cytokine produced by Th17 cells, has an important role for the pathological process of inflammatory diseases. However, the precise function of IL-17A in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains controversial. In this study, we evaluated the effect of IL-17A on colitis in IL-10-deficient (Il10−/−) mice. Mice lacking both IL-10 and IL-17A (Il10−/−Il17a−/−) suffered from fatal wasting and manifested more severe colitis compared with Il10−/−Il17a+/− mice. Moreover, we found that CD11b+Gr-1+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) accumulated in the bone marrow, spleen and peripheral blood of Il10−/−Il17a−/− mice. These MDSCs highly expressed inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) (Nos2) and suppressed the T-cell response in vitro in a NOS-dependent manner. In correlation with these effects, the concentration of nitric oxide was elevated in the serum of Il10−/−Il17a−/− mice. Surprisingly, the severe colitis observed in Il10−/−Il17a−/− mice was ameliorated in Il10−/−Il17a−/−Nos2−/− mice. Our findings suggest that IL-17A plays suppressive roles against spontaneous colitis in Il10−/− mice in an iNOS-dependent manner and inhibits MDSC differentiation and/or proliferation.