Blockade of CD70-CD27 Interaction Inhibits Induction of Allergic Lung Inflammation in Mice

The interaction between the TNF receptor family member CD27 and its ligand CD70 provides a costimulatory signal for T-cell activation. In this study, we investigated the effects of neutralizing anti-CD70 monoclonal antibody (mAb) in a murine model of allergic lung inflammation to determine whether CD27 contributes to the development of pathogenic Th2 cells and pulmonary inflammation. BALB/c mice were immunized by an injection of ovalbumin (OVA) with alum adjuvant and challenged with aerosolized OVA in PBS. Some groups of mice were treated with anti-CD70 mAb or control rat IgG during the induction or effector phase. The administration of anti-CD70 mAb during the induction phase, but not the effector phase, reduced eosinophil infiltration in lung tissue compared with control IgG-treated mice. Treatment with anti-CD70 mAb also resulted in the decreased production of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and draining lymph node cell cultures. We further revealed that antigen-specific CD4 T cells were separated into CD27(+) and CD27(-) populations in the lymph nodes of OVA-immunized DO11.10/Rag-2(-/-) mice. The CD27(+) CD4 T cells produced a high concentration of IFN-γ, representing Th1 cells. In contrast, CD27(-) CD4 T cells produced high concentrations of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, representing Th2 cells. Moreover, the population of CD27(-) Th2 cells was significantly reduced by the anti-CD70 mAb treatment. These results indicate an important role for CD27 in the development of pathogenic Th2 cells in a murine model of allergic lung inflammation.