RETRACTED: Role of the TSLP-DC-OX40L pathway in asthma pathogenesis and airway inflammation in mice (Retracted article. See MAR, 2023)

This study aimed to explore the effect of the TSLP-DC-OX40L pathway in asthma pathogenesis and airway inflammation in mice. For this, 65 male BALF/c mice were distributed among the control, asthma, immunoglobulin G (IgG) + asthma (IgG, 500 mu g/500 mu L, intratracheal injection of 50 mu L each time), LY294002 (OX40L inhibitor) + asthma (intratracheal injection of 2 mg/kg LY294002), and anti-TSLP + asthma (intratracheal injection of 500 mu g/500 mu L TSLP antibody, 50 mu L each time) groups. ELISA was applied to measure the serum levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE), ovalbumin (OVA)-sIgE, interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5, IL-13, and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma); flow cytometry was employed to detect Treg cells and dendritic cell (DC) and lymphopoiesis. RT-qPCR and Western blot assays were used to measure the levels of TSLP, OX40L, T-bet, GATA-3, NF-kappa B, p38, and ERK. Treatment with LY294002 and anti-TSLP resulted in increases in the numbers of total cells, eosinophils, neutrophils, and lymphocytes in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; total serum levels of IgE, OVA-sIgE, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13; levels of DC cells; lymphopoiesis; and levels of TSLP, OX40L, GATA-3, NF-kappa B,p38, and ERK, whereas there were decreases in the levels of IFN-(gamma) and CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells; CD4(+)Foxp3(+) Treg cells; and T-bet. The TSLP-DC-OX40L pathway may contribute to asthma pathogenesis and airway inflammation by modulating the levels of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells and inflammatory cytokines.