TY - JOUR T1 - Lung specific induction of Wnt-1 has a prophylactic and therapeutic effect on the development of an allergic airway disease JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 42 IS - Suppl 57 SP - P1572 AU - Sebastian Reuter AU - Helen Martin AU - Michael Stassen AU - Roland Buhl AU - Leonid Eshkind AU - Christian Taube Y1 - 2013/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P1572.abstract N2 - Wnt molecules are involved in many vital processes such as embryogenesis or organ homeostasis and exert an influence on the immune system. In the lung Wnt molecules are involved in diseases related to structural defects such as fibrosis and emphysema, however, little is known about their role in lung immunology.In the present study we investigated the role of Wnt-1 in the development and exacerbation of an allergic airway disease.Therefore, the developing airway inflammation was analyzed in an ovalbumin depending acute and a secondary challenge model.By using CCSp-rtTA x tet0-Wnt1 mice, a mouse strain with an inducible lung specific over-expression of Wnt-1, we were able to induce Wnt-1 expression before the primary or the secondary challenge of the animals. Lung function, eosinophilia in BAL, inflammation and goblet cell metaplasia in the lung as well as numbers of regulatory T cells were analyzed following the challenge and compared to sensitized animals without Wnt-1 over-expression.In the acute as well as the secondary challenge model sensitized animals with an induced Wnt-1 expression demonstrated a milder form of an allergic airway disease in comparison to animals plainly sensitized. AHR, inflammation in BAL and lung, goblet cell metaplasia were less pronounced in the Wnt-1 overexpressing animals. Surprisingly, no increase in IL-10 levels or the percentage of regulatory T cells in lung or draining lymph nodes were observed.These results demonstrate that Wnt-1 molecules might have a beneficial effect on the development of allergic immune responses in the lung, suggesting that a pharmacological manipulation of this pathway may be beneficial in asthma. ER -