Anti-IL-13R?2 therapy promotes recovery in a murine model of inflammatory bowel disease.

ABSTRACT: There continues to be a major need for more effective inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) therapies. IL-13R?2 is a decoy receptor that binds the cytokine IL-13 with high affinity and diminishes its STAT6-mediated effector functions. Previously, we found that IL-13R?2 was necessary for IBD in mice deficient in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Here, we tested for the first time a therapeutic antibody specifically targeting IL-13R?2. We also used the antibody and Il13ra2-/- mice to dissect the role of IL-13R?2 in IBD pathogenesis and recovery. Il13ra2-/- mice were modestly protected from induction of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. Following a 7-day recovery period, Il13ra2-/- mice or wild-type mice administered the IL-13R?2-neutralizing antibody had significantly improved colon health compared to control mice. Neutralizing IL-13R?2 to increase IL-13 bioavailability promoted resolution of IBD even if neutralization occurred only during recovery. To link our observations in mice to a large human cohort, we conducted a phenome-wide association study of a more active variant of IL-13 (R130Q) that has reduced affinity for IL-13R?2. Human subjects carrying R130Q reported a lower risk for Crohn's disease. Our findings endorse moving anti-IL-13R?2 into preclinical drug development with the goal of accelerating recovery and maintaining remission in Crohn's disease patients.

SUBMITTER: Karmele EP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6717533 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature