Therapeutic JAK inhibition does not impact lung injury during viral or bacterial pneumonia in male mice

Abstract Influenza infections are often complicated by secondary bacterial infections such as MRSA pneumonia, which increase morbidity and mortality. Viral infections lead to an inflammatory response that includes elevated levels of IL‐6 and interferons. IL‐6 activates the JAK/STAT signaling pathway...

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Main Authors: Lokesh Sharma, Ravineel B. Singh, Caden Ngeow, Rick van derGeest, Alexis M. Duray, Nathanial J. Tolman, Bryan J. McVerry, Charles S. Dela Cruz, John F. Alcorn, William Bain, Keven M. Robinson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-02-01
Series:Physiological Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70232
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author Lokesh Sharma
Ravineel B. Singh
Caden Ngeow
Rick van derGeest
Alexis M. Duray
Nathanial J. Tolman
Bryan J. McVerry
Charles S. Dela Cruz
John F. Alcorn
William Bain
Keven M. Robinson
author_facet Lokesh Sharma
Ravineel B. Singh
Caden Ngeow
Rick van derGeest
Alexis M. Duray
Nathanial J. Tolman
Bryan J. McVerry
Charles S. Dela Cruz
John F. Alcorn
William Bain
Keven M. Robinson
author_sort Lokesh Sharma
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Influenza infections are often complicated by secondary bacterial infections such as MRSA pneumonia, which increase morbidity and mortality. Viral infections lead to an inflammatory response that includes elevated levels of IL‐6 and interferons. IL‐6 activates the JAK/STAT signaling pathway, amplifying downstream inflammation. Given the clinical efficacy of the JAK inhibitor baricitinib in reducing disease severity in COVID‐19, we evaluated its impact in a murine model of influenza, MRSA, and post‐influenza MRSA pneumonia. Additionally, because IL‐6 inhibitory therapies have improved outcomes during COVID‐19, we evaluated the impact of IL‐6 deletion on post‐influenza MRSA pneumonia. In our studies, baricitinib effectively inhibited the JAK/STAT pathway in the lungs, as demonstrated by decreased interferon‐stimulated genes (ISGs) and STAT3 phosphorylation. Despite this inhibition, baricitinib did not cause a global suppression of cytokines. Notably, baricitinib treatment did not impair either antiviral or antibacterial host immunity, inflammatory cell recruitment, or lung tissue injury. IL‐6 deficiency did not alter weight loss, inflammatory cell recruitment, or bacterial burden during post‐influenza MRSA pneumonia. These findings suggest that both JAK inhibition via baricitinib and IL‐6 deletion do not enhance host defense or limit tissue injury in murine models of influenza and post‐influenza MRSA pneumonia.
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spelling doaj-art-5dee9d15cf4a4238af8aaf3891b53b442025-08-20T02:31:08ZengWileyPhysiological Reports2051-817X2025-02-01133n/an/a10.14814/phy2.70232Therapeutic JAK inhibition does not impact lung injury during viral or bacterial pneumonia in male miceLokesh Sharma0Ravineel B. Singh1Caden Ngeow2Rick van derGeest3Alexis M. Duray4Nathanial J. Tolman5Bryan J. McVerry6Charles S. Dela Cruz7John F. Alcorn8William Bain9Keven M. Robinson10Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USADivision of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USADivision of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USADivision of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USADivision of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Pediatrics University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USADivision of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USADivision of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USADivision of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USADivision of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Pediatrics University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USADivision of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USADivision of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USAAbstract Influenza infections are often complicated by secondary bacterial infections such as MRSA pneumonia, which increase morbidity and mortality. Viral infections lead to an inflammatory response that includes elevated levels of IL‐6 and interferons. IL‐6 activates the JAK/STAT signaling pathway, amplifying downstream inflammation. Given the clinical efficacy of the JAK inhibitor baricitinib in reducing disease severity in COVID‐19, we evaluated its impact in a murine model of influenza, MRSA, and post‐influenza MRSA pneumonia. Additionally, because IL‐6 inhibitory therapies have improved outcomes during COVID‐19, we evaluated the impact of IL‐6 deletion on post‐influenza MRSA pneumonia. In our studies, baricitinib effectively inhibited the JAK/STAT pathway in the lungs, as demonstrated by decreased interferon‐stimulated genes (ISGs) and STAT3 phosphorylation. Despite this inhibition, baricitinib did not cause a global suppression of cytokines. Notably, baricitinib treatment did not impair either antiviral or antibacterial host immunity, inflammatory cell recruitment, or lung tissue injury. IL‐6 deficiency did not alter weight loss, inflammatory cell recruitment, or bacterial burden during post‐influenza MRSA pneumonia. These findings suggest that both JAK inhibition via baricitinib and IL‐6 deletion do not enhance host defense or limit tissue injury in murine models of influenza and post‐influenza MRSA pneumonia.https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70232bacteria super‐infectioninfluenzaJAK inhibitionmethicillin‐resistant staph aureus
spellingShingle Lokesh Sharma
Ravineel B. Singh
Caden Ngeow
Rick van derGeest
Alexis M. Duray
Nathanial J. Tolman
Bryan J. McVerry
Charles S. Dela Cruz
John F. Alcorn
William Bain
Keven M. Robinson
Therapeutic JAK inhibition does not impact lung injury during viral or bacterial pneumonia in male mice
Physiological Reports
bacteria super‐infection
influenza
JAK inhibition
methicillin‐resistant staph aureus
title Therapeutic JAK inhibition does not impact lung injury during viral or bacterial pneumonia in male mice
title_full Therapeutic JAK inhibition does not impact lung injury during viral or bacterial pneumonia in male mice
title_fullStr Therapeutic JAK inhibition does not impact lung injury during viral or bacterial pneumonia in male mice
title_full_unstemmed Therapeutic JAK inhibition does not impact lung injury during viral or bacterial pneumonia in male mice
title_short Therapeutic JAK inhibition does not impact lung injury during viral or bacterial pneumonia in male mice
title_sort therapeutic jak inhibition does not impact lung injury during viral or bacterial pneumonia in male mice
topic bacteria super‐infection
influenza
JAK inhibition
methicillin‐resistant staph aureus
url https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70232
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