Type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cell (Ilc2)-Deficient Mice Are Transcriptionally Constrained During <i>Nippostrongylus brasiliensis</i> Infection

Mouse models serve as a means of examining immune changes when genes of interest are knocked out (KO). One group of immune gene-producing cells that have been identified is type 2 innate lymphoid cells (Ilc2). These cells are involved in the production of Th2 equivalent immune responses and signal c...

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Main Authors: Damarius S. Fleming, Fang Liu, Joseph F. Urban, Robert W. Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Pathogens
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/6/571
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author Damarius S. Fleming
Fang Liu
Joseph F. Urban
Robert W. Li
author_facet Damarius S. Fleming
Fang Liu
Joseph F. Urban
Robert W. Li
author_sort Damarius S. Fleming
collection DOAJ
description Mouse models serve as a means of examining immune changes when genes of interest are knocked out (KO). One group of immune gene-producing cells that have been identified is type 2 innate lymphoid cells (Ilc2). These cells are involved in the production of Th2 equivalent immune responses and signal cytokine production during the resolution of <i>Nippostrongylus brasiliensis</i> parasite infection in mice lungs. However, many questions about Ilc2 activity in the gut remain. To study this, retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-related orphan receptor alpha (<i>RORα</i>)-deficient mice were infected with adult <i>N. brasiliensis</i> and arranged into four treatment groups. Ten days post-infection (dpi), mouse ileum tissue was extracted for RNA-Seq. The <i>RORα</i>-deficient mice showed little change in gene expression at 10 dpi (N = 51) when compared to the WT mice at 10 dpi (N = 915), displaying dysregulation within the mouse gut. Based on the results, the gene expression in the gut of Ilc2-deficient mice denoted that the inability to craft Ilc2 cells left the mice unable to mount classical helminth immune responses involving humoral, mast cell, and antibody Th2-driven reactions. Overall, the results showed the importance of Ilc2 in the gut during <i>N. brasiliensis</i> infections and the effect that the lack of these cells had on immunity.
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spelling doaj-art-ac25a7f75de041a5aa3b39c2d352197c2025-08-20T02:21:49ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172025-06-0114657110.3390/pathogens14060571Type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cell (Ilc2)-Deficient Mice Are Transcriptionally Constrained During <i>Nippostrongylus brasiliensis</i> InfectionDamarius S. Fleming0Fang Liu1Joseph F. Urban2Robert W. Li3USDA-ARS, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705, USACollege of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, ChinaUSDA-ARS, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705, USAUSDA-ARS, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705, USAMouse models serve as a means of examining immune changes when genes of interest are knocked out (KO). One group of immune gene-producing cells that have been identified is type 2 innate lymphoid cells (Ilc2). These cells are involved in the production of Th2 equivalent immune responses and signal cytokine production during the resolution of <i>Nippostrongylus brasiliensis</i> parasite infection in mice lungs. However, many questions about Ilc2 activity in the gut remain. To study this, retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-related orphan receptor alpha (<i>RORα</i>)-deficient mice were infected with adult <i>N. brasiliensis</i> and arranged into four treatment groups. Ten days post-infection (dpi), mouse ileum tissue was extracted for RNA-Seq. The <i>RORα</i>-deficient mice showed little change in gene expression at 10 dpi (N = 51) when compared to the WT mice at 10 dpi (N = 915), displaying dysregulation within the mouse gut. Based on the results, the gene expression in the gut of Ilc2-deficient mice denoted that the inability to craft Ilc2 cells left the mice unable to mount classical helminth immune responses involving humoral, mast cell, and antibody Th2-driven reactions. Overall, the results showed the importance of Ilc2 in the gut during <i>N. brasiliensis</i> infections and the effect that the lack of these cells had on immunity.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/6/571gastrointestinalgene expressionIlc2immune responsehelminth
spellingShingle Damarius S. Fleming
Fang Liu
Joseph F. Urban
Robert W. Li
Type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cell (Ilc2)-Deficient Mice Are Transcriptionally Constrained During <i>Nippostrongylus brasiliensis</i> Infection
Pathogens
gastrointestinal
gene expression
Ilc2
immune response
helminth
title Type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cell (Ilc2)-Deficient Mice Are Transcriptionally Constrained During <i>Nippostrongylus brasiliensis</i> Infection
title_full Type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cell (Ilc2)-Deficient Mice Are Transcriptionally Constrained During <i>Nippostrongylus brasiliensis</i> Infection
title_fullStr Type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cell (Ilc2)-Deficient Mice Are Transcriptionally Constrained During <i>Nippostrongylus brasiliensis</i> Infection
title_full_unstemmed Type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cell (Ilc2)-Deficient Mice Are Transcriptionally Constrained During <i>Nippostrongylus brasiliensis</i> Infection
title_short Type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cell (Ilc2)-Deficient Mice Are Transcriptionally Constrained During <i>Nippostrongylus brasiliensis</i> Infection
title_sort type 2 innate lymphoid cell ilc2 deficient mice are transcriptionally constrained during i nippostrongylus brasiliensis i infection
topic gastrointestinal
gene expression
Ilc2
immune response
helminth
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/6/571
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