Role of IL-24 in the mucosal remodeling of children with coeliac disease

BACKGROUND: Recently, involvement of IL-19, IL-20 and IL-24 has been reported in inflammatory diseases associated with tissue remodeling. However, their impact on the pathomechanism of coeliac disease (CD) is still completely unknown. METHODS: Expression of IL19, IL20 and IL24 was measured by real-time RT-PCR, protein amount of IL-24, α smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and fibronectin (FN) was determined by Western-blot analysis in the duodenal biopsies of therapy naive children with CD and controls. Localization of IL-24 and IL-20RB was investigated by immunofluorescent staining in the duodenal mucosa. Effect of recombinant IL-1β, TNF-α, TGF-β and IL-17 treatment on the expression of IL19, IL20, IL24 and their receptors was investigated by real-time RT-PCR in small intestinal epithelial cells (FHs74Int), in primary duodenal myofibroblasts (pdMFs) and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Effect of IL-24 on H(2)O(2) treated FHs74Int cells and on pdMFs was measured by MTT, LDH, Annexin V assays, real-time RT-PCR and by fluorescent microscopy. RESULTS: We found increased level of IL-24 (3.3×, p < 0.05), α-SMA (2.4×, p < 0.05) and FN (2.3×, p < 0.05) in the duodenal mucosa and increased expression of IL19 (3.6×, p < 0.05) and IL24 (5.2×, p < 0.05) in the PBMCs of children with CD compared to that of controls. IL-1β was a strong inducer of IL24 expression of FHs74Int cells (9.9×, p < 0.05), pdMFs (552.9×, p < 0.05) or PBMCs (17.2×, p < 0.05), as well. IL-24 treatment reduced the number of apoptotic cells (0.5×, p < 0.05) and decreased the expression of inflammatory factors, including IL1A, IL6 and TNF of H(2)O(2)-treated FHs74Int cells. IL-24 decreased the proliferation (0.6×, p < 0.05) of PDGF-B treated pdMFs. Moreover, IL-24 treatment altered the morphology of pdMFs by influencing the size of the angles between stress fibers and the longitudinal axis of the cells (2.0×, p < 0.05) and the expression of cytoskeletal components, including ACTA2, ACTB, VIM, SNAI1 and SNAI2. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that IL-24 plays a significant role in the maintenance of duodenal mucosal integrity in CD.