Transcription factors T-bet and GATA-3 regulate development of airway remodeling

Airway remodeling is an important feature of chronic asthma that causes irreversible airflow obstruction. Although asthma is considered to be a Th2 disease, the role of T-bet and GATA-3, the key transcription factors for differentiation toward Th1 and Th2 cells, in the pathogenesis of airway remodeling is poorly understood.

We therefore examined the effects of GATA-3 or T-bet induction of Th1/Th2 bias on the development of airway remodeling in mice.

The development of airway remodeling after repeated allergen challenges was analyzed using transgenic mice overexpressing either GATA-3 or T-bet.

The degrees of subepithelial fibrosis and airway smooth muscle hyperplasia after repeated allergen exposure were significantly enhanced in mice overexpressing GATA-3, compared with wild-type mice. Allergen-induced goblet cell hyperplasia and mucus hypersecretion were significantly lower in mice overexpressing T-bet than in wild-type mice. Eosinophilic airway inflammation increased in mice overexpressing GATA-3, but decreased in mice overexpressing T-bet after repeated allergen exposure. Cytokine analysis revealed that the Th1/Th2 cytokine balance shifted to Th2 in lung homogenates and lung T cells of mice overexpressing GATA-3, whereas this balance shifted to Th1 in those of mice overexpressing T-bet after allergen exposure. Lung transforming growth factor-beta and eotaxin levels were associated with the degree of subepithelial fibrosis and eosinophilic airway inflammation, respectively.

Overall, the results indicate that development of airway remodeling is regulated by the lung Th1/Th2 bias induced by GATA-3 and T-bet.