Immunoglobulin M regulates airway hyperresponsiveness independent of T helper 2 allergic inflammation

Allergic asthma is a disease driven by T helper 2 (Th2) cells, eosinophilia, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), and IgE-secreting B cells. Asthma is largely controlled by corticosteroids and β₂ adrenergic receptor agonists that target and relax airway smooth muscle (ASM). Immunoglobulin M (IgM) isotype secreted by naïve B cells is important for class switching but may have other undefined functions. We investigated the role of IgM in a house dust mite (HDM)-induced Th2 allergic asthma model. We sensitised wild-type (WT) and IgM-deficient (IgM KO) mice with HDM and measured AHR, and Th2 responses. We performed RNA sequencing on the whole lung of WT and IgM KO mice sensitised to saline or HDM. We validated our AHR data on human ASM by deleting genes using CRISPR and measuring contraction by single-cell force cytometry. We found IgM to be essential in AHR but not Th2 airway inflammation or eosinophilia. RNA sequencing of lung tissue suggested that IgM regulated AHR through modulating brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 1-associated protein 2-like protein 1 (Baiap2l1) and other genes. Deletion of BAIAP2L1 led to a differential reduction in human ASM contraction when stimulated with TNF-α and Acetylcholine, but not IL-13. These findings have implications for future treatment of asthma beyond current therapies.