Knockdown of Cadherin 26 Prevents the Inflammatory Responses of Allergic Rhinitis

Objectives: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease with disorder of the nasal mucosa. Cadherin 26 (CDH26), an alpha integrin-binding epithelial receptor, is regulated during allergic inflammation. This study aimed to investigate whether CDH26 contributes to the severity of AR.

Study design: In vivo and in vitro.

Methods: We investigated the effects of CDH26 knockdown by lentivirus (LV)-mediated shRNA on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced AR mice and IL-13-stimulated human nasal epithelial cells (NECs).

Results: CDH26 mRNA and protein expression was significantly increased in the nasal mucosa of AR patients and mice. Intranasal instillation of LV-shCDH26 alleviated allergic symptoms and decreased the histological changes of nasal mucosa in AR mice. Furthermore, the serum levels of OVA-specific IgE, IgG, pro-inflammatory factors IL-25, IL-33, and TSLP were decreased in AR mice with CDH26 knockdown. With regard to AR-induced Th2 inflammation, LV-shCDH26 intervention effectively decreased the distribution of CD4⁺ /GATA3⁺ Th2 cells, and the mRNA expression of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 in the nasal mucosa. CDH26 knockdown down-regulated the expression of β-catenin but not for E-cadherin and ZO-1 in nasal mucosa induced by AR. In vitro, CDH26 knockdown inhibited the protein expression of TSLP, GM-CSF and eotaxin in NECs, and CDH26 overexpression remarkably promoted the production of these inflammatory factors in IL-13-induced NECs.

Conclusions: CDH26 knockdown attenuates the AR-induced inflammatory response both in vivo and in vitro.

Level of evidence: NA Laryngoscope, 133:1558-1567, 2023.