Adoptive transfer of LPS-treated BMDCs decreased the phosphorylation level of STAT6 in OVA-induced asthmatic mice
Having shown that DClps treatment might be associated with the alleviation of airway inflammation in treated mice, we explored the potential mechanisms for this phenomenon. The STAT1 and STAT4 pathways are considered vital for Th1 differentiation, while the IL-4/IL-13/STAT-6 pathway has been confirmed to be the major modulator of Th2 differentiation in asthma pathophysiology25, 26. To verify whether DClps modulate the airway inflammation of asthmatic mice by affecting the STATs pathways, we measured the total protein level and phosphorylation levels of STAT1, STAT4, and STAT6 in lung homogenates by WB analysis. We found that in asthmatic mice treated with DClps and DC10, the phosphorylation level of STAT6 protein was remarkably decreased, whereas the phosphorylation level of STAT1 and STAT4 protein merely showed a moderate downward trend that was not statistically significant. We also noted that there were no recognizable changes observed in DCia-treated mice. On the basis of the above findings, we concluded that STAT6 signaling may be involved in the regulation of airway inflammation in asthmatic mice treated with DClps (Fig. 8).