The innate antiviral response upregulates IL-13 receptor α2 in bronchial fibroblasts.

Background: IL-13 is key mediator of allergic inflammation in asthmatic patients. We have previously shown that the decoy receptor IL-13 receptor (IL-13R) α2 attenuates responses of fibroblasts to IL-13. Because the expression of IL-13Rα2 can be regulated by IFN-γ, a type II interferon, we hypothesized that innate antiviral responses characterized by type I interferon expression can also induce IL-13Rα2 expression.