Endogenous relaxin regulates collagen deposition in an animal model of allergic airway disease.

We examined the relationship among relaxin (a peptide hormone that stimulates collagen degradation), airway fibrosis, other changes of airway remodeling, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in an animal model of allergic airway disease. Eight- to 10-wk-old relaxin gene-knockout (RLX(-/-)) and wild-type (RLX(+/+)) mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) or saline ip at d 0 and 14 and challenged three times per week for 6 wk with nebulized 2.5% OVA or saline.

(Pro)insulin-specific regulatory T cells.

Regulatory anti-diabetogenic T cells (T(reg)) can be induced by the mucosal administration of insulin or proinsulin peptides, in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of autoimmune type 1 diabetes. Naso-respirtory insulin (which avoids insulin degradation) induces CD8+ alpha(alpha) TCR gamma(delta) T(reg) whereas peptides that bind to the NOD MHC class II molecule, I-Ag7, insulin B9-23 and proinsulin B24-C36, induce CD4+ T(regs) Following naso-respiratory delivery of insulin to NOD mice increased numbers of CD8+ gamma(delta) T cells expressing interleukin (IL)10 are detected in the pancreatic lymph nodes. Neonatal (3 day) thymectomy (NTX) dramatically accelerates diabetes development in NOD mice, associated with lymphopaenia and a block in the maturation of mucosal intrepithelial lymphocytes (IEL), especially extrathymic-derived CD8+ alpha(alpha) TCR gamma(delta) IEL.