The receptor for Interleukin-17E is induced by Th2 cytokines in antigen-presenting cells

Interleukin-17E (IL-17E) (IL-25) is a recently identified cytokine capable to induce Th2-associated cytokine production (IL-5 and IL-13) and T helper 2 (Th2)-type pathologies in animal models. The IL-17E-responsive cell population in vivo was described to be a further uncharacterized non-T-, non-B-splenic accessory cell. Despite the identification of IL-17BR as the receptor for IL-17E, the cell population expressing IL-17BR has hitherto not been identified. Here, we show that human monocyte-derived Th2-skewed antigen-presenting cells (APC2) express membrane-bound and soluble forms of IL-17BR on the mRNA and protein level upon stimulation with IL-4, IL-10, IL-13 or transforming growth factor-betain vitro. These results indicate that IL-17BR-expressing APC2s may mediate the development of the IL-17E-mediated immunological reaction patterns observed in vivo.