Signalling

Background: COPD is a heterogenous disease where chronic inflammation is implicated in airway remodelling and emphysema. The CD131 receptor is indispensable for signalling by the β common (βc) family of cytokines encompassing granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-3, which instigate both type-2 and non-type-2 inflammatory responses. This study aims to determine whether antagonising CD131 signalling can prevent pulmonary inflammation, alveolar cell death and emphysema development. Methods: We performed in-house and Results: CD131 gene expression was significantly increased in COPD, along with an enrichment of gene set for βc cytokine signalling. In transgenic mice subjected to emphysema models, CD131 antagonism effectively prevented lung injury, alveolar cell death and emphysema development. Mechanistically, RNA sequencing identified pathway enrichment for myeloid cell activation, type-2 immune response and macrophage alternative activation in elastase-induced emphysematous mice, mirroring human COPD. Blocking CD131 signalling almost completely reversed the global gene expression alterations associated with emphysema development. Conclusions: CD131 signalling orchestrates pulmonary inflammation in COPD, resulting in immunopathology that underpins emphysema and lung function decline. Antagonising CD131 therefore represents a unique strategy to simultaneously target multiple pathogenic myeloid cell populations.