Heat shock protein 70 protects mouse against post-infection irritable bowel syndrome via up-regulating intestinal γδ T cell’s Th17 response

Zhoutao He, Xiaoning Sun, Zhichao Ma, Jiao Fu, Baili Huang, Fujin Liu, Yi Chen, Taozhi Deng, Xiangyang Han, Deming Sun, Cheng Lan

This study investigated the role of HSP70 in modulating intestinal γδ T cells' Th17 response in Trichinella spiralis-induced PI-IBS mice model. The intestinal HSP70's expression and mRNA level were measured by Western blot and RT-PCR. The intestinal γδ T cell's morphological changes were analyzed using immunofluorescence staining and confocal laser scanning microscope. The pro-inflammatory cytokines' level was detected by ELISA. The isolated and purified γδ T cells were pre-incubated with HSP70 and their functions including proliferation, apoptosis, activation and production of IL-17 were also detected. Heat treatment augmented intestinal HSP70 expression and alleviated the clinical presentations in PI-IBS mice. Meanwhile, intestinal γδ T cells and local IL-17 level were increased by pre-induction of HSP70. HSP70 promoted the proliferation of PI-IBS mice's intestinal γδ T cells, inhibited the apoptosis and stimulated these cells to secret IL-17 rather than IFN-γ. Our results suggest that HSP70 plays a protective role via up-regulating intestinal γδ T cell's Th17 response in PI-IBS mice.