Airway epithelial phosphoinositide 3-kinase-N4 contributes to the modulation of fungi-induced innate immune response

Background Respiratory fungal exposure is known to be associated with severe allergic lung inflammation. Airway epithelium is an essential controller of allergic inflammation. An innate immune recognition receptor, nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich-containing family, pyrin-domain-containing-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, and phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K)-N4 in airway epithelium are involved in various inflammatory processes. Objectives We investigated the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in fungi-induced allergic lung inflammation and examined the regulatory mechanism of NLRP3 inflammasome, focusing on PI3K-N4 in airway epithelium. Methods We used two in vivo models induced by exposure to Aspergillus fumigatus (Af) and Alternaria alternata (Aa), as well as an Af-exposed in vitro system. We also checked NLRP3 expression in lung tissues from patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). Results Assembly/activation of NLRP3 inflammasome was increased in the lung of Af-exposed mice. Elevation of NLRP3 inflammasome assembly/activation was observed in Af-stimulated murine and human epithelial cells. Similarly, pulmonary expression of NLRP3 in patients with ABPA was increased. Importantly, neutralisation of NLRP3 inflammasome derived IL-1β alleviated pathophysiological features of Af-induced allergic inflammation. Furthermore, PI3K-N4 blockade improved Af-induced allergic inflammation through modulation of NLRP3 inflammasome, especially in epithelial cells. This modulatory role of PI3K-N4 was mediated through the regulation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) generation. NLRP3 inflammasome was also implicated in Aa-induced eosinophilic allergic inflammation, which was improved by PI3K-N4 blockade. Conclusion These findings demonstrate that fungi-induced assembly/activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in airway epithelium may be modulated by PI3K-N4, which is mediated partly through the regulation of mtROS generation. Inhibition of PI3K-N4 may have potential for treating fungi-induced severe allergic lung inflammation.