PI3K and MAPKs Regulate Neutrophil Migration Toward the Airways in Heaves

Abstract Background Neutrophils accumulate in the airways of horses with heaves. They likely play an important role in the disease pathogenesis. Understanding the pathways regulating their migration may help identifying new therapeutic targets. Hypothesis MAPK and PI3K pathways are involved in neutrophil migration toward the airway lumen in heaves. Animals Twelve heaves-affected horses and 4 healthy horses. Methods Migratory activity of bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) from horses with heaves and healthy horses was compared by means of a Boyden chamber. Involvement of MAPK and PI3K pathways in neutrophil migration was investigated by pretreating neutrophils with inhibitors of p38 MAPK, JNK, MEK1/2, and PI3K. The capacity of a p38 MAPK inhibitor at decreasing neutrophil chemotaxis toward the airways was also evaluated in vivo. Results BALF from symptomatic heaves-affected horses induced a greater degree of chemokinesis (P = .0004) than BALF from healthy horses. Although all pathways tested were involved in neutrophil migration, inhibition of PI3K was most potent in vitro. An inhibitor of p38 MAPK administered before challenge in horses with heaves did not alter BALF chemokinetic properties. BALF neutrophil percentage and BALF migratory activity were positively correlated after 14 and 35 days of antigen challenge in healthy (P = .05; R2 = 0.82) and heaves-affected horses (P = .03; R2 = 0.76), respectively. Conclusions and Clinical Importance MAPK and PI3K pathways regulate neutrophil migration induced by BALF of horses with heaves. Inhibition of multiple pathways might be required to completely abolish BALF-induced neutrophil migratory activity and possibly inflammation in heaves.