IL-1 receptor anatagonist anakinra reduces neutrophilic airway inflammation in mice with cystic fibrosis-like lung disease

Hypoxic degeneration and necrosis of epithelial cells associated with airway mucus obstruction precedes neutrophilic airway inflammation in βENaC-overexpressing (βENaC-Tg) mice with cystic fibrosis (CF)-like lung disease (Mall MA et al., Am J Respir Crit Care Med., 2008). In many organs sterile neutrophilic inflammation is triggered by necrosis via release of Interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α) and IL-1 receptor (IL-1R) signaling (Chen CJ et al., Nat Med., 2007). Recently we demonstrated that lack of IL-1R improved survival and reduced neutrophilic airway inflammation, structural lung damage and mucus obstruction in βEN…