Repeated sensitization of mice with microfilariae of Litomosoides sigmodontis induces pulmonary eosinophilia in an IL-33-dependent manner

Background: Eosinophilia is a hallmark of helminth infections and eosinophils are essential in the protective immune responses against helminths. Nevertheless, the distinct role of eosinophils during parasitic filarial infection, allergy and autoimmune disease-driven pathology is still not sufficiently understood. In this study, we established a mouse model for microfilariae-induced eosinophilic lung disease (ELD), a manifestation caused by eosinophil hyper-responsiveness within the lung.
Methods: Wild-type (WT) BALB/c mice were sensitized with dead microfilariae (MF) of the rodent filarial nematode Litomosoides sigmodontis three times at weekly intervals and subsequently challenged with viable MF to induce ELD. The resulting immune response was compared to non-sensitized WT mice as well as sensitized eosinophil-deficient dblGATA mice using flow cytometry, lung histology and ELISA. Additionally, the impact of IL-33 signaling on ELD development was investigated using the IL-33 antagonist...,  
Microfilariae purification
MF were purified as described previously [20]. In short, cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) naturally infected with L. sigmodontis were bled into EDTA tubes (Sarstedt AG & Co. KG, Nümbrecht, Germany). The blood was diluted 1:2 in pre-warmed RPMI-1640 media (Gibco, ThermoFisher Scientific, California, USA) and layered on top of a 25% and 30% sucrose gradient (Carl Roth, Karlsruhe, Germany) of 0.25 M in iso-osmotic percoll (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany). The gradient was centrifuged at 300g for 30 min without breaks. The white layer containing the MF was collected and washed 3 times with pre-warmed RPMI-1640. MF were counted in a Neubauer chamber (Laboroptik GmbH, Friedrichsdorf, Germany) and adjusted to 1x 105 in 150 µl PBS (Dulbecco´s PBS, Gibco, ThermoFisher Scientific, California, USA). The MF were checked for viability via microscopy.
Bone marrow-derived eosinophil culture
Bone marrow was isolated from hind legs of WT BALB/c mice using a 20-gauge needle and..., , # Repeated sensitization of mice with microfilariae of Litomosoides sigmodontis induces pulmonary eosinophilia in an IL-33-dependent manner

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.ncjsxkt2p](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.ncjsxkt2p)

## Description of the data and file structure

Data is contained in files in accordance to the respective figure names.

For instance: the file \"figure 1\" contains the raw data for all graphs within Fig.1 of the manuscript.

Further discription:

Figure 1 contains data of the earliest ELD timepoint investigated (24h after challenge)

1\) Microfilariae retention within the lung tissue and peripheral blood

2\) Cells per gram lung tissue

3\) flow cytometry data of ILC2, Eosinophils, realm alpha positive macrophages, neutrophils

Figure 2 contains serum and Lung ELISA data of the earliest timepoint investigated (24h after challenge)

1\) 2A: IL-5, 2B: IFNy, 2C: total IgE, 2D: parasite-specific IgE

2\) MMP activity assay, MPO, EPO, CCL11, CCL5 and Amphiregulin con...