Piezo1-mediated Mechanotransduction Shapes ILC2 Translational Activity, Functions, and Lung Pathogenicity

Group-2 innate-lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are critical mediators of the type-2 immune responses in multiple lung pathologies. We show that Piezo1, a mechanosensitive ion channel, plays a key role in regulating ILC2 functions by linking mechanical cues to biochemical signaling pathways. Both murine and human ILC2s strongly express Piezo1, and its activation by Yoda1 selectively enhances IL-13 production through calcium influx, which activates the mTOR-S6K pathway. This pathway leads to translational reprogramming, favoring IL-13 translation. Piezo1-deficient in ILC2s impairs this process, reducing IL-13 levels and resulting in attenuated lung inflammation and fibrosis in mouse models of IL-33- or Alternaria alternata-induced airway inflammation and bleomycin-induced fibrosis. These findings position Piezo1 as a critical mediator of ILC2-driven type-2 immune responses and highlight its potential as a therapeutic target for lung diseases characterized by excessive inflammation. This streamlined understanding of Piezo1 function improves focus on its mechanistic role in lung pathology. mRNA profiles of Yoda1- or DMSO- treated mouse lung ILC2s were generating by bulk mRNA seq using a Nova Seq 6000 (Illumina, Inc., USA).