Deficiency of IFT20 in CD4+ T cell alleviates protease-induced neutrophilic asthma-like inflammation

Many neutrophilic asthma patients do not respond to current medications, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic targets. Here, we investigated the role of intraflagellar transport (IFT) complex protein IFT20 in neutrophilic asthma. Mice lacking CD4+ T cell-specific IFT20 displayed reduced protease-induced neutrophilic asthma inflammation. Thus, IFT20 may represent a promising therapeutic target for treatment of patients with neutrophilic asthma. Overall design: We analyzed infiltrated immune cells in lung by single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) with 10X genomics. C57BL/6 background Ift20f/f or Ift20f/f CD4 cre mice were administered 25-µg of papain intranasally for three consecutive days to sensitize them to the allergen. On day 14 after first administration of papain, mice were challenged with the same concentration of papain administered via intranasal injection. Immune cells were harvested from lung tissue on day 15.