Trichuris muris infection drives cell-intrinsic IL4R alpha independent large intestinal RELMα+ macrophages.. Trichuris muris infection drives cell-intrinsic IL4R alpha independent large intestinal RELMα+ macrophages.

The RELMα+ macrophage phenotype associates with the presence of anti-inflammatory macrophages and work in other model systems has demonstrated that the balance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory macrophages is critically important in enabling the resolution of inflammation. Moreover, in the context of type 2 immunity, RELMα+ anti-inflammatory macrophages are associated with the activation of macrophages via the IL4Ra. Despite a breadth of inflammatory pathologies associated with the large intestine, including those that accompany parasitic infection, it is not known about how large intestinal macrophages are activated towards an anti-inflammatory phenotype.