Rhinovirus infection triggers acute asthma exacerbations. IL-33 is an instructive cytokine of type 2 inflammation whose expression is associated with viral load during experimental rhinovirus infection of asthmatic patients.

We sought to determine whether anti–IL-33 therapy is effective during disease progression, established disease, or viral exacerbation using a preclinical model of chronic asthma and in vitro human primary airway epithelial cells (AECs).

Mice were exposed to pneumonia virus of mice and cockroach extract in early and later life and then challenged with rhinovirus to model disease onset, progression, and chronicity. Interventions included anti–IL-33 or dexamethasone at various stages of disease. AECs were obtained from asthmatic patients and healthy subjects and treated with anti–IL-33 after rhinovirus infection.

Anti–IL-33 decreased type 2 inflammation in all phases of disease; however, the ability to prevent airway smooth muscle growth was lost after the progression phase. After the chronic phase, IL-33 levels were persistently high, and rhinovirus challenge exacerbated the type 2 inflammatory response. Treatment with anti–IL-33 or dexamethasone diminished exacerbation severity, and anti–IL-33, but not dexamethasone, promoted antiviral interferon expression and decreased viral load. Rhinovirus replication was higher and IFN-λ levels were lower in AECs from asthmatic patients compared with those from healthy subjects. Anti–IL-33 decreased rhinovirus replication and increased IFN-λ levels at the gene and protein levels.

Anti–IL-33 or dexamethasone suppressed the magnitude of type 2 inflammation during a rhinovirus-induced acute exacerbation; however, only anti–IL-33 boosted antiviral immunity and decreased viral replication. The latter phenotype was replicated in rhinovirus-infected human AECs, suggesting that anti–IL-33 therapy has the additional benefit of enhancing host defense.