Proton pump inhibitors modulate the barrier dysfunction caused by IL-13 in the epithelium in eosinophilic esophagitis

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic immune-mediated disorder triggered by specific food antigens, characterized by eosinophil-rich multicellular inflammation and structural changes in the epithelium. Treatment options for EoE include dietary therapy, pharmacological therapy, or a combination of both, chosen based on the patient's preference and clinical progression. Pharmacological options include proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), corticosteroids, and biologic therapy. Although PPI therapy is used for EoE management, its underlying mechanism of action remains unclear. To investigate the effects of omeprazole, an orally bioavailable PPI commonly used for EoE therapy, on the dynamics of esophageal epithelial barrier function and inflammation, we employed air-liquid interface (ALI) culture. We examined how omeprazole affects gene expression changes caused by IL-13 treatment. ALI cultures were treated with 100 ng/ml of IL-13 and/or 50 µM of acid-activated omeprazole for 96 hours, and bulk RNA sequencing was performed to analyze the epithelial-specific transcriptomes of IL-13 and/or omeprazole-treated ALI. Our findings suggest potential gene interactions where omeprazole may mitigate transcriptional changes induced by IL-13, indicating that omeprazole may attenuate IL-13 mediated epithelial dysfunction relevant to EoE pathophysiology by modulating pathways associated with inflammation, tissue repair, and cell-cell communication.