Microbiota-dependent crosstalk between macrophages and ILC3 promotes intestinal homeostasis

Science. 2014 Mar 28;343(6178):1249288. doi: 10.1126/science.1249288. Epub 2014 Mar 13.

Abstract

The intestinal microbiota and tissue-resident myeloid cells promote immune responses that maintain intestinal homeostasis in the host. However, the cellular cues that translate microbial signals into intestinal homeostasis remain unclear. Here, we show that deficient granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) production altered mononuclear phagocyte effector functions and led to reduced regulatory T cell (T(reg)) numbers and impaired oral tolerance. We observed that RORγt(+) innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are the primary source of GM-CSF in the gut and that ILC-driven GM-CSF production was dependent on the ability of macrophages to sense microbial signals and produce interleukin-1β. Our findings reveal that commensal microbes promote a crosstalk between innate myeloid and lymphoid cells that leads to immune homeostasis in the intestine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens / immunology
  • Eating
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / genetics
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / metabolism*
  • Homeostasis
  • Immune Tolerance*
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Interleukin-1beta / immunology
  • Intestines / immunology*
  • Intestines / microbiology*
  • Macrophages / immunology*
  • Macrophages / microbiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Mutant Strains
  • Microbiota / immunology*
  • Mouth / immunology
  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor