The common mouse protozoa Tritrichomonas muris alters mucosal T cell homeostasis and colitis susceptibility

The mammalian gastrointestinal tract hosts a diverse community of microbes including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, helminths, and viruses. Through coevolution, mammals and these microbes have developed a symbiosis that is sustained through the host's continuous sensing of microbial factors and the...

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Published inThe Journal of experimental medicine Vol. 213; no. 13; pp. 2841 - 2850
Main Authors Escalante, Nichole K, Lemire, Paul, Cruz Tleugabulova, Mayra, Prescott, David, Mortha, Arthur, Streutker, Catherine J, Girardin, Stephen E, Philpott, Dana J, Mallevaey, Thierry
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States The Rockefeller University Press 12.12.2016
Subjects
Animals
Colitis - genetics
Colitis - immunology
Colitis - parasitology
Colitis - pathology
Disease Susceptibility - immunology
Disease Susceptibility - parasitology
Disease Susceptibility - pathology
Homeodomain Proteins - genetics
Homeodomain Proteins - immunology
Immunity, Mucosal
Intestinal Mucosa - immunology
Intestinal Mucosa - parasitology
Intestinal Mucosa - pathology
Mice
Mice, Knockout
T-Lymphocytes - immunology
Tritrichomonas - immunology
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Summary:The mammalian gastrointestinal tract hosts a diverse community of microbes including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, helminths, and viruses. Through coevolution, mammals and these microbes have developed a symbiosis that is sustained through the host's continuous sensing of microbial factors and the generation of a tolerant or pro-inflammatory response. While analyzing T cell-driven colitis in nonlittermate mouse strains, we serendipitously identified that a nongenetic transmissible factor dramatically increased disease susceptibility. We identified the protozoan Tritrichomonas muris as the disease-exacerbating element. Furthermore, experimental colonization with T. muris induced an elevated Th1 response in the cecum of naive wild-type mice and accelerated colitis in Rag1 mice after T cell transfer. Overall, we describe a novel cross-kingdom interaction within the murine gut that alters immune cell homeostasis and disease susceptibility. This example of unpredicted microbial priming of the immune response highlights the importance of studying trans-kingdom interactions and serves as a stark reminder of the importance of using littermate controls in all mouse research.
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A. Mortha’s present address is Dept. of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada.
D.J. Philpott and T. Mallevaey contributed equally to this paper as co-senior authors.
ISSN:0022-1007
1540-9538
DOI:10.1084/jem.20161776