Research in mucosal immunology has continued to generate exciting advances in cellular and molecular biology and to pave the way for a better understanding of human health and disease. In 2018, numerous groups defined bidirectional circuits of communication between the mucosal immune system, non-haematopoietic cell types and microbial communities, while also developing precision approaches to define and manipulate host–microbiota interactions in the gut.
Key advances
-
Resident neuronal, chemosensory and neuroendocrine cells can sense microbial metabolites and regulate type 2 mucosal immunity and inflammation.
-
Microbiota-derived metabolites dynamically influence host metabolism and immunity, both locally in the intestine and systemically.
-
Host immune responses facilitate clearance of certain microorganisms or enhance colonization by other mucosal-associated microorganisms.
-
Precision approaches to translate genes-to-function or selectively manipulate the microbiota are paving the way for a better understanding of, as well as novel therapies for, human disease.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 /Â 30Â days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Veiga-Fernandes, H. & Artis, D. Neuronal–immune system cross-talk in homeostasis. Science 359, 1465–1466 (2018).
Sui, P. et al. Pulmonary neuroendocrine cells amplify allergic asthma responses. Science 360, eaan8546 (2018).
Moriyama, S. et al. β2-adrenergic receptor-mediated negative regulation of group 2 innate lymphoid cell responses. Science 359, 1056–1061 (2018).
Nadjsombati, M. S. et al. Detection of succinate by intestinal tuft cells triggers a type 2 innate immune circuit. Immunity 49, 33–41 (2018).
Schneider, C. et al. A metabolite-triggered tuft cell–ILC2 circuit drives small intestinal remodeling. Cell 174, 271–284 (2018).
Lei, W. et al. Activation of intestinal tuft cell-expressed Sucnr1 triggers type 2 immunity in the mouse small intestine. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 115, 5552–5557 (2018).
Uchimura, Y. et al. Antibodies set boundaries limiting microbial metabolite penetration and the resultant mammalian host response. Immunity 49, 545–559 (2018).
Donaldson, G. P. et al. Gut microbiota utilize immunoglobulin A for mucosal colonization. Science 360, 795–800 (2018).
Campbell, C. et al. Extrathymically generated regulatory T cells establish a niche for intestinal border-dwelling bacteria and affect physiologic metabolite balance. Immunity 48, 1245–1257 (2018).
Mohanan, V. et al. C1orf106 is a colitis risk gene that regulates stability of epithelial adherens junctions. Science 359, 1161–1166 (2018).
Zhu, W. et al. Precision editing of the gut microbiota ameliorates colitis. Nature 553, 208–211 (2018).
Acknowledgements
The Artis laboratory is supported by the National Institutes of Health (AI074878, AI095466, AI095608 and AI102942), the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, Cure for IBD and the Rosanne H. Silberman Foundation. The Sonnenberg laboratory is supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01AI123368, R21DK110262 and U01AI095608), the NIAID Mucosal Immunology Studies Team (MIST), the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, the Searle Scholars Program, the American Asthma Foundation Scholar Award, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and The Cancer Research Institute.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sonnenberg, G.F., Artis, D. Novel connections and precision approaches. Nat Rev Immunol 19, 75–76 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-018-0114-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-018-0114-3
This article is cited by
-
Probiotic Lactobacillus johnsonii BS15 Prevents Memory Dysfunction Induced by Chronic High-Fluorine Intake through Modulating Intestinal Environment and Improving Gut Development
Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins (2020)
