The antibacterial lectin RegIIIγ promotes the spatial segregation of microbiota and host in the intestine
S Vaishnava, M Yamamoto, KM Severson, KA Ruhn… - Science, 2011 - science.org
Science, 2011•science.org
The mammalian intestine is home to~ 100 trillion bacteria that perform important metabolic
functions for their hosts. The proximity of vast numbers of bacteria to host intestinal tissues
raises the question of how symbiotic host-bacterial relationships are maintained without
eliciting potentially harmful immune responses. Here, we show that RegIIIγ, a secreted
antibacterial lectin, is essential for maintaining a~ 50-micrometer zone that physically
separates the microbiota from the small intestinal epithelial surface. Loss of host-bacterial …
functions for their hosts. The proximity of vast numbers of bacteria to host intestinal tissues
raises the question of how symbiotic host-bacterial relationships are maintained without
eliciting potentially harmful immune responses. Here, we show that RegIIIγ, a secreted
antibacterial lectin, is essential for maintaining a~ 50-micrometer zone that physically
separates the microbiota from the small intestinal epithelial surface. Loss of host-bacterial …
The mammalian intestine is home to ~100 trillion bacteria that perform important metabolic functions for their hosts. The proximity of vast numbers of bacteria to host intestinal tissues raises the question of how symbiotic host-bacterial relationships are maintained without eliciting potentially harmful immune responses. Here, we show that RegIIIγ, a secreted antibacterial lectin, is essential for maintaining a ~50-micrometer zone that physically separates the microbiota from the small intestinal epithelial surface. Loss of host-bacterial segregation in RegIIIγ−/− mice was coupled to increased bacterial colonization of the intestinal epithelial surface and enhanced activation of intestinal adaptive immune responses by the microbiota. Together, our findings reveal that RegIIIγ is a fundamental immune mechanism that promotes host-bacterial mutualism by regulating the spatial relationships between microbiota and host.
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