Invariant natural killer T cells minimally influence gut microbiota composition in mice

Invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells are unconventional T cells that respond to glycolipid antigens found in microbes in a CD1d-dependent manner. iNKT cells exert innate-like functions and produce copious amounts of cytokines, chemokines and cytotoxic molecules within only minutes of activation....

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Main Authors: Qiaochu Lin, Meggie Kuypers, Zhewei Liu, Julia K Copeland, Donny Chan, Susan J Robertson, Jean Kontogiannis, David S Guttman, E. Kate Banks, Dana J Philpott, Thierry Mallevaey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2022-12-01
Series:Gut Microbes
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19490976.2022.2104087
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author Qiaochu Lin
Meggie Kuypers
Zhewei Liu
Julia K Copeland
Donny Chan
Susan J Robertson
Jean Kontogiannis
David S Guttman
E. Kate Banks
Dana J Philpott
Thierry Mallevaey
author_facet Qiaochu Lin
Meggie Kuypers
Zhewei Liu
Julia K Copeland
Donny Chan
Susan J Robertson
Jean Kontogiannis
David S Guttman
E. Kate Banks
Dana J Philpott
Thierry Mallevaey
author_sort Qiaochu Lin
collection DOAJ
description Invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells are unconventional T cells that respond to glycolipid antigens found in microbes in a CD1d-dependent manner. iNKT cells exert innate-like functions and produce copious amounts of cytokines, chemokines and cytotoxic molecules within only minutes of activation. As such, iNKT cells can fuel or dampen inflammation in a context-dependent manner. In addition, iNKT cells provide potent immunity against bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. Although microbiota-iNKT cell interactions are not well-characterized, mounting evidence suggests that microbiota colonization early in life impacts iNKT cell homeostasis and functions in disease. In this study, we showed that CD1d−/− and Vα14 Tg mice, which lack and have increased numbers of iNKT cells, respectively, had no significant alterations in gut microbiota composition compared to their littermate controls. Furthermore, specific iNKT cell activation by glycolipid antigens only resulted in a transient and minimal shift in microbiota composition when compared to the natural drift found in our colony. Our findings demonstrate that iNKT cells have little to no influence in regulating commensal bacteria at steady state.Abbreviations: iNKT: invariant Natural Killer T cell; αGC: α-galactosylceramide
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institution DOAJ
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spelling doaj-art-545f76b4b1774dba9ea0db17924006eb2025-08-20T03:05:25ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGut Microbes1949-09761949-09842022-12-0114110.1080/19490976.2022.2104087Invariant natural killer T cells minimally influence gut microbiota composition in miceQiaochu Lin0Meggie Kuypers1Zhewei Liu2Julia K Copeland3Donny Chan4Susan J Robertson5Jean Kontogiannis6David S Guttman7E. Kate Banks8Dana J Philpott9Thierry Mallevaey10Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaDepartment of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaDepartment of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaCentre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution & Function, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaCentre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution & Function, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaDepartment of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaDivision of Comparative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaCentre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution & Function, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaDivision of Comparative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaDepartment of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaDepartment of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaInvariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells are unconventional T cells that respond to glycolipid antigens found in microbes in a CD1d-dependent manner. iNKT cells exert innate-like functions and produce copious amounts of cytokines, chemokines and cytotoxic molecules within only minutes of activation. As such, iNKT cells can fuel or dampen inflammation in a context-dependent manner. In addition, iNKT cells provide potent immunity against bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. Although microbiota-iNKT cell interactions are not well-characterized, mounting evidence suggests that microbiota colonization early in life impacts iNKT cell homeostasis and functions in disease. In this study, we showed that CD1d−/− and Vα14 Tg mice, which lack and have increased numbers of iNKT cells, respectively, had no significant alterations in gut microbiota composition compared to their littermate controls. Furthermore, specific iNKT cell activation by glycolipid antigens only resulted in a transient and minimal shift in microbiota composition when compared to the natural drift found in our colony. Our findings demonstrate that iNKT cells have little to no influence in regulating commensal bacteria at steady state.Abbreviations: iNKT: invariant Natural Killer T cell; αGC: α-galactosylceramidehttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19490976.2022.2104087iNKT cellsCD1dα-galactosylceramidemicrobiotacross-fostering
spellingShingle Qiaochu Lin
Meggie Kuypers
Zhewei Liu
Julia K Copeland
Donny Chan
Susan J Robertson
Jean Kontogiannis
David S Guttman
E. Kate Banks
Dana J Philpott
Thierry Mallevaey
Invariant natural killer T cells minimally influence gut microbiota composition in mice
Gut Microbes
iNKT cells
CD1d
α-galactosylceramide
microbiota
cross-fostering
title Invariant natural killer T cells minimally influence gut microbiota composition in mice
title_full Invariant natural killer T cells minimally influence gut microbiota composition in mice
title_fullStr Invariant natural killer T cells minimally influence gut microbiota composition in mice
title_full_unstemmed Invariant natural killer T cells minimally influence gut microbiota composition in mice
title_short Invariant natural killer T cells minimally influence gut microbiota composition in mice
title_sort invariant natural killer t cells minimally influence gut microbiota composition in mice
topic iNKT cells
CD1d
α-galactosylceramide
microbiota
cross-fostering
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19490976.2022.2104087
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