A chemogenetic screen reveals that Trpv1-expressing neurons control regulatory T cells in the gut.

ABSTRACT: Neuroimmune cross-talk participates in intestinal tissue homeostasis and host defense. However, the matrix of interactions between arrays of molecularly defined neuron subsets and of immunocyte lineages remains unclear. We used a chemogenetic approach to activate eight distinct neuronal subsets, assessing effects by deep immunophenotyping, microbiome profiling, and immunocyte transcriptomics in intestinal organs. Distinct immune perturbations followed neuronal activation: Nitrergic neurons regulated T helper 17 (T_H17)-like cells, and cholinergic neurons regulated neutrophils. Nociceptor neurons, expressing Trpv1, elicited the broadest immunomodulation, inducing changes in innate lymphocytes, macrophages, and RORγ⁺ regulatory T (T_reg) cells. Neuroanatomical,

SUBMITTER: Zhu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11416019 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature