Interleukin-22 regulates the complement system to promote resistance against pathobionts after pathogen-induced intestinal damage.

ABSTRACT: Pathobionts play a critical role in disease development, but the immune mechanisms against pathobionts remain poorly understood. Here, we report a critical role for interleukin-22 (IL-22) in systemic protection against bacterial pathobionts that translocate into the circulation after infection with the pathogen Clostridium difficile. Infection with C. difficile induced IL-22, and infected Il22(-/-) mice harbored high numbers of pathobionts in extraintestinal organs despite comparable pathogen load and intestinal damage in mutant and wild-type mice. Pathobionts exhibited increased resistant against complement-mediated phagocytosis, and their intravenous administration resulted in high animal mortality. Selective removal of translocated commensals rescued Il22(-/-) mice, and IL-22 administra

SUBMITTER: Hasegawa M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4220303 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature