Project description:Intercellular communication is critical for maintaining homeostasis in mammalian organ systems, including the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Exosomes are small nanoscale lipid extracellular vesicles that mediate communication between a wide variety of cell types. Notably, the roles played by immune cell exosomes in regulating homeostasis and inflammation in the GI tract are largely uncharacterized. By generating novel mouse strains deficient in cell-specific exosome production, we demonstrate that specific disruption of exosome signaling via the deletion of Rab27a in myeloid cells exacerbates colitis, which is reversed through administration of dendritic cell (DC)-derived exosomes. Profiling small, non-coding RNAs within exosomes from colonic tissues revealed a distinct subset of microRNAs (miRNAs) carried by both colon- and DC-derived exosomes. Among the DC-enriched exosomal miRNAs, miR-146a was transferred from gut immune cells to myeloid and T cells through a Rab27-dependent mechanism to regulate macrophage phenotypes during colitis. Upon assessing clinical samples, RAB27A was also expressed at lower levels in a cohort of ulcerative colitis patients. Together, this work reveals an exosome-mediated regulatory mechanism underlying gut inflammation, and paves the way for potential use of exosomes containing miRNA cargo as a novel therapeutic for inflammatory bowel disease.
Project description:To elucidate whether Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) plays a role in intestinal inflammation and colorectal carcinogenesis, a RNA-seq analysis was performed to compare the microRNA profiles of exosomes derived from ETBF-treated HCT116 colorectal cancer cell lines.
Project description:Transcriptome analysis of dentritic cells from the spleen (CD11c+) or MLN (CD11c+CD103+) of mice with DC-specific deletion of TGFBR2 gene, or their control littermates. TRGFR2 gene was deleted in dendritic cells using Cre/lox approach. Mice with this deletion develop spontaneous multi-organ autoimmune inflammation and die by 15 weeks of age. Splenic CD11c+ Dc were isolated by magetic cell sorting. MLN CD11c+CD103+ DC were flow sorted. RNA was isolated using RNAqueous-Micro kit (Ambion) and analyzed using Affymetrix Mouse Exon 1.0 ST Array
Project description:Mononuclear phagocytes (MNPs) play a key role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis but also in triggering immunopathology in response to acute microbial stimulation, which induces the recruitment of masses of Ly6Chi monocytes to the gut. The regulators that control monocyte tissue adaptation in the gut remain poorly understood. Interferon Regulatory Factor 5 (IRF5) is a transcription factor previously shown to play a key role in maintaining the inflammatory phenotype of macrophages Here we investigate the impact of IRF5 on the MNP system and physiology of the gut at homeostasis and during inflammation. We demonstrate that IRF5 deficiency has a limited impact on colon physiology at steady state, but ameliorates immunopathology during Helicobacter hepaticus induced colitis. Inhibition of IRF5 activity in MNPs phenocopies global IRF5 deficiency. Using a combination of bone marrow chimera and single cell RNA-sequencing approaches we compare the differentiation trajectories of wild type and IRF5 deficient monocytes in a shared inflammatory environment and demonstrate that IRF5 stipulates a choice in monocyte differentiation towards macrophages. Specifically, IRF5 promotes the generation of pathogenic CD11c+ macrophages and controls the production of inflammatory mediators by these cells. Thus, we identify IRF5 as a key transcriptional controller of pathogenic monocyte differentiation in the gut.
Project description:Mononuclear phagocytes (MNPs) play a key role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis but also in triggering immunopathology in response to acute microbial stimulation, which induces the recruitment of masses of Ly6Chi monocytes to the gut. The regulators that control monocyte tissue adaptation in the gut remain poorly understood. Interferon Regulatory Factor 5 (IRF5) is a transcription factor previously shown to play a key role in maintaining the inflammatory phenotype of macrophages Here we investigate the impact of IRF5 on the MNP system and physiology of the gut at homeostasis and during inflammation. We demonstrate that IRF5 deficiency has a limited impact on colon physiology at steady state, but ameliorates immunopathology during Helicobacter hepaticus induced colitis. Inhibition of IRF5 activity in MNPs phenocopies global IRF5 deficiency. Using a combination of bone marrow chimera and single cell RNA-sequencing approaches we compare the differentiation trajectories of wild type and IRF5 deficient monocytes in a shared inflammatory environment and demonstrate that IRF5 stipulates a choice in monocyte differentiation towards macrophages. Specifically, IRF5 promotes the generation of pathogenic CD11c+ macrophages and controls the production of inflammatory mediators by these cells. Thus, we identify IRF5 as a key transcriptional controller of pathogenic monocyte differentiation in the gut.
Project description:Mononuclear phagocytes (MNPs) play a key role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis but also in triggering immunopathology in response to acute microbial stimulation, which induces the recruitment of masses of Ly6Chi monocytes to the gut. The regulators that control monocyte tissue adaptation in the gut remain poorly understood. Interferon Regulatory Factor 5 (IRF5) is a transcription factor previously shown to play a key role in maintaining the inflammatory phenotype of macrophages Here we investigate the impact of IRF5 on the MNP system and physiology of the gut at homeostasis and during inflammation. We demonstrate that IRF5 deficiency has a limited impact on colon physiology at steady state, but ameliorates immunopathology during Helicobacter hepaticus induced colitis. Inhibition of IRF5 activity in MNPs phenocopies global IRF5 deficiency. Using a combination of bone marrow chimera and single cell RNA-sequencing approaches we compare the differentiation trajectories of wild type and IRF5 deficient monocytes in a shared inflammatory environment and demonstrate that IRF5 stipulates a choice in monocyte differentiation towards macrophages. Specifically, IRF5 promotes the generation of pathogenic CD11c+ macrophages and controls the production of inflammatory mediators by these cells. Thus, we identify IRF5 as a key transcriptional controller of pathogenic monocyte differentiation in the gut.