Our microbiome influences how our immune system functions. Our microbiome has changed as a result of living in highly hygienic industrialized countries. A major change in our microbiome is loss of exposure to helminths (parasitic worms). Prior to the 1940's, helminth colonization was nearly universal and there is strong evidence that this exposure helped to shape our genome. Loss of these previously ubiquitous members of our paleobiome, can have far ranging immunologic effect. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) currently afflicts more than one million Americans and many thousands of veterans. The incidence of IBD and other immune-mediated diseases increased dramatically after the 1940's in North America and Europe. These diseases are rare in less developed tropical countries. Veterans that served in Vietnam or were prisoners of war are at lower risk of developing IBD than are other veterans. Moreover, as countries develop economically the incidence of IBD and other immune-mediated diseases increase. Thus, IBD is a globally emerging disorder. Although specific genes predispose to IBD, there is strong evidence that a change in environment concurrent with socioeconomic improvement confers risk for developing the disorder. We propose that a change from our historic paleobiome, the lack of helminth exposure, in developed countries is an important risk factor for developing IBD and other immune-mediated diseases. We and others have shown that colonization with helminths protects mice from immune-mediated colitis, encephalitis, diabetes, and airway disease. These are models of diseases that have emerged within highly industrialized countries. Understanding how helminth exposure decreases immune mediated diseases will guide development of targeted therapy to prevent or treat those diseases. Th17 cells control pro-inflammatory pathological responses, like that of IBD. Recently it has become clear that Th17 cells are heterogeneous. In addition to making IL17, highly pro-inflammatory Th17 cells make IFNy (Th17/Th1). Other Th17 cells with a regulatory phenotype express FoxP3 or make IL10 (Th17/Treg). Immune mediated disease likely results from dysregulated Th17 plasticity. We discovered that mucosal IL17 production is inhibited by exposure to helminths and that this exposure decreases Th17/Th1 and increases Th17/Treg percentages in lamina propria and mesenteric lymph node cell populations. Our hypothesis is that helminth exposure protects against colitis by altering Th17 heterogeneity/plasticity. This project will test this hypothesis wth 3 specific aims.
Our first aim will explore the mechanisms enabled by helminth exposure that inhibit Th17/Th1 plasticity with focus on Stat6 signaling.
Our second aim will explore the mechanisms enabled by helminth exposure that augment Th17/Treg plasticity.
Our third aim will explore how changes in Th circuitry alters intestinal epithelial cell function with focus on epithelial cell pSTAT3 expression. Our research is unique in that we are exploring possible root causes for the emergence of autoimmune and immune-mediated inflammatory disease in modern civilizations. In addition, these studies will provide insight into how helminth-exposed individuals that live or served in less developed countries may respond to immunologic challenges. Furthermore, we are examining in vivo how infectious organisms alter immune pathways to influence chronic inflammatory diseases like those that afflict veterans.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic debilitating illness that afflicts many thousands of veterans. IBD and other immune-mediated diseases (e. g. multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma) have emerged in developed countries and now afflict over 10% of the population. Socioeconomic development brings hygienic lifestyles which alter our microbiome. Helminths (parasitic worms) were components of our pre-industrial microbiome (paleobiome). Our bodies have evolved ways to combat helminths and in the absence of that exposure, may respond inappropriately to other challenges in a way that cause disease. This proposal uses mouse models to study how helminths affect immune responses in the gut to suppress IBD. The studies will determine the circuits exploited by helminths that help regulate the immune system, and will provide direction for developing needed new therapies that mimic natural helminth exposure to treat IBD and other immune-mediated diseases.
| Li, Yue; Liu, Weiren; Guan, Xiaqun et al. (2018) STAT6 and Furin Are Successive Triggers for the Production of TGF-? by T Cells. J Immunol 201:2612-2623 |
| Li, Yue; Guan, Xiaoqun; Liu, Weiren et al. (2018) Helminth-Induced Production of TGF-? and Suppression of Graft-versus-Host Disease Is Dependent on IL-4 Production by Host Cells. J Immunol 201:2910-2922 |
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| Li, Yue; Chen, Hung-Lin; Bannick, Nadine et al. (2015) Intestinal helminths regulate lethal acute graft-versus-host disease and preserve the graft-versus-tumor effect in mice. J Immunol 194:1011-20 |
| Weinstock, Joel V; Elliott, David E (2014) Helminth infections decrease host susceptibility to immune-mediated diseases. J Immunol 193:3239-47 |
