Mears Kevin S, Denny Joshua E, Maslanka Jeffrey R, Mdluli Nontokozo V, Hulit Ellie N, Matsuda Rina, Furth Emma E, Buffie Charlie G, Abt Michael C
Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Cell Rep. 2025 Apr 22;44(4):115438. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115438. Epub 2025 Mar 25.
Clostridioides difficile causes debilitating colitis via secreted toxins that disrupt the intestinal barrier, and toxemia is associated with severe disease. Thus, therapies that fortify the intestinal barrier will reduce the severity of infection. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are critical in the defense against acute C. difficile infection and represent a promising therapeutic target to limit disease. Here, we report that oral administration of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 agonist R848 limits intestinal damage and protects mice from lethal C. difficile infection without impacting pathogen burden or altering the intestinal microbiome. R848 induced interleukin (IL)-22 secretion by ILCs, leading to STAT3 phosphorylation in the intestinal epithelium and increased stem cell proliferation. Genetic ablation of ILCs, IL-22, or epithelial-specific STAT3 abrogated R848-mediated protection. R848 reduced intestinal permeability following infection and limited systemic toxin dissemination. Combined, these data identify an immunostimulatory molecule that activates IL-22 production in ILCs to enhance host tissue defenses following C. difficile infection.
艰难梭菌通过分泌破坏肠道屏障的毒素引发使人虚弱的结肠炎,毒血症与严重疾病相关。因此,增强肠道屏障的疗法将减轻感染的严重程度。固有淋巴细胞(ILC)在抵御急性艰难梭菌感染中起关键作用,是限制疾病的一个有前景的治疗靶点。在此,我们报告口服Toll样受体(TLR)7激动剂R848可限制肠道损伤,并保护小鼠免受致命性艰难梭菌感染,而不影响病原体载量或改变肠道微生物群。R848诱导ILC分泌白细胞介素(IL)-22,导致肠道上皮细胞中的信号转导和转录激活因子3(STAT3)磷酸化,并增加干细胞增殖。ILC、IL-22或上皮特异性STAT3的基因敲除消除了R848介导的保护作用。R848降低了感染后肠道的通透性,并限制了全身毒素的扩散。综合来看,这些数据确定了一种免疫刺激分子,该分子可激活ILC中IL-22的产生,以增强艰难梭菌感染后宿主组织的防御能力。
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