Crosstalk between the gut microbiota and innate lymphoid cells in intestinal mucosal immunity

Front Immunol. 2023 May 25:14:1171680. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1171680. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

The human gastrointestinal mucosa is colonized by thousands of microorganisms, which participate in a variety of physiological functions. Intestinal dysbiosis is closely associated with the pathogenesis of several human diseases. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), which include NK cells, ILC1s, ILC2s, ILC3s and LTi cells, are a type of innate immune cells. They are enriched in the mucosal tissues of the body, and have recently received extensive attention. The gut microbiota and its metabolites play important roles in various intestinal mucosal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), allergic disease, and cancer. Therefore, studies on ILCs and their interaction with the gut microbiota have great clinical significance owing to their potential for identifying pharmacotherapy targets for multiple related diseases. This review expounds on the progress in research on ILCs differentiation and development, the biological functions of the intestinal microbiota, and its interaction with ILCs in disease conditions in order to provide novel ideas for disease treatment in the future.

Keywords: diseases; gut microbiota; innate lymphoid cells; intestinal mucosal immunity; lamina propria.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Immunity, Mucosal
  • Intestinal Mucosa
  • Killer Cells, Natural

Grants and funding

ML was supported by the Nature Science Foundation of Liaoning Province, China (2023-MS-260), Liaoning Provincial Program for Top Discipline of Basic Medical Sciences, China, and Scientific research fund of the Chinese Nutrition Society - special fund for physical nutrition and health of Feihe (CNS-Feihe2021-132). YiL was supported by the Scientific research fund of Small nuclear Biotechnology Dalian Co., LTD (505622). The funders were not involved in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, the writing of this article or the decision to submit it for publication.