Employing lymphoid resident commensal bacteria to modulate chronic inflammatory diseases

Invention Summary

This invention discloses the use of lymphoid-tissue-resident commensal (LRC) bacteria for promoting intestinal health as well as for the treatment of intestinal diseases.

Technology Overview
The translocation of commensal bacteria across the intestinal epithelium has been known to cause pro-inflammatory immune cell responses, and is associated with the pathogenesis of several diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), HIV/AIDS etc.

Recently however, in healthy mammals, a unique subset of commensal bacteria has been shown to colonize the interior of intestinal lymphoid tissues, such as Peyer’s patches and mesenteric lymph nodes. The inventor has disclosed that these LRCs, work with the mammalian immune system to orchestrate tissue-specific immune responses that are mutually beneficial for the host and microbiome.

Specifically, the inventor found that LRCs modulated cytokine production in murine dendritic cells. Multiple members of the IL-10 cytokine family were induced, which in turn protected mice from lethal intestinal damage and blocked Th17 mediated pro-inflammatory cellular responses. Similarly, another induced cytokine, IL-22 was found to promote LRC colonization in immune cells in the interior of intestine-associated lymphoid tissues. Hence, these bacteria could prove useful in improving overall intestinal health and also provide much needed treatment options for intestinal diseases. Administration of IL-10 and IL-22 with this probiotic could further improve the efficacy of this treatment.

Potential Applications

  • Treatment of intestinal inflammatory diseases such as IBD, Crohn’s disease etc.
  • Treatment of diseases mediated in part by the gut microbiome, such as asthma, diabetes mellitus type I, obesity, intestinal cancers etc.
  • Maintenance of a healthy intestinal tract in humans, as a probiotic

Publication

Fung T.C. et al.,Lymphoid tissue-resident commensal bacteria promote members of the IL-10 cytokine family to establish mutualism. Immunity. 2016 Mar 15; 44(3): 634–646.

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