A specific gene-microbe interaction drives the development of Crohn’s disease–like colitis in mice

Abstract

Bacterial dysbiosis is associated with Crohn's disease (CD), a chronic intestinal inflammatory disorder thought to result from an abnormal immune response against intestinal bacteria in genetically susceptible individuals. However, it is unclear whether dysbiosis is a cause or consequence of intestinal inflammation and whether overall dysbiosis or specific bacteria trigger the disease. Here, we show that the combined deficiency of NOD2 and phagocyte NADPH oxidase, two CD susceptibility genes, triggers early-onset spontaneous T_H1-type intestinal inflammation in mice with the pathological hallmarks of CD. Disease was induced by <i>Mucispirillum schaedleri</i>, a Gram-negative mucus-dwelling anaerobe. NOD2 and CYBB deficiencies led to marked accumulation of <i>Mucispirillum</i>, which was associated with impaired neutrophil recruitment and killing of the bacterium by luminal neutrophils. Maternal immunoglobulins against <i>Mucispirillum</i> protected mutant mice from disease during breastfeeding. Our results indicate that a specific intestinal microbe triggers CD-like disease in the presence of impaired clearance of the bacterium by innate immunity.