Gut Microbiota Regulate Gut–Lung Axis Inflammatory Responses by Mediating ILC2 Compartmental Migration

Abstract

Gut microbiota is increasingly linked to the development of various pulmonary diseases through a gut-lung axis. However, the mechanisms by which gut commensal microbes impact trafficking and functional transition of immune cells remain largely unknown. Using integrated microbiota dysbiosis approaches, we uncover that the gut microbiota directs the migration of group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) from the gut to the lung through a gut-lung axis. We identify <i>Proteobacteria</i> as a critical species in the gut microbiome to facilitate natural ILC2 migration, and increased <i>Proteobacteria</i> induces IL-33 production. Mechanistically, IL-33-CXCL16 signaling promotes the natural ILC2 accumulation in the lung, whereas IL-25-CCL25 signals augment inflammatory ILC2 accumulation in the intestines upon abdominal infection, parabiosis, and cecum ligation and puncture in mice. We reveal that these two types of ILC2s play critical but distinct roles in regulating inflammation, leading to balanced host defense against infection. Overall results delineate that <i>Proteobacteria</i> in gut microbiota modulates ILC2 directional migration to the lung for host defense via regulation of select cytokines (IL-33), suggesting novel therapeutic strategies to control infectious diseases.