Interactions between commensal fungi and the C-type lectin receptor Dectin-1 influence colitis

摘要

The intestinal microflora, typically equated with bacteria, influences diseases such as obesity and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Here we show that the mammalian gut contains a rich fungal community that interacts with the immune system through the innate immune receptor Dectin-1. Mice lacking Dectin-1 exhibited increased susceptibility t chemically-induced colitis, which was the result of altered responses to indigenous fungi. In humans we identified a polymorphism in the gene for Dectin-1 (CLEC7A) that is strongly linked to a severe form of ulcerative colitis. Together our findings reveal a novel eukaryotic fungal community in the gut (the “mycobiome”) that coexists with bacteria and substantially expands the repertoire of organisms interacting with the intestinal immune system to influence health and disease.