Projektdaten

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Evaluating the role of commensal-derived metabolites in maintaining balance of the microbiome via regulation of dendritic cells

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Since the gut tissue acts as barrier between gut microbiome and our immune system, it is important to understand how commensals mediate the activity of immune cells, especially dendritic cells (DCs). DCs are key cells of the immune system as they direct immune responses either by immune cell activation or tolerance induction. Dysbalance of the body’s microbiome could affect DCs on immediate but also long-term level. How DC activity is controlled by commensals is not understood. We hypothesize that metabolites (induced) by the commensal community immunomodulate DCs towards a tolerogenic phenotype. Disturbance of microbial balance would thus directly impact DC functionality. To address our hypotheses, we want to 1) Understand if and which metabolites of gut commensals directly immunomodulate DCs, 2) Evaluate indirect effects of commensals mediated by tissue microenvironment on DCs, and 3) acquire first data to evaluate effects after disturbance of gut commensals (or others) for long-term effects on tissue dependent and independent DC functionality. In the first round of flexible funds we applied for support to perform transcriptional analyses of sorted DC subsets upon incubation with commensal bacteria.