Journal article

Authors list: Vogel, Katrin; Arra, Aditya; Lingel, Holger; Bretschneider, Dirk; Praetsch, Florian; Schanze, Denny; Zenker, Martin; Balk, Silke; Bruder, Dunja; Geffers, Robert; Hachenberg, Thomas; Arens, Christoph; Brunner-Weinzierl, Monika C.

Publication year: 2023

Journal: Nature Communications

Volume number: 14

Issue number: 1

eISSN: 2041-1723

Open access status: Gold

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41630-x

Publisher: Nature Research

Abstract: 

Microbial infections early in life are challenging for the unexperienced immune system. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic again has highlighted that neonatal, infant, child, and adult T-helper(Th)-cells respond differently to infections, and requires further understanding. This study investigates anti-bacterial T-cell responses against Staphylococcus aureus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Bifidobacterium longum infantis in early stages of life and adults and shows age and pathogen-dependent mechanisms. Beside activation-induced clustering, T-cells stimulated with Staphylococci become Th1-type cells; however, this differentiation is mitigated in Bifidobacterium-stimulated T-cells. Strikingly, prestimulation of T-cells with Bifidobacterium suppresses the activation of Staphylococcus-specific T-helper cells in a cell-cell dependent manner by inducing FoxP3+CD4+ T-cells, increasing IL-10 and galectin-1 secretion and showing a CTLA-4-dependent inhibitory capacity. Furthermore Bifidobacterium dampens Th responses of severely ill COVID-19 patients likely contributing to resolution of harmful overreactions of the immune system. Targeted, age-specific interventions may enhance infection defence, and specific immune features may have potential cross-age utilization.

The human immune system changes with age which impacts pathogen clearance. Here, Vogel et al. probe how CD4 + T-cells from different age groups respond to bacteria and show that activation with staphylococcal antigen induces T cells to become Th1-like cells, whilst stimulation with Bifidobacterium infantis induces a regulatory phenotype.

Harvard Citation style: Vogel, K., Arra, A., Lingel, H., Bretschneider, D., Praetsch, F., Schanze, D., et al. (2023) Bifidobacteria shape antimicrobial T-helper cell responses during infancy and adulthood, Nature Communications, 14(1), Article 5943. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41630-x

APA Citation style: Vogel, K., Arra, A., Lingel, H., Bretschneider, D., Praetsch, F., Schanze, D., Zenker, M., Balk, S., Bruder, D., Geffers, R., Hachenberg, T., Arens, C., & Brunner-Weinzierl, M. (2023). Bifidobacteria shape antimicrobial T-helper cell responses during infancy and adulthood. Nature Communications. 14(1), Article 5943. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41630-x