Inulin diet uncovers complex diet-microbiota-immune cell interactions remodeling the gut epithelium.

Background: The continuous proliferation of intestinal stem cells followed by their tightly regulated differentiation to epithelial cells is essential for the maintenance of the gut epithelial barrier and its functions. How these processes are tuned by diet and gut microbiome is an important, but poorly understood question. Dietary soluble fibers, such as inulin, are known for their ability to impact the gut bacterial community and gut epithelium, and their consumption has been usually associated with health improvement in mice and humans.

TNF-mediated alveolar macrophage necroptosis drives disease pathogenesis during respiratory syncytial virus infection.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the major cause of acute bronchiolitis in infants under 2 years old. Necroptosis has been implicated in the outcomes of respiratory virus infections. We report that RSV infection triggers necroptosis in primary mouse macrophages and human monocytes in a RIPK1-, RIPK3- and MLKL-dependent manner.

Acetate coordinates neutrophil and ILC3 responses against C. difficile through FFAR2.

Antibiotic-induced dysbiosis is a key predisposing factor for Clostridium difficile infections (CDIs), which cause intestinal disease ranging from mild diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis. Here, we examined the impact of a microbiota-derived metabolite, short-chain fatty acid acetate, on an acute mouse model of CDI. We found that administration of acetate is remarkably beneficial in ameliorating disease.

Butyrate Protects Mice from Clostridium difficile-Induced Colitis through an HIF-1-Dependent Mechanism.

Antibiotic-induced dysbiosis is a key factor predisposing intestinal infection by Clostridium difficile. Here, we show that interventions that restore butyrate intestinal levels mitigate clinical and pathological features of C. difficile-induced colitis.