The IBD Risk gene, PTPN2, Is Required for Commensal-associated Th17 Responses to Protect Against Pathobiont Colonization

Abstract

Background/Aim: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) involves multiple factors including genetic susceptibilities, intestinal permeability, microbiome dysbiosis, and expansion of intestinal pathobionts such as adherent-invasive E. coli (AIEC). Mice lacking the IBD risk gene, Ptpn2, exhibit expansion of murine adherent-invasive Escherichia coli ( mAIEC strain, UCR-PP2). Internal transcribed spacer analysis of luminal and mucosal-associated bacteria also indicated a decrease in the protective commensal bacteria, segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB). SFB adherence to intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) induces Th17 cell secretion of IL-17 and IL-22 to promote mucosal defense. The goal of this study was to determine if constitutive whole-body, or IEC-specific Ptpn2 loss in mice modulates SFB abundance, adherence, and downstream production of protective Th17 cytokine in mice. Methods: All mice were housed in specific pathogen free (SPF) vivarium. Distal ileum (2-3 cm) was collected from whole body Ptpn2-wild-type (WT), heterozygous (Het) and Ptpn2 constitutive knockout (KO) mice [Balb/c]; or tamoxifen (TMX)-induced IEC specific Ptpn2 knockout mice ( Ptpn2ΔIEC) and TMX-treated control littermates ( Ptpn2fl/fl) [C57Bl/6]. Tissues were fixed and observed using the Hitachi TM4000 Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to visualize SFB. qPCR was used to quantify relative abundance of SFB in the Ileum tissue obtained from Ptpn2ΔIEC and Ptpn2fl/fl mice. Confirmed SFB-free C57Bl/6 mice (10 weeks old; JAX labs; Stock# 000664) were infected for four consecutive days by 109 mAIEC bacteria in PBS. Cytokine protein levels were quantified by Luminex Multiplex Array of whole tissue lysates from cecum, proximal and distal colon regions from 18-21day old WT, HET or KO mice. Immune cells were isolated from the cecum, colon, lamina propria, the mesenteric lymph nodes and the spleen of WT, HET and KO mice and analyzed by flow cytometry for IL-22+, and IL-17+ T cells. Results: SFB adherence to IECs in Ptpn2 constitutive KO mice was visibly decreased by SEM compared to WT and Ptpn2 Het littermates. SEM showed a dramatic decrease in SFB abundance in Ptpn2ΔIEC mice compared to control littermates ( Ptpn2fl/fl). This was confirmed by PCR analysis showing a significant decrease in SFB in Ptpn2ΔIEC mice (p<0.05; n=8). The absence of SFB permitted mAIEC to colonize and cause mild disease in SFB-free mice (JAX; p<0.01; n=8). SFB loss in whole-body Ptpn2-KO mice correlated with a decrease in IL-17+ CD4+ cells in the colon compared to Ptpn2-Het (p<0.001; n=7) and Ptpn2-WT littermates (p<0.05; n=5). Ptpn2-KO mice exhibited higher IL-22 levels in the distal colon (p<0.01; n=3), and increased IL-22+CD4+ T-cells in the cecum, mesenteric lymph nodes and spleen compared to Ptpn2-WT and Het littermates (p<0.001). Conclusion: Loss of the IBD risk gene Ptpn2 in mice, either constitutively or in IECs, reduces the abundance of SFB a commensal inducer of Th17 responses. Consistent with reduced SFB, IL-17+CD4+ T cells were reduced in whole-body Ptpn2-KO mice indicating a loss of SFB-induced Th17 maturation. Despite reduced IL-17, we observed increased IL-22 expression in Ptpn2-KO mice suggesting that loss of PTPN2 provokes a compensatory SFB/IL-17-independent increase in IL-22 production. These findings identify how loss of PTPN2 activity disrupts homeostatic commensal-mucosal immune crosstalk to facilitate IBD-relevant pathobiont colonization. This study was supported by grants NIH-2R01-DK091281, 1R01AI153314-01, R21AI152017, 1R01DK130373, and R01AI165490 (D.F.M.) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.