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Compartmentalized and systemic control of tissue immunity by commensals

Nature Immunology volume 14, pages 646–653 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

The body is composed of various tissue microenvironments with finely tuned local immunosurveillance systems, many of which are in close apposition with distinct commensal niches. Mammals have formed an evolutionary partnership with the microbiota that is critical for metabolism, tissue development and host defense. Despite our growing understanding of the impact of this host-microbe alliance on immunity in the gastrointestinal tract, the extent to which individual microenvironments are controlled by resident microbiota remains unclear. In this Perspective, we discuss how resident commensals outside the gastrointestinal tract can control unique physiological niches and the potential implications of the dialog between these commensals and the host for the establishment of immune homeostasis, protective responses and tissue pathology.

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Figure 1: Tissue-specific modes of host-commensal interactions at distinct barrier sites.
Figure 2: Localized and systemic regulation of the immune system by distinct commensal niches.

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Acknowledgements

Supported by the Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, US National Institutes of Health. We thank members of the Belkaid laboratory for helpful discussions, particularly S. Spencer and J. Grainger for critical reading of the manuscript.

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  1. Mucosal Immunology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Yasmine Belkaid & Shruti Naik

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Correspondence to Yasmine Belkaid.

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Belkaid, Y., Naik, S. Compartmentalized and systemic control of tissue immunity by commensals. Nat Immunol 14, 646–653 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.2604

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