Reversible microbial colonization of germ-free mice reveals the dynamics of IgA immune responses

Hapfelmeier, Siegfried; Lawson, Melissa A E; Slack, Emma; Kirundi, Jorum K; Stoel, Maaike; Heikenwalder, Mathias; Cahenzli, Julia; Velykoredko, Yuliya; Balmer, Maria L; Endt, Kathrin; Geuking, Markus B; Curtiss, Roy; McCoy, Kathy D; Macpherson, Andrew J (2010). Reversible microbial colonization of germ-free mice reveals the dynamics of IgA immune responses. Science, 328(5986), pp. 1705-1709. Washington, D.C.: American Association for the Advancement of Science 10.1126/science.1188454

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The lower intestine of adult mammals is densely colonized with nonpathogenic (commensal) microbes. Gut bacteria induce protective immune responses, which ensure host-microbial mutualism. The continuous presence of commensal intestinal bacteria has made it difficult to study mucosal immune dynamics. Here, we report a reversible germ-free colonization system in mice that is independent of diet or antibiotic manipulation. A slow (more than 14 days) onset of a long-lived (half-life over 16 weeks), highly specific anticommensal immunoglobulin A (IgA) response in germ-free mice was observed. Ongoing commensal exposure in colonized mice rapidly abrogated this response. Sequential doses lacked a classical prime-boost effect seen in systemic vaccination, but specific IgA induction occurred as a stepwise response to current bacterial exposure, such that the antibody repertoire matched the existing commensal content.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Gastro-intestinal, Liver and Lung Disorders (DMLL) > Clinic of Visceral Surgery and Medicine > Gastroenterology 04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Gastro-intestinal, Liver and Lung Disorders (DMLL) > Clinic of Visceral Surgery and Medicine > Visceral Surgery
UniBE Contributor:	Hapfelmeier, Siegfried Hektor, Geuking, Markus, Macpherson, Andrew
ISSN:	0036-8075
Publisher:	American Association for the Advancement of Science
Language:	English
Submitter:	Siegfried Hektor Hapfelmeier-Balmer
Date Deposited:	04 Oct 2013 14:09
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2022 14:00
Publisher DOI:	10.1126/science.1188454
PubMed ID:	20576892
Web of Science ID:	000279107400047
Additional Information:	Hapfelmeier and Macpherson are co-corresponding authors
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/836 (FactScience: 200983)