The Microbial Metabolites, Short-Chain Fatty Acids, Regulate Colonic T reg Cell Homeostasis

Abstract

Regulatory T cells (T_regs) that express the transcription factor Foxp3 are critical for regulating intestinal inflammation. Candidate microbe approaches have identified bacterial species and strain-specific molecules that can affect intestinal immune responses, including species that modulate T_reg responses. Because neither all humans nor mice harbor the same bacterial strains, we posited that more prevalent factors exist that regulate the number and function of colonic T_regs. We determined that short-chain fatty acids, gut microbiota–derived bacterial fermentation products, regulate the size and function of the colonic T_reg pool and protect against colitis in a Ffar2-dependent manner in mice. Our study reveals that a class of abundant microbial metabolites underlies adaptive immune microbiota coadaptation and promotes colonic homeostasis and health.