ILC3-myeloid cell crosstalk during homeostatic maintenance of the epithelial barrier and during IBD
Project Summary
It is well established that both the innate and adaptive immune systems are inappropriately activated in inflammatory bowel diseases, contributing to tissue damage. While protective innate mechanisms in intestinal epithelial cells have recently been identified, they remain less well understood. Our research aims to investigate the processes leading to IL-22–mediated epithelial protection, granuloma formation, and the granuloma-driven repair program of the epithelial barrier in the context of IBD. These studies may help us identify new innate immune targets for the treatment of IBD.
Selected project-relevant publications
Erkert L, Ruder B, Kabisch M, Gamez Belmonte R, Patankar JV, Gonzalez Acera M, Schödel L, Chiriac MT, Cineus R, Gnafakis S, Leupold T, Thoma OM, Stolzer I, Taut A, Thonn V, Zundler S, Günther C, Diefenbach A, Kühl AA, Hegazy AN, Waldner M, Basic M, Bleich A, Neurath MF, Wirtz S, Becker C; TRR241 IBDome Consortium.
TIFA renders intestinal epithelial cells responsive to microbial ADP-heptose and drives colonic inflammation in mice.
Mucosal Immunol. 2025 Apr;18(2):453-466. doi: 10.1016/j.mucimm.2025.01.003.
Cineus R, Luo Y, Saliutina M, Manna S, Cancino CA, Velasco Blázquez L, Wang L, Bösel D, Abdelrahman A, Klementowicz JE, Scherl A, Hainbuch S, Bréart B, Kwon G, Konopka A, Guerra GM, von Coburg E, Gerbeth L, Roels J, Heinrich F, Müller N, Durek P, Deigendesch N, Ziai J, Hung J, Conrad T; TRR241 IBDome Consortium; Kühl AA, Wirtz S, Löhning M, Keir M, Diefenbach A, Mashreghi MF, Siegmund B, Schumann M, Romagnani C, West NR, Hegazy AN.
The IL-22-oncostatin M axis promotes intestinal inflammation and tumorigenesis.
Nat Immunol. 2025 Jun;26(6):837-853. doi: 10.1038/s41590-025-02149-z.
Röwekamp I, Maschirow L, Rabes A, Fiocca Vernengo F, Hamann L, Heinz GA, Mashreghi MF, Caesar S, Milek M, Fagundes Fonseca AC, Wienhold SM, Nouailles G, Yao L, Mousavi S, Bruder D, Boehme JD, Puzianowska-Kuznicka M, Beule D, Witzenrath M; CAPNETZ Study Group; Löhning M, Klose CSN, Heimesaat MM, Diefenbach A, Opitz B.
IL-33 controls IL-22-dependent antibacterial defense by modulating the microbiota.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 May 28;121(22):e2310864121. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2310864121. Epub 2024 May 23. PMID: 38781213; PMCID: PMC11145264.
Jarick KJ, Topczewska PM, Jakob MO, Yano H, Arifuzzaman M, Gao X, Boulekou S, Stokic-Trtica V, Leclère PS, Preußer A, Rompe ZA, Stamm A, Tsou AM, Chu C, Heinrich FR, Guerra GM, Durek P, Ivanov A, Beule D, Helfrich S, Duerr CU, Kühl AA, Stehle C, Romagnani C, Mashreghi MF, Diefenbach A, Artis D, Klose CSN.
Non-redundant functions of group 2 innate lymphoid cells.
Nature. 2022 Nov;611(7937):794-800. doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05395-5. Epub 2022 Nov 2. PMID: 36323785; PMCID: PMC7614745.