Table 2 Interactions between immune cells and gut microbiota
From: Critical role of the gut microbiota in immune responses and cancer immunotherapy
Immune cell types | Crosstalk with the gut microbiota | Ref |
|---|---|---|
Macrophages | 1. B. fragilis enhances their phagocytic functions 2. The gut microbiota supports the interaction between macrophages and other immune cells 3. The microbial products inhibit the release of inflammatory factors, cause macrophage metabolism alteration and induce potent Th cell response | 85–89 |
DCs | 1. The gut microbiota controls the basal state of DCs 2. The microbiota-derived signals could promote intestinal homeostasis by affecting the secretion of DCs | 93–95 |
NK cells | 1. The gut microbiota controls the innate mucosal defense provided by NK cells 2. The crosstalk between NK cells and the gut microbiome mediated by specific transcription factors could promote intestinal homeostasis | 97–102 |
B cells | 1. B cells assist in maintaining a noninflammatory host-microbe relationship by secreting immunoglobulins and cytokines 2. The gut microbiota and its metabolites could promote B cell maturation, differentiation and enhance specific IgA antibody response. This process could be influenced by IgA, cytokines, or even B cells themselves to form a symbiotic regulatory loop | 106–117 |
CD8 + T cells | 1. CTLs can be activated in TME by the intestinal microbiota and its metabolites 2. Microbial dysbiosis exacerbates can cause CD8 + T cell exhaustion 3. Butyrate could exert a direct antagonistic influence on the HDACs of CTLs and Tc17 cells and activate CD8 + T cells to differentiate into memory cells | 119–125 |
Th cells | 1. The gut microbe-derived metabolites regulate Th1 and Th2 cell functions 2. The gut microbiota modulates the activation, plasticity, and differentiation of Th17 cells 3. Different gut microbes-derived metabolites modulate Th17 cell immunological function and differentiation 4. Different diets have also shown complicated impacts on Th17 cells via alterations in the gut microbiota | 130–133, 142–155 |
Tfh cells | 1. The gut microbiota and its metabolites can induce the differentiation of Tfh cells, facilitate systemic Tfh cell responses, and regulate Tfh cell abundance 2. The gut microbiota exhibits the potential to influence systemic Tfr cells and induce the differentiation of Tfr cells | 157–165 |
Treg cells | 1. The gut microbial signals could modulate the development of Treg cells and their IL-10 expression 2. The SCFAs have been demonstrated to regulate the size and function of the Treg cell pool | 171–178 |