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4 august 2017
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The microbial metabolite desaminotyrosine protects from influenza through type I interferon

The microbiota is known to modulate the host response to influenza infection through as-yet-unclear mechanisms. We hypothesized that components of the microbiota exert effects through type I interferon (IFN), a hypothesis supported by analysis of influenza in a gain-of-function genetic mouse model.

Here we show that a microbially associated metabolite, desaminotyrosine (DAT), protects from influenza through augmentation of type I IFN signaling and diminution of lung immunopathology. A specific human-associated gut microbe, Clostridium orbiscindens, produced DAT and rescued antibiotic-treated influenza-infected mice. DAT protected the host by priming the amplification loop of type I IFN signaling.

These findings show that specific components of the enteric microbiota have distal effects on responses to lethal infections through modulation of type I IFN.

Additional Info

  • Authors

    Steed A. L.; Christophi G. P.; Kaiko G. E.; Sun L.; Goodwin V. M.; Jain U.; Esaulova E.; Artyomov M. N.; Morales D. J.; Holtzman M. J.; Boon A. C. M.; Lenschow D. J.; Stappenbeck T. S.

  • Issue

    Science . 2017 Aug 4;357(6350):498-502.

  • Published Date

    4 august 2017

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