Bacterial Dysbiosis Associates with Functional Intraepithelial Lymphocyte Changes in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Spondyloarthritis

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) 2017-05, Vol.198 (1_Supplement), p.55-55.46
• Main Authors: Ohri, Neha, Gerich, Mark E, Fennimore, Blair P, Ir, Diana, Robertson, Charles E, Regener, Emilie, Caplan, Liron, Wagner, Brandie D, Frank, Daniel N, Kuhn, Kristi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0022-1767; 1550-6606
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.198.Supp.55.46

Dysbiosis occurs in spondyloarthritis (SpA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), subdivided into Crohn’s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC). The immunologic consequences of dysbiosis have not been defined. Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) are T cells within the intestinal epithelium that are in close contact with bacteria, and as such, are likely to be modulated by dysbiosis. We correlated IELs with resident bacteria in SpA, IBD, and controls. Subjects with biopsy-proven IBD (N=10 with CD and 7 with UC), SpA fulfilling ASAS criteria (N=5), and healthy controls (N=15) were evaluated for fecal microbiome by 16S rRNA sequencing and IELs from colon biopsies analyzed by flow cytometry and ELSIA. Subjects with SpA had significantly lower numbers of IELs compared to controls (p=0.03). Subjects with CD had significantly increased IL-17A, (p=0.03) and IFN-γ (p