The small intestine contains CD4+CD8αα+ double-positive intraepithelial T lymphocytes (DP IELs), which originate from intestinal CD4+ T cells through downregulation of the transcription factor ThpoK and have regulatory functions. DP IELs are absent in germ-free mice, suggesting that their differentiation depends on microbial factors. We found that DP IEL numbers in mice varied in different vivaria, correlating with the presence of Lactobacillus reuteri. This species induced DP IELs in germ-free mice and conventionally-raised mice lacking these cells. L. reuteri did not shape DP-IEL-TCR repertoire, but generated indole derivatives of tryptophan that activated the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor in CD4+ T cells, allowing ThPOK downregulation and differentiation into DP IELs. Thus, L. reuteri together with a tryptophan-rich diet can reprogram intraepithelial CD4+ T cells into immunoregulatory T cells.

Zhu et al. show that the Zika virus, which has a tropism for fetal and adult neuroprogenitor cells, targets and kills cancer stem cells while leaving differentiated tumor cells relatively unaffected, providing a new potential oncolytic virus therapy in neuro-oncology.

Summary Commensal bacteria shape the colonic regulatory T (Treg) cell population required for intestinal tolerance. However, little is known about this process. Here, we use the transfer of naïve commensal-reactive transgenic T cells expressing colonic Treg TCRs to study peripheral Treg (pTreg) cell development in normal hosts. We found that T cells were activated primarily in the distal mesenteric lymph node. Treg cell induction was rapid, generating >40% Foxp3+ cells one week post-transfer. Contrary to prior reports, Foxp3+ cells underwent the most cell divisions, demonstrating that pTreg cell generation can be the dominant outcome from naïve T cell activation. Moreover, Notch2-dependent but not Batf3-dependent, dendritic cells were involved in Treg cell selection. Finally, neither deletion of the CNS1 region in Foxp3, nor blockade of TGFβ-receptor signaling, completely abrogated Foxp3 induction. Thus, these data show that pTreg cell selection to commensal bacteria is rapid, robust, and may be specified by TGFβ-independent signals.

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Specific gut commensal bacteria improve host health by eliciting mutualistic regulatory T (Treg) cells responses. However, the bacteria that induce effector T (Teff) cells during inflammation are unclear. Here, we addressed this by analyzing bacterial-reactive TCR transgenic cells and TCR repertoires in a murine colitis model. Unexpectedly, we found that mucosal-associated Helicobacter species triggered both Treg responses during homeostasis and Teff responses during colitis, as suggested by an increased overlap between the Teff/Treg TCR repertoires with colitis. In fact, 4/6 Treg TCRs tested recognized mucosal-associated Helicobacter species in vitro and in vivo. By contrast, the marked expansion of luminal Bacteroides species seen during colitis did not trigger a commensurate Teff response. Unlike other Treg cell-inducing bacteria, Helicobacter species are known pathobionts and cause disease in immunodeficient mice. Thus, our study suggests a model in which mucosal bacteria elicit context-dependent Treg or effector cell responses to facilitate intestinal tolerance or inflammation.