Commensal myeloid crosstalk in neonatal skin regulates long-term cutaneous type 17 inflammation

Early life microbe-immune interactions at barrier surfaces have lasting impacts on the trajectory towards health versus disease. Monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells are primary sentinels in barrier tissues, yet the salient contributions of commensal-myeloid crosstalk during tissue development remain poorly understood. Here, we identify that commensal microbes facilitate accumulation of a population of monocytes in neonatal skin. Transient postnatal depletion of these monocytes resulted in heightened IL-17A production by skin T cells, which was particularly sustained among CD4+ T cells into adulthood and sufficient to exacerbate inflammatory skin pathologies. Neonatal skin monocytes were enriched in expression of negative regulators of the IL-1 pathway. Functional in vivo experiments confirmed a key role for excessive IL-1R1 signaling in T cells as contributing to the dysregulated type 17 response in neonatal monocyte-depleted mice. Thus, a commensal-driven wave of monocytes into neonatal skin critically facilitates long-term immune homeostasis in this prominent barrier tissue.

FLG Deficiency in Mice Alters the Early-Life CD4+ T-Cell Response to Skin Commensal Bacteria

FLG variants underlie ichthyosis vulgaris and increased risk of atopic dermatitis, conditions typified by disruption of the skin microbiome and cutaneous immune response. Yet, it remains unclear whether neonatal skin barrier compromise because of FLG deficiency alters the quality of commensal-specific T cells and the functional impact of such responses. To address these questions, we profiled changes in the skin barrier and early cutaneous immune response of neonatal C57BL/6 Flg^‒/‒ and wild-type mice using single-cell RNA sequencing, flow cytometry, and other modalities. Flg^‒/‒ neonates showed little alteration in transepidermal water loss or lipid- or corneocyte-related gene expression. However, they showed increases in barrier disruption genes, epidermal dye penetration, and numbers of skin CD4⁺ T cells. Using an engineered strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis 2W) to study the response to neonatal skin colonization, we found that commensal-specific CD4⁺ T cells were skewed in Flg^‒/‒ pups toward effector rather than regulatory T cells. This altered response persisted into adulthood, where it was typified by T helper 17 (Th17) cells and associated with increased susceptibility to imiquimod-induced skin inflammation. Thus, subtle but impactful differences in neonatal barrier function in Flg^‒/‒ mice are accompanied by a skewed commensal-specific CD4⁺ response, with enduring consequences for skin immune homeostasis.

Intestinal inflammation alters the antigen-specific immune response to a skin commensal

Resident microbes in skin and gut predominantly impact local immune cell function during homeostasis. However, colitis-associated neutrophilic skin disorders suggest possible breakdown of this compartmentalization with disease. Using a model wherein neonatal skin colonization by Staphylococcus epidermidis facilitates generation of commensal-specific tolerance and CD4⁺ regulatory T cells (Tregs), we ask whether this response is perturbed by gut inflammation. Chemically induced colitis is accompanied by intestinal expansion of S. epidermidis and reduces gut-draining lymph node (dLN) commensal-specific Tregs. It also results in reduced commensal-specific Tregs in skin and skin-dLNs and increased skin neutrophils. Increased CD4⁺ circulation between gut and skin dLN suggests that the altered cutaneous response is initiated in the colon, and resistance to colitis-induced effects in Cd4^creIl1r1^fl/fl mice implicate interleukin (IL)-1 in mediating the altered commensal-specific response. These findings provide mechanistic insight into observed connections between inflammatory skin and intestinal diseases.

Hair of the mouse: A skin bacteria "cocktail" gets follicles back on their feet

Microbes can boost cutaneous immune defense and skin reparative capacity. However, mechanistic understanding, especially of the latter, remains sparse. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Wang et al. (2021) shed light on this, demonstrating that bacteria contribute to hair follicle neogenesis after skin wounding via keratinocyte-intrinsic IL-1R1 signaling.

Toxin-Triggered Interleukin-1 Receptor Signaling Enables Early-Life Discrimination of Pathogenic versus Commensal Skin Bacteria

The host must develop tolerance to commensal microbes and protective responses to infectious pathogens, yet the mechanisms enabling a privileged relationship with commensals remain largely unknown. Skin colonization by commensal Staphylococcus epidermidis facilitates immune tolerance preferentially in neonates via induction of antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Tregs). Here, we demonstrate that this tolerance is not indiscriminately extended to all bacteria encountered in this early window. Rather, neonatal colonization by Staphylococcus aureus minimally enriches for antigen-specific Tregs and does not prevent skin inflammation upon later-life exposure. S. aureus α-toxin contributes to this response by stimulating myeloid cell production of IL-1β, which limits S. aureus-specific Tregs. Loss of α-toxin or the IL-1 receptor increases Treg enrichment, whereas topical application of IL-1β or α-toxin diminishes tolerogenic responses to S. epidermidis. Thus, the preferential activation of a key alarmin pathway facilitates early discrimination of microbial "foe" from "friend," thereby preventing tolerance to a common skin pathogen.