Short, but Smart: SCFAs Train T Cells in the Gut to Fight Autoimmunity in the Brain.
In this issue of Immunity, Haghikia and colleagues (2015) demonstrate that dietary fatty acids, by modulating gut microbes and their metabolism, regulate mucosal immune cells to impact systemic immunity. Using this mechanism, dietary and bacteria-derived medium-chain and long-chain fatty acids exacerbate, whereas short-chain fatty acids ameliorate, autoimmunity in the brain.
Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
Yangzom D
YD
Bhutia
Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA. Electronic address: vadivel.ganapathy@ttuhsc.edu.
Vadivel
V
Ganapathy
D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000187:drug effects*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004386:Duodenum / Q000276:immunology*; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000209:etiology*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D038041:Lymphopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects*
D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids