Microbial Stimulation Reverses the Age-Related Decline in M Cells in Aged Mice

Abstract

<jats:title>SUMMARY</jats:title><jats:p>Ageing has a profound effect on the immune system, termed immunosenescence, resulting in increased incidence and severity of infections and decreased efficacy of vaccinations. We previously showed that immunosurveillance in the intestine, achieved primarily through antigen sampling M cells in the follicle associated epithelium (FAE) of Peyer’s patches, was compromised during ageing due to a decline in M cell functional maturation. The intestinal microbiota also changes significantly with age, but whether this affects M cell maturation was not known. We show that housing of aged mice on used bedding from young mice, or treatment with bacterial flagellin, were each sufficient to enhance the functional maturation of M cells in Peyer’s patches. An understanding of the mechanisms underlying the influence of the intestinal microbiota on M cells has the potential to lead to new methods to enhance the efficacy of oral vaccination in aged individuals.</jats:p>

MyD88 Mediates Colitis- and RANKL-induced Microfold Cell Differentiation

“…Another study showed that gut microbiota could also regulate the differentiation of M cells [14]. As reported, S. Typhimurium induces the differentiation of FAE enterocytes into M cells based on a type □ effector protein SopB-dependent pathway [15].…”

“…Some gut microbiota impact M cells differentiation as well. For example, bacterial flagellin recovers the age-related decline of FAE M cells in mice [14]. The number of M cells in specific pathogen-free (SPF) mice increases after 7-day feeding in a typical animal house environment.…”