Canonical Wnt Signaling in Antigen Presenting Cells Regulates Microbiota-Induced Inflammation and Immune Cell Homeostasis in the Colon

Abstract

Aberrant Wnt/β-catenin-signaling occurs in several inflammatory diseases including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and IBD-associated colon carcinogenesis. However, its role in shaping mucosal immune responses to commensals in the gut remains unknown. Here, we investigated the importance of canonical Wnt signaling in CD11c+ antigen presenting cells (APCs) in controlling intestinal inflammation. Using a mouse model of ulcerative colitis, we demonstrated that canonical Wnt-signaling in intestinal CD11c+ antigen presenting cells (APCs) controls intestinal inflammation by imparting an anti-inflammatory phenotype. Genetic deletion of Wnt co-receptors, low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 and 6 (LRP5/6) in CD11c+ APCs in mice (LRP5/6ΔCD11c mice) resulted in enhanced intestinal inflammation with increased histopathological severity of colonic tissue. This was due to microbiota-dependent increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and decreased expression of immune regulatory factors such as IL-10, retinoic acid (RA), and IDO. In addition, loss of LRP5/6-mediated signaling in CD11c+ APCs resulted in altered microflora and T cell homeostasis, which led to a loss of systemic tolerance to oral antigen. Furthermore, our study demonstrates that conditional activation of β-catenin in CD11c+ APCs in LRP5/6ΔCD11c mice resulted in reduced acute intestinal inflammation with decreased histopathological severity of colonic tissue. Loss of canonical Wnt signaling in CD11c+ APCs also results in an increase in colonic polyp formation and exacerbation of chronic inflammation/injury. This was also heavily dependent on the presence and composition of the gut microbiota, as fecal transfers from LRP5/6ΔCD11c mice to floxed control (LRP5/6FL/FL) mice that were administered an antibiotic cocktail produces a polyp load and weight loss similar to that of LRP5/6ΔCD11c mice without treatment. Additionally, our study demonstrates that conditional activation of β-catenin in CD11c+ APCs in LRP5/6ΔCD11c mice reduces severity of inflammation-associated colon carcinogenesis in these mice. Furthermore, we show that treatment of LRP5/6ΔCD11c mice with either RA or IL-10 reduces severity of inflammation-associated colon carcinogenesis. Mechanistically, RA and IL-10 may independently reduce key inflammatory factors at the acute phase of colitis. These results ultimately reveal a mechanism by which intestinal APCs control intestinal inflammation and immune homeostasis via the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, which may serve as a promising target for chronic inflammatory disorders.