Interaction of Innate lymphoid cells with neurons in brain homeostasis and in Toxoplasma infection-induced neuroinflammation

免疫系统和神经系统之间的密切相互作用早已被认识到。最近的研究表明，肠道内的组织固有淋巴样细胞（ILCs）受到调节组织稳态和炎症的各种神经元信号的影响。最近发现，中枢神经系统（CNS）中的ILCs与调节血管完整性和神经炎症过程的血脑屏障非常接近，但其深层通讯途径仍未明确。我们目前可以证明，在稳定状态下，某些ILC亚群存在于中枢神经系统的不同隔室中，并且它们的数量在神经炎症时升高。此外，我们还描述了免疫细胞与中枢神经系统驻留细胞在弓形虫感染诱导的神经炎症中密切相互作用，导致不同的神经元改变。在接下来的实验中，我们将进一步表征ILC亚群的复杂功能及其在健康和疾病中与中枢神经系统神经元的相互作用。获得的结果将有助于理解免疫系统和中枢神经系统在健康和疾病中的双向交流。

The close interaction between the immune and nervous system has long been perceived. It has been lately shown, that tissue-resident innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in the gut are affected by various neuronal signals regulating tissue homeostasis and inflammation. Recently became evident that ILCs in the central nervous system (CNS) are in close proximity to the blood-brain barrier regulating vascular integrity as well as neuroinflammatory processes, however the profound communication pathways remained undefined. We could currently show that certain ILC subpopulations are present in different compartments of the CNS during steady-state condition and their number is elevated upon neuroinflammation. Besides, we have described the close interaction between immune cells with CNS resident cells upon Toxoplasma infection-induced neuroinflammation resulting in distinct neuronal alterations.In the following experiments, we will further characterize the complex functions of ILC subpopulations and their interaction with neurons in the CNS in health and disease. The obtained results will help to understand the bidirectional communication between the immune system and the CNS in health and disease.