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Mechanoreceptors initiate innate immunity in response to microbial infections

Stucchi, G.; Marongiu, L.; Rocca, G.; Galli, M.; Celant, A.; Cozzi, S.; Polissi, A.; Martorana, A. M.; Vai, M.; Orlandi, I.; Innocenti, M.; Granucci, F.

2024-10-25 immunology
10.1101/2024.10.22.619631 bioRxiv
Show abstract

How mammals mount an effective immune response against infectious agents remains an unresolved fundamental issue in biology. Here, we discovered an unforeseen two-tier mechanism of neutrophil recruitment during infections, in which mechanosensing is key to initiating innate immunity. Leveraging a skin infection model and pathogenic bacteria and fungi, we demonstrate that the early recruitment of neutrophils is mainly danger-driven and partly reminiscent of sterile inflammation. Mechanistically, neutrophil recruitment is initiated by a mechanosensor-dependent pathway, involving the activation of PIEZO1 channels. This leads to LTB4 production, which, along with IL-1, induces the release of CXCL1, promoting neutrophil arrival to the site of infection. In contrast, later neutrophil recruitment is TLR- and CXCL2-dependent, highlighting a shift towards a pathogen-driven response to sustain inflammation. These findings advance our understanding of innate immunity by uncovering that mechanical and biochemical signals integrate into a circuit that initiates innate immune responses to microbial infections.

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