News Releases & Research Results First elucidation of the importance of the stomach in immune induction: discovery of the mechanism of immune protection by group 2 innate lymphoid cells against infection with Helicobacter pylori

The results of an international collaborative research conducted by Senior Research Scientist Naoko Satoh and Team Leader Hiroshi Ohno of the Laboratory for Intestinal Ecosystem, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, and the Pasteur Institute of France.

• The research group discovered the existence of immune responses that act protectively against bacterial infection in the mouse stomach.
• Specifically, group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) in the stomach, which had been considered as unaffected by commensal bacteria, were found to be bacteria-dependent and provide protection by inducing the production of immunoglobulin A (IgA).
• The results of this research, which revealed the presence of new immune responses to infection with H. pylori in the stomach and elucidated the mechanism of immune protection against it, should lead to the prophylaxis of infection through artificial induction of immune responses.

This research project was conducted with the support of the Advanced Research and Development Programs for Medical Innovation (AMED-CREST) by AMED.

The results of the research were published online in Immunity, a scientific journal, on April 2.

Satoh-Takayama N., et al. Bacteria-induced group 2 innate lymphoid cells in the stomach provide immune protection through induction of IgA Immunity
DOI：10.1016/j.immuni.2020.03.002