IL-33 controls IL-22-dependent antibacterial defense by modulating the microbiota

IL-22 plays a critical role in defending against mucosal infections, but how IL-22 production is regulated is incompletely understood. Here, we show that mice lacking IL-33 or its receptor ST2 (IL-1RL1) were more resistant to Streptococcus pneumoniae lung infection than wild-type animals, and that single nucleotide polymorphisms in IL33 and IL1RL1 were associated with pneumococcal pneumonia in humans. The effect of IL-33 on S. pneumoniae infection was mediated by negative regulation of IL-22 production in innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), but independent of ILC2s as well as IL-4 and IL-13 signaling. Moreover, IL-33s influence on antibacterial defense was dependent on housing conditions of the mice, and mediated by the modulatory effect of IL-33 on the microbiota. Collectively, we provide insight into the bidirectional crosstalk between the innate immune system and the microbiota. We identify a mechanism, dependent on both genetic and environmental factors, that impacts the efficacy of antibacterial immune defense and thus susceptibility to pneumonia. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTLower respiratory tract infections are the fifth leading cause of death. Here, we describe a mechanism influenced by genetic and environmental factors that affects the efficacy of pulmonary antibacterial immune responses. We show that IL-33 controls antibacterial defense by regulating the production of IL-22, a cytokine with known functions in antimicrobial immunity in lungs. The effect of IL-33 on IL-22-dependent defense was influenced by the hygienic status of the mice and mediated by IL-33s modulatory effect on the animal microbiota. In addition, genetic variation in genes involved in IL-33 signaling was associated with bacterial pneumonia in humans. Our findings may be important for our understanding of the factors influencing predisposition to lower respiratory tract infections.