Abstract
Group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) produce interleukin (IL)-22 and coordinate with other cells in the gut to mount productive host immunity against bacterial infection. However, the role of ILC3s in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) infection, which causes foodborne enteritis in humans, remains elusive. Here we show that S. Typhimurium exploits ILC3-produced IL-22 to promote its infection in mice. Specifically, S. Typhimurium secretes flagellin through activation of the TLR5-MyD88-IL-23 signalling pathway in antigen presenting cells (APCs) to selectively enhance IL-22 production by ILC3s, but not T cells. Deletion of ILC3s but not T cells in mice leads to better control of S. Typhimurium infection. We also show that S. Typhimurium can directly invade ILC3s and cause caspase-1-mediated ILC3 pyroptosis independently of flagellin. Genetic ablation of Casp1 in mice leads to increased ILC3 survival and IL-22 production, and enhanced S. Typhimurium infection. Collectively, our data suggest a key host defence mechanism against S. Typhimurium infection via induction of ILC3 death to limit intracellular bacteria and reduce IL-22 production.