Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response01:27

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

859
Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
859
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

688
T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
688
T Cell Types and Functions01:24

T Cell Types and Functions

961
When T cells with CD4 markers are activated, they give rise to two types of effector cells: helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Meanwhile, T cells with CD8 markers differentiate into effector cytotoxic T cells. The differentiation of CD4 T cells into helper T cell subsets, such as Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells, is dependent on the antigen type, antigen-presenting cell, and regulatory cytokines.
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
961
Cells of the Innate Immune Response01:28

Cells of the Innate Immune Response

1.6K
The innate immune response is an immediate and non-specific response against pathogens, acting swiftly to prevent the spread of infections. The primary cells involved in this response are phagocytes and natural killer (NK) cells.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes police the peripheral tissues by removing cellular debris and responding to the invasion of foreign substances or pathogens. Many phagocytes attack and remove microorganisms even before lymphocytes detect them. The human body has two general...
1.6K
  1. Home
  3. Research Domains
  5. Biological Sciences
  7. Genetics
  9. Genome Structure And Regulation
  11. Butyrate Enhances Cd56bright Nk Cell-driven Killing Of Activated T Cells And Modulates Nk Cell Chromatin Accessibility

Butyrate enhances CD56bright NK cell-driven killing of activated T cells and modulates NK cell chromatin accessibility

Federico Carlini1, Margherita Squillario1, Valentina Casella1

  • 1IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy.

Genes and Immunity
|June 12, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Tailoring In Vivo Cytotoxicity Assays to Study Immunodominance in Tumor-specific CD8+ T Cell Responses
10:13

Tailoring In Vivo Cytotoxicity Assays to Study Immunodominance in Tumor-specific CD8+ T Cell Responses

Published on: May 6, 2019

8.9K
Interview: Glycolipid Antigen Presentation by CD1d and the Therapeutic Potential of NKT cell Activation
18:08

Interview: Glycolipid Antigen Presentation by CD1d and the Therapeutic Potential of NKT cell Activation

Published on: December 31, 2007

9.9K
Teasing Out the Interplay Between Natural Killer Cells and Nociceptor Neurons
09:40

Teasing Out the Interplay Between Natural Killer Cells and Nociceptor Neurons

Published on: June 30, 2022

2.1K

View abstract on PubMed

Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Butyrate (BUT), a gut bacteria metabolite, alters the epigenetic landscape of human natural killer (NK) cells by inhibiting histone deacetylases (HDAC). This impacts NK cell function and phenotype, revealing new insights into immune regulation.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Epigenetics
  • Microbiome-Host Interactions

Background:

  • Gut bacteria-derived metabolites, like butyrate (BUT), are known to modulate immune cells, particularly T regulatory cells, via histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition.
  • Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial innate immune cells with effector and regulatory roles, but the impact of BUT on their function and epigenetics remains largely unexplored.
  • Understanding how microbial metabolites influence NK cell biology is vital for developing novel immunomodulatory strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of butyrate (BUT) on the epigenetic landscape of human natural killer (NK) cells.
  • To determine how BUT influences NK cell phenotype, gene expression, and functional properties.
  • To explore the potential of BUT as an immunomodulator targeting NK cell activity.

Related Experiment Videos

Tailoring In Vivo Cytotoxicity Assays to Study Immunodominance in Tumor-specific CD8+ T Cell Responses
10:13

Tailoring In Vivo Cytotoxicity Assays to Study Immunodominance in Tumor-specific CD8+ T Cell Responses

Published on: May 6, 2019

8.9K
Interview: Glycolipid Antigen Presentation by CD1d and the Therapeutic Potential of NKT cell Activation
18:08

Interview: Glycolipid Antigen Presentation by CD1d and the Therapeutic Potential of NKT cell Activation

Published on: December 31, 2007

9.9K
Teasing Out the Interplay Between Natural Killer Cells and Nociceptor Neurons
09:40

Teasing Out the Interplay Between Natural Killer Cells and Nociceptor Neurons

Published on: June 30, 2022

2.1K

Main Methods:

  • Treatment of human NK cells with butyrate (BUT) and assessment of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition.
  • Chromatin accessibility profiling using ATAC sequencing to identify BUT-mediated epigenetic changes.
  • Analysis of transcriptomic data and flow cytometry to characterize NK cell subsets, phenotype, and cytotoxicity.

Main Results:

  • Butyrate (BUT) was confirmed to inhibit histone deacetylases (HDAC) in human NK cells.
  • ATAC sequencing revealed that BUT significantly alters chromatin accessibility in NK cells, affecting immune regulation, antiviral responses, and micro-RNA gene expression.
  • BUT treatment led to the induction of CD69+CD56dim NK cells, activated specific gene clusters in CD56bright and CD69+CD56dim NK cells, and repressed genes in non-classical NK cells, enhancing cytotoxicity towards certain T cell subsets.

Conclusions:

  • Butyrate (BUT) demonstrably impacts the epigenetic landscape of human NK cells, altering their chromatin accessibility.
  • BUT influences NK cell phenotype, promoting specific subsets like CD69+CD56dim NK cells and modulating gene expression profiles.
  • The study reveals that BUT affects NK cell regulatory functions, including enhanced cytotoxicity towards specific T cell populations, highlighting its role in immune modulation.