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Colonic Engyodontium fungus triggers neutrophil antimicrobial activity to suppress Lactobacillus johnsonii-derived

Xinying Wang1,2,3, Haiyang Sun2, Ying Tan2

  • 1Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and.

The Journal of Clinical Investigation
|March 2, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Commensal fungi like Engyodontium exacerbate colitis by impairing beneficial Lactobacillus johnsonii. This discovery reveals a new therapeutic target for inflammatory bowel diseases.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Intestinal commensal fungi roles in immune homeostasis and disease remain unclear due to isolation challenges.
  • Understanding fungal-bacterial interactions in the gut is crucial for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To isolate and characterize commensal fungi from the mouse intestine.
  • To investigate the role of Engyodontium fungus in colitis and its interaction with Lactobacillus johnsonii.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized an Fc fusion protein of Dectin-2 for isolating Engyodontium sp. from mouse feces.
  • Investigated the CARD9 pathway's involvement in Engyodontium-induced neutrophil antimicrobial activity.
  • Analyzed the impact of Engyodontium on Lactobacillus johnsonii colonization and L-glutamic acid production.

Main Results:

  • Successfully isolated Engyodontium sp., revealing its enhancement of colonic neutrophil antimicrobial activity via the CARD9 pathway.
  • Demonstrated that Engyodontium exacerbates colitis by reducing Lactobacillus johnsonii colonization, which impairs Treg expansion.
  • Observed increased Engyodontium and decreased L. johnsonii in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Conclusions:

  • The Engyodontium-calprotectin axis counteracts the Lactobacillus-glutamate-Treg cascade, worsening colitis.
  • Commensal Engyodontium-triggered signaling presents a potential therapeutic target for mucosal inflammatory diseases like IBD.
Keywords:
GastroenterologyInnate immunityMicrobiologyMicrobiome

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