- Zigdon, Mor;
- Sawaed, Jasmin;
- Zelik, Lilach;
- Binyamin, Dana;
- Ben-Simon, Shira;
- Asulin, Nofar;
- Levin, Rachel;
- Modilevsky, Sonia;
- Naama, Maria;
- Telpaz, Shahar;
- Rubin, Elad;
- Awad, Aya;
- Sawaed, Wisal;
- Harshuk-Shabso, Sarina;
- Nuriel-Ohayon, Meital;
- Krishnamohan, Mathumathi;
- Werbner, Michal;
- Koren, Omry;
- Winter, Sebastian E;
- Apte, Ron N;
- Voronov, Elena;
- Bel, Shai
- Editor(s): Cadwell, Ken
Acute gastrointestinal infection with intracellular pathogens like Salmonella Typhimurium triggers the release of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin 1β (IL-1β). However, the role of IL-1β in intestinal defense against Salmonella remains unclear. Here, we show that IL-1β production is detrimental during Salmonella infection. Mice lacking IL-1β (IL-1β -/-) failed to recruit neutrophils to the gut during infection, which reduced tissue damage and prevented depletion of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing commensals. Changes in epithelial cell metabolism that typically support pathogen expansion, such as switching energy production from fatty acid oxidation to fermentation, were absent in infected IL-1β -/- mice which inhibited Salmonella expansion. Additionally, we found that IL-1β induces expression of complement anaphylatoxins and suppresses the complement-inactivator carboxypeptidase N (CPN1). Disrupting this process via IL-1β loss prevented mortality in Salmonella-infected IL-1β -/- mice. Finally, we found that IL-1β expression correlates with expression of the complement receptor in patients suffering from sepsis, but not uninfected patients and healthy individuals. Thus, Salmonella exploits IL-1β signaling to outcompete commensal microbes and establish gut colonization. Moreover, our findings identify the intersection of IL-1β signaling and the complement system as key host factors involved in controlling mortality during invasive Salmonellosis.