Salt-responsive gut commensal modulates TH17 axis and disease

Western lifestyle with high salt consumption leads tohypertension and cardiovascular disease. High salt may additionallydrive autoimmunity by inducing T helper (T H )17 cells, which may alsocontribute to hypertension. Induction of T H 17 cells depends on the gutmicrobiota, yet the effect of salt on the gut microbiome is unknown. Inmouse model systems, we show that high salt intake affects the gutmicrobiome, particularly by depleting Lactobacillus murinus.Consequently, L. murinus treatment prevents salt-induced aggravation ofexperimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and salt-sensitivehypertension, by modulating T H 17 cells. In line with these findings,moderate high salt challenge in humans reduces intestinal survival ofLactobacillus spp. along with increased T H 17 cells and blood pressure.Our results connect high salt intake to the gut-immune axis andhighlight the gut microbiome as a potential therapeutic target tocounteract salt-sensitive conditions.