immunoHuMiX: A personalizable gut‐on‐chip model for unraveling human microbiome–immune interactions
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: An individual's immune status is an essential factor affecting the efficacy of microbiome‐based therapies. To enable representative studies of microbiome–immune system interactions, we developed protocols to facilitate the coculture of intestinal epithelial cells and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in our microphysiological model of the human gut, HuMiX. Using the resulting immunoHuMiX model, we assessed responses to human–microbial cocultures with a probiotic mixture comprised of 17 strictly anaerobic Clostridial strains (17‐mix). We demonstrated the ability of our model to sustain metabolically active microbiota, while maintaining human cell viability, and generated relevant read‐outs for host–microbiome interaction studies. The composition of the strain mixture was not affected by the individual sources of PBMCs, and the abundances of the different immune cell populations were comparable when incubated with or without the 17‐mix after 24 h in the system, and between individuals. We observed increased cytokine production, PBMC viability, and PBMC cell counts upon coculture with the 17‐mix, thereby demonstrating immune sensing of the microbiota by the PBMCs. In summary, our immunoHuMiX model provides an important personalizable tool for screening microbiota‐driven immune responses.
DOI: 10.1002/viw.20250213
Authors: Charlotte De Rudder, Kacy Greenhalgh, Joanna Baginska, Camille Martin‐Gallausiaux, Léa Grandmougin, Rémy Villette, Mara Lucchetti, Bérénice Hansen, Marek Ostaszewski, Viacheslav A. Petrov, Koji Atarashi, Lena Weidert, Audrey Frachet Bour, Dominik Ternes, Javier Ramiro‐Garcia, Antoine Malabirade, Takeshi Tanoue, Marc Mac Giolla Eain, Elisabeth Letellier, Matthew Barrett, Jérôme Lacombe, Frederic Zenhausern, Coralie Guérin, Markus Ollert, Carole Seguin‐Devaux, Kenya Honda, Paul Wilmes
Institutions: University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, Keio University, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare (New Zealand), University of Arizona College of Medicine- Phoenix, HonorHealth, Luxembourg Institute of Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense University Hospital
Language: English
Topic: Gut microbiota and health
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,000
OpenAlex ID: W7140214330