T cell KAT6A deficiency relieves inflammatory bowel disease in mice

The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been increasing, and while the interaction between T cells and intestinal microorganisms is crucial in its pathogenesis, the related epigenetic mechanisms remain unclear. This study found that the expression of lysine acetyltransferase 6A (KAT6A) was increased in T cells of patients with acute colitis. Knocking out KAT6A in CD4⁺ T cells alleviated dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice, as manifested in body weight, disease activity index, colon length, inflammation, and the expression of proinflammatory factors. Mechanistically, KAT6A deficiency upregulated the senescence of CD4⁺ T cells and affected the expression of related genes. Moreover, the regulation of colitis by CD4⁺ T cell KAT6A was dependent on the gut microbiota. Antibiotic treatment could reverse the protective effect in T cell KAT6A knockout (TK6AKO) mice, and fecal transplantation experiments confirmed that it was related to the change of the microbiota. 16S rRNA sequencing showed that the composition of the gut microbiota was changed, and specific bacteria such as Akkermansia muciniphila were enriched in TK6AKO mice. This study reveals that KAT6A affects colitis through the interaction between regulating T cell senescence and the gut microbiota, providing a new strategy for treatment.