Fig. 7.

IL-17-producing cells indeuced by gut microbiota favor MM progression. (1) Upon AID-dependent MYC activation in germinal centers, a B cell stochastically acquires the characteristics of malignant plasma cell (MM) and migrates to the BM. (2) Within the BM niche, a favorable cytokine milieu induces Th17 skew and eosinophil (Eos) activation, thus establishing a positive-feedback loop that is self-amplifying, and sustains MM progression. (3) A selected gut microbiota locally favors the expansion of Th17 cells, which migrate to the BM niche, where they further contribute to the eosinophil-Th17-MM cells network