Interleukin-17 (IL-17)-mediated immunity controls skin infection and T helper 1 response during experimental Microsporum canis dermatophytosis

BURSTEIN VL; GUASCONI L; BECCACECE I; THEUMER MG; MENA C; PRINZ I; CERVI L; HERRERO M; MASIH DT; CHIAPELLO LS

JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE DERMATOLOGY

NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2018

0022-202X

espite worldwide prevalence of superficial mycoses, the immune response in dermatophytosis has scarcely been investigated. In this study, we developed a model of superficial skin infection in C57BL/6 mice with Microsporum canis, a highly prevalent human pathogen. This model mimics mild inflammatory human dermatophytosis, characterized by neutrophil recruitment and fungal invasion limited to the epidermis, and exhibits the establishment of a specific T helper 17 (Th17) immune response during infection. By using IL-17RA or IL-17A/F deficient mice we showed that, in the absence of a functional IL-17 pathway, M. canis extensively colonizes the epidermis and promotes an exaggerated skin inflammation and a shift to an IFN-γ-mediated (Th1) response. Strikingly, IL-17 signaling was not involved in neutrophil influx to skin or fungal invasion to deeper tissues. Finally, this study demonstrates that skin langerin-expressing cells contribute to the antifungal Th17 response in vivo.In conclu