Dectin-1 is required for host defense against Pneumocystis carinii but not against Candida albicans.
Dectin-1 is a C-type lectin involved in the recognition of beta-glucans found in the cell walls of fungi. We generated dectin-1-deficient mice to determine the importance of dectin-1 in the defense against pathogenic fungi. In vitro, beta-glucan-induced cytokine production from wild-type dendritic cells and macrophages was abolished in cells homozygous for dectin-1 deficiency ('dectin-1-knockout' cells). In vivo, dectin-1-knockout mice were more susceptible than wild-type mice to pneumocystis infection, even though their cytokine production was normal. However, pneumocystis-infected dectin-1-knockout macrophages did show defective production of reactive oxygen species. In contrast to those results, wild-type and dectin-1-knockout mice were equally susceptible to candida infection. Thus, dectin-1 is required for immune responses to some fungal infections, as protective immunity to pneumocystis, but not to candida, required dectin-1 for the production of antifungal reactive oxygen species.
Saijo
Shinobu
S
Center for Experimental Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1, Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.
Fujikado
Noriyuki
N
Furuta
Takahisa
T
Chung
Soo-hyun
SH
Kotaki
Hayato
H
Seki
Keisuke
K
Sudo
Katsuko
K
Akira
Shizuo
S
Adachi
Yoshiyuki
Y
Ohno
Naohito
N
Kinjo
Takeshi
T
Nakamura
Kiwamu
K
Kawakami
Kazuyoshi
K
Iwakura
Yoichiro
Y
D000818:Animals; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016720:Pneumocystis Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D045363:Pneumocystis carinii / Q000276:immunology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000032:analysis; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015854:Up-Regulation; D000099181:Dectin-1
D016207:Cytokines; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D000099181:Dectin-1