title: Dectin-1 is required for host defense against Pneumocystis carinii but not against Candida albicans.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Center for Experimental Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1, Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinobu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saijo
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujikado
authors.forename: Takahisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Furuta
authors.forename: Soo-hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Hayato
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kotaki
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.forename: Katsuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sudo
authors.forename: Shizuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akira
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Naohito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kinjo
authors.forename: Kiwamu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: Yoichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwakura
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D000099181:Dectin-1