title: Cutting edge: IL-17-secreting innate lymphoid cells are essential for host defense against fungal infection.
abstract: IL-17-mediated immunity has emerged as a crucial host defense mechanism against fungal infections. Although Th cells are generally thought to act as the major source of IL-17 in response to Candida albicans, we show that fungal control is mediated by IL-17-secreting innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) and not by Th17 cells. By using a mouse model of oropharyngeal candidiasis we found that IL-17A and IL-17F, which are both crucial for pathogen clearance, are produced promptly upon infection in an IL-23-dependent manner, and that ILCs in the oral mucosa are the main source for these cytokines. Ab-mediated depletion of ILCs in RAG1-deficient mice or ILC deficiency in retinoic acid-related orphan receptor c(-/-) mice resulted in a complete failure to control the infection. Taken together, our data uncover the cellular basis for the IL-23/IL-17 axis, which acts right at the onset of infection when it is most needed for fungal control and host protection.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gladiator
authors.forename: Nicolette
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wangler
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Trautwein-Weidner
authors.forename: Salomé
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: LeibundGut-Landmann
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity; D000818:Animals; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020381:Interleukin-17