title: Up-regulation of Dectin-1 in airway epithelial cells promotes mice defense against invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With the growing number of immunocompromised patients, the incidence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis increases. Innate immunity plays a significant role in defensing against fungal infection. Airway epithelial cells induce immune responses like the production of cytokine and chemokine via Dectin-1 signaling pathway in response to Aspergillus fumigatus. Thus, we hypothesized that up-regulation of Dectin-1 on airway epithelium cells would promote the defense against A. fumigatus.
  
  
  METHODS
  We designed an adenoviral vector encoding full-length Dectin-1, and then transfected it into mice airway epithelial cells via intratracheal injection before the invasion of A. fumigatus. Transfect mice model was verified by using real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. And also, we studied the effects of up-regulation of Dectin-1 on the production of proinflammatory cytokines, histological changes, fungal burden and survival rate during A. fumigatus infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression level of Dectin-1 in lungs of mice with Dectin-1 recombinant adenoviral vector significantly increased. And also, the mice had higher production of TNF-α, GM-CSF and IL-1β, lower fungal burden, more recruitment of neutrophils into lungs and higher survival rate in response to A. fumigatus infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The administration of Dectin-1 recombinant adenoviral vector through trachea can elevate the expression of Dectin-1 on airway epithelium, and also, its function during the course of A. fumigatus infection was demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Southern Medical University Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Cheng
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wen-Kui
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ming-Ming
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Nanjing Chest Hospital Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
keywords: Asperguillus fumigatus; Dectin-1; adenoviral vector; innate immunity; lung epithelial cells