Dectin-1 diversifies Aspergillus fumigatus–specific T cell responses by inhibiting T helper type 1 CD4 T cell differentiation

A Rivera, TM Hohl, N Collins, I Leiner… - Journal of Experimental …, 2011 - rupress.org
A Rivera, TM Hohl, N Collins, I Leiner, A Gallegos, S Saijo, JW Coward, Y Iwakura…
Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2011rupress.org
Pulmonary infection of mice with Aspergillus fumigatus induces concurrent T helper type 1
(Th1) and Th17 responses that depend on Toll-like receptor/MyD88 and Dectin-1,
respectively. However, the mechanisms balancing Th1 and Th17 CD4 T cell populations
during infection remain incompletely defined. In this study, we show that Dectin-1 deficiency
disproportionally increases Th1 responses and decreases Th17 differentiation after A.
fumigatus infection. Dectin-1 signaling in A. fumigatus–infected wild-type mice reduces IFN-γ …
Pulmonary infection of mice with Aspergillus fumigatus induces concurrent T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th17 responses that depend on Toll-like receptor/MyD88 and Dectin-1, respectively. However, the mechanisms balancing Th1 and Th17 CD4 T cell populations during infection remain incompletely defined. In this study, we show that Dectin-1 deficiency disproportionally increases Th1 responses and decreases Th17 differentiation after A. fumigatus infection. Dectin-1 signaling in A. fumigatus–infected wild-type mice reduces IFN-γ and IL-12p40 expression in the lung, thereby decreasing T-bet expression in responding CD4 T cells and enhancing Th17 responses. Absence of IFN-γ or IL-12p35 in infected mice or T-bet in responding CD4 T cells enhances Th17 differentiation, independent of Dectin-1 expression, in A. fumigatus–infected mice. Transient deletion of monocyte-derived dendritic cells also reduces Th1 and boosts Th17 differentiation of A. fumigatus–specific CD4 T cells. Our findings indicate that Dectin-1–mediated signals alter CD4 T cell responses to fungal infection by decreasing the production of IL-12 and IFN-γ in innate cells, thereby decreasing T-bet expression in A. fumigatus–specific CD4 T cells and enabling Th17 differentiation.
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