Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Th17 Inflammation Model of Oropharyngeal Candidiasis in Immunodeficient Mice
08:02

Th17 Inflammation Model of Oropharyngeal Candidiasis in Immunodeficient Mice

Published on: February 18, 2015

IL-23 and the Th17 pathway promote inflammation and impair antifungal immune resistance

Teresa Zelante1, Antonella De Luca, Pierluigi Bonifazi

  • 1Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.

European Journal of Immunology
|September 28, 2007
PubMed

Insights

The IL-23/IL-17 pathway worsens fungal infections by hindering Th1 immunity and promoting inflammation. Modulating this pathway could improve antifungal immune responses.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Inflammation is crucial for fighting fungal infections, but its dysregulation can worsen disease.
  • The Th1 immune response is key for resistance against fungi.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of the IL-23/IL-17 pathway in fungal infections.
  • To understand how this pathway affects Th1-mediated immunity and inflammation.

Main Methods:

  • Studied the IL-23/IL-17 pathway in models of Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus infection.
  • Analyzed the impact of IL-23 and IL-17 on immune cells, including neutrophils and dendritic cells.
  • Assessed the relationship between fungal burden, inflammation, and immune responses.

Main Results:

  • The IL-23/IL-17 pathway negatively regulated Th1 immune resistance to fungi.
  • Heightened Th17 responses exacerbated inflammation and infection severity.
  • IL-23 linked fungal burden to inflammation by counter-regulating IL-12p70.
  • IL-23 and IL-17 promoted inflammatory pathology in neutrophils.

Conclusions:

  • The IL-23/IL-17 pathway promotes inflammation and susceptibility in fungal infections.
  • This pathway impairs antifungal resistance and worsens disease.
  • Targeting the IL-23/IL-17 pathway may offer a strategy to enhance protective immune responses against fungi.

More Related Videos

Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes12:59

Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes

Published on: September 26, 2013

In Vitro Differentiation of Naive CD4+ T Cells into Pathogenic Th17 Cells in Mouse07:46

In Vitro Differentiation of Naive CD4+ T Cells into Pathogenic Th17 Cells in Mouse

Published on: October 25, 2024

Related Concept Videos

T Cell Types and Functions01:24

T Cell Types and Functions

When T cells with CD4 markers are activated, they give rise to two types of effector cells: helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Meanwhile, T cells with CD8 markers differentiate into effector cytotoxic T cells. The differentiation of CD4 T cells into helper T cell subsets, such as Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells, is dependent on the antigen type, antigen-presenting cell, and regulatory cytokines.
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease01:25

Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease

Crohn’s disease is a chronic, relapsing form of inflammatory bowel disease characterized by segmental, transmural inflammation that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Its pathogenesis arises from a combination of genetic susceptibility, environmental exposures, epithelial barrier dysfunction, and immune dysregulation. Together, these factors lead to an exaggerated immune response against components of the gut microbiome.Genetic and Environmental InfluencesMultiple genetic...
Inflammatory Response01:28

Inflammatory Response

An inflammatory response is a localized, nonspecific immune reaction that occurs when a tissue is injured. It is characterized by redness, swelling, heat, and pain, which are commonly called the cardinal signs and symptoms of inflammation. Inflammation can sometimes result in a loss of function.
Inflammation can be triggered by various stimuli, such as impact, abrasion, chemical irritation, infections, and extreme hot or cold temperatures. These can damage cells and connective tissue fibers,...
Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens01:29

Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens

The immune system's response to viral infections is a complex and coordinated process involving natural killer (NK) cells, T cell-mediated responses, and antibody-mediated responses.
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response01:27

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal Agents

Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...