Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Th17 Inflammation Model of Oropharyngeal Candidiasis in Immunodeficient Mice
Published on: February 18, 2015
Candida albicans dampens host defense by downregulating IL-17 production
Shih-Chin Cheng1, Frank van de Veerdonk, Sanne Smeekens
1Department of Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center and Nijmegen Institute for Infection, Inflammation and Immunity, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
IL-17 is one of the key cytokines that stimulate host defense during a Candida infection. Several studies have demonstrated the capacity of Candida albicans to induce a Th17 response. Surprisingly, experiments employing live C. ablicans demonstrated a specific downregulation of host IL-17 secretion in human blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). By avoiding the direct contact of live C. albicans and PBMCs, we demonstrate that this inhibition effect is mediated by a soluble factor released by live C. albicans. However, this effect is due neither to the releasing of C. albicans pathogen-associated molecular patterns nor to the alteration of different Th cell subtypes. Rather, we found that live C. albicans shifts tryptophan metabolism by inhibiting IDO expression away from kynurenines and toward 5-hydroxytryptophan metabolites. In addition, we show that these latter 5-hydroxytryptophan metabolites inhibit IL-17 production. In conclusion, live C. albicans inhibits host Th17 responses by modulatory effects on tryptophan metabolism.
Related Concept Videos
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Candidiasis
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin create...
Cell-mediated Immune Responses