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Learning to control tissue damage while fighting Aspergillus

Alicia Yoke Wei Wong1, Jan Fric2, Teresa Zelante3

  • 1Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore.

Medical Mycology
|March 1, 2019
PubMed

Insights

This study explores how Aspergillus fungal infections impact lung immunity. It highlights the role of autophagy in dendritic cells (DCs) in regulating T-cell responses to prevent severe lung inflammation and promote healing.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Pulmonary Medicine
  • Mycology

Background:

  • Aspergillus moulds are emerging as critical human pathogens, especially in immunocompromised individuals, causing severe lung infections.
  • Pulmonary immunity and inflammation regulation are crucial for susceptibility to fungal infections.
  • The role of Interleukin-17 (IL-17)/T helper 17 (Th17) responses in lung inflammation is known, but the specific mechanisms governing Th17 cell responses to fungal pathogens are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify key mediators involved in the interaction between fungi, dendritic cells (DCs), and T cells in the respiratory tract.
  • To investigate the influence of DC-derived cytokines on the development of pathological Th17 cells during Aspergillus infection.
  • To review the role of Aspergillus-induced autophagy in lung DCs and its impact on T-cell polarization and stemness.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent scientific literature focusing on fungus-DC-T cell interactions in the context of pulmonary Aspergillus infections.
  • Analysis of DC-derived cytokines and their role in Th17 cell differentiation.
  • Examination of the impact of autophagy within lung DCs on T-cell responses and immune memory.

Main Results:

  • Potential key mediators of fungus-DC-T cell interactions in the respiratory tract have been identified.
  • DC-derived cytokines are highlighted as significant factors influencing the generation of pathological Th17 cells.
  • Aspergillus-induced autophagy in lung DCs plays a crucial role in subsequent T-cell polarization and modulation of T-cell stemness.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding fungus-DC-T cell interactions is vital for managing Aspergillus-related lung diseases.
  • Autophagy in lung DCs is critical for modulating T-cell responses, preventing excessive inflammation, and resolving disease.
  • Targeting DC autophagy pathways may offer therapeutic strategies for controlling pathological Th17 responses in fungal lung infections.
Keywords:
AspergillusIL-2InflammationTh17

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