Fungal sensing by dectin-1 directs the non-pathogenic polarization of TH17 cells through balanced type I IFN responses in human DCs

Sonja I Gringhuis, Tanja M Kaptein, Ester B M Remmerswaal, Agata Drewniak, Brigitte A Wevers, Bart Theelen, Geert R A M D'Haens, Teun Boekhout, Teunis B H Geijtenbeek

Research output: Contribution to journal/periodicalArticleScientificpeer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The non-pathogenic TH17 subset of helper T cells clears fungal infections, whereas pathogenic TH17 cells cause inflammation and tissue damage; however, the mechanisms controlling these distinct responses remain unclear. Here we found that fungi sensing by the C-type lectin dectin-1 in human dendritic cells (DCs) directed the polarization of non-pathogenic TH17 cells. Dectin-1 signaling triggered transient and intermediate expression of interferon (IFN)-β in DCs, which was mediated by the opposed activities of transcription factors IRF1 and IRF5. IFN-β-induced signaling led to integrin αvβ8 expression directly and to the release of the active form of the cytokine transforming growth factor (TGF)-β indirectly. Uncontrolled IFN-β responses as a result of IRF1 deficiency induced high expression of the IFN-stimulated gene BST2 in DCs and restrained TGF-β activation. Active TGF-β was required for polarization of non-pathogenic TH17 cells, whereas pathogenic TH17 cells developed in the absence of active TGF-β. Thus, dectin-1-mediated modulation of type I IFN responses allowed TGF-β activation and non-pathogenic TH17 cell development during fungal infections in humans.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1735-1748
Number of pages14
JournalNature Immunology
Volume23
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2022

Keywords

  • Humans
  • Cytokines/metabolism
  • Dendritic Cells/metabolism
  • Interferon Type I/metabolism
  • Lectins, C-Type/genetics
  • Th17 Cells/metabolism
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism
  • Mycoses/immunology

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