Lung eosinophil recruitment in response to Aspergillus fumigatus is correlated with fungal cell wall composition and requires γδ T cells

Publication date: Available online 25 May 2017 Source:Microbes and Infection Author(s): Nansalmaa Amarsaikhan, Evan M. O’Dea, Angar Tsoggerel, Steven P. Templeton The differential recognition of fungal cell wall polysaccharides that program innate and adaptive immunity to the human opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus has been a focus of considerable interest. In a mouse model of fungal conidia aspiration, decreased relative levels of cell wall core carbohydrates β-1,3-glucan to chitin in A. fumigatus isolates and mutant strains were correlated with increased airway eosinophil recruitment. In addition, an increase in fungal surface chitin exposure induced by the β-1,3-glucan synthesis-targeting drug caspofungin was associated with increased murine airway eosinophil recruitment after a single challenge of conidia. The response to increased A. fumigatus chitin was associated with increased transcription of IL-17A after a single aspiration, although this cytokine was not required for eosinophil recruitment. Rather, both RAG1 and γδ T cells were required, suggesting that this subset of innate-like lymphocytes may be an important regulator of potentially detrimental type 2 immune responses to fungal inhalation and infection.
Source: Microbes and Infection - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research