[HTML][HTML] Human dectin-1 deficiency and mucocutaneous fungal infections

B Ferwerda, G Ferwerda, TS Plantinga… - … England Journal of …, 2009 - Mass Medical Soc
B Ferwerda, G Ferwerda, TS Plantinga, JA Willment, AB Van Spriel, H Venselaar, CC Elbers…
New England Journal of Medicine, 2009Mass Medical Soc
Mucocutaneous fungal infections are typically found in patients who have no known immune
defects. We describe a family in which four women who were affected by either recurrent
vulvovaginal candidiasis or onychomycosis had the early-stop-codon mutation Tyr238X in
the β-glucan receptor dectin-1. The mutated form of dectin-1 was poorly expressed, did not
mediate β-glucan binding, and led to defective production of cytokines (interleukin-17, tumor
necrosis factor, and interleukin-6) after stimulation with β-glucan or Candida albicans. In …
Mucocutaneous fungal infections are typically found in patients who have no known immune defects. We describe a family in which four women who were affected by either recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis or onychomycosis had the early-stop-codon mutation Tyr238X in the β-glucan receptor dectin-1. The mutated form of dectin-1 was poorly expressed, did not mediate β-glucan binding, and led to defective production of cytokines (interleukin-17, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin-6) after stimulation with β-glucan or Candida albicans. In contrast, fungal phagocytosis and fungal killing were normal in the patients, explaining why dectin-1 deficiency was not associated with invasive fungal infections and highlighting the specific role of dectin-1 in human mucosal antifungal defense.
The New England Journal Of Medicine