Influence of TLR-2 in the immune response in the infection induced by fungus Sporothrix schenckii

Abstract

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in immunity, since they bind to pathogen surface antigens and initiate the immune response. However, little is known about the role of TLR-2 in the recognition of S. schenckii and in the subsequent immune response. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the involvement of TLR-2 in the immune response induced by S. schenckii. C57BL/6 mice (WT) and C57BL/6 TLR-2 knockout (TLR-2^−/−) were used to evaluate, over a period of 10 weeks of sporotrichotic infection, the influence of TLR-2 over macrophages production of IL-1β, IL-12 and TNF-α, their stimulation level by NO release and the production of IFN -γ, IL-6, IL-17 and TGF-β by spleen cells. The results showed that the production of pro-inflammatory mediators and NO, TLR-2 interference is striking, since its absence completely inhibited it. IL-17 production was independent of TLR-2. The absence of Th1 response in TLR2^−/− animals was concomitant with IL-17 production. Therefore, it can be suggested that TLR-2 absence interferes with the course of the infection induced by the fungus S. schenckii.

• Cytokines
• mice
• Sporothrix schenckii
• sporotrichosis
• TLR-2

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Marisa Campos Polesi Placeres for technical support.

This work was supported by grants from the The State of Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) (Grants no. 2009/07529-1 and 2009/11999-3).