Krüppel-like Factor 4 modulates interleukin-6 release in human dendritic cells after in vitro stimulation with Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans

Sci Rep. 2016 Jun 27:6:27990. doi: 10.1038/srep27990.

Abstract

Invasive fungal infections are associated with high mortality rates and are mostly caused by the opportunistic fungi Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans. Immune responses against these fungi are still not fully understood. Dendritic cells (DCs) are crucial players in initiating innate and adaptive immune responses against fungal infections. The immunomodulatory effects of fungi were compared to the bacterial stimulus LPS to determine key players in the immune response to fungal infections. A genome wide study of the gene regulation of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) confronted with A. fumigatus, C. albicans or LPS was performed and Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) was identified as the only transcription factor that was down-regulated in DCs by both fungi but induced by stimulation with LPS. Downstream analysis demonstrated the influence of KLF4 on the interleukine-6 expression in human DCs. Furthermore, KLF4 regulation was shown to be dependent on pattern recognition receptor ligation. Therefore KLF4 was identified as a controlling element in the IL-6 immune response with a unique expression pattern comparing fungal and LPS stimulation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aspergillosis / immunology
  • Aspergillosis / mortality
  • Aspergillosis / pathology
  • Aspergillus fumigatus / immunology*
  • Candida albicans / immunology*
  • Cell Line
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6 / immunology*
  • Interleukin-6 / metabolism
  • Kruppel-Like Factor 4
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Lipopolysaccharides / immunology
  • Pulmonary Aspergillosis / immunology
  • Pulmonary Aspergillosis / mortality
  • Pulmonary Aspergillosis / pathology
  • Receptors, Pattern Recognition / metabolism*

Substances

  • IL6 protein, human
  • Interleukin-6
  • KLF4 protein, human
  • Kruppel-Like Factor 4
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Receptors, Pattern Recognition