Autoantibodies against IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-22 in patients with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis and autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type I

J Exp Med. 2010 Feb 15;207(2):291-7. doi: 10.1084/jem.20091983. Epub 2010 Feb 1.

Abstract

Most patients with autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type I (APS-I) display chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC). We hypothesized that this CMC might result from autoimmunity to interleukin (IL)-17 cytokines. We found high titers of autoantibodies (auto-Abs) against IL-17A, IL-17F, and/or IL-22 in the sera of all 33 patients tested, as detected by multiplex particle-based flow cytometry. The auto-Abs against IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-22 were specific in the five patients tested, as shown by Western blotting. The auto-Abs against IL-17A were neutralizing in the only patient tested, as shown by bioassays of IL-17A activity. None of the 37 healthy controls and none of the 103 patients with other autoimmune disorders tested had such auto-Abs. None of the patients with APS-I had auto-Abs against cytokines previously shown to cause other well-defined clinical syndromes in other patients (IL-6, interferon [IFN]-gamma, or granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor) or against other cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-10, IL-12, IL-18, IL-21, IL-23, IL-26, IFN-beta, tumor necrosis factor [alpha], or transforming growth factor beta). These findings suggest that auto-Abs against IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-22 may cause CMC in patients with APS-I.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Autoantibodies / blood
  • Autoantibodies / immunology
  • Autoimmunity
  • Blotting, Western
  • Candidiasis, Chronic Mucocutaneous / blood
  • Candidiasis, Chronic Mucocutaneous / etiology
  • Candidiasis, Chronic Mucocutaneous / immunology*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Humans
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology
  • Interleukin-17 / immunology*
  • Interleukin-22
  • Interleukins / immunology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polyendocrinopathies, Autoimmune / blood
  • Polyendocrinopathies, Autoimmune / complications
  • Polyendocrinopathies, Autoimmune / immunology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Interleukin-17
  • Interleukins
  • Interferon-gamma