IMMUNOLOGY2026™ Conference Recordings For Attendees-At the crossroads of IL-17 signaling: IL-17 signal transduction in autoimmunity and fungal infections

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The speaker, an expert in IL-17 signaling, described a long-running research program on how IL-17-related cytokines protect against fungal infection, especially Candida albicans. Rather than focusing on signaling details, the talk emphasized how IL-17 and IL-22 act on different epithelial layers in the oral mucosa. Using mouse genetics, the lab showed that IL-17 receptor signaling in the superficial keratin-13-positive layer is essential for clearing oral candidiasis, while IL-22 acts mainly on the deeper keratin-14-positive basal layer to drive tissue repair and replenishment. They also identified iKappaB zeta as a key downstream transcriptional co-activator required for antifungal responses, including defensin production.<br /><br />The speaker then discussed new single-cell RNA-seq work showing dynamic shifts in oral epithelial cell populations during infection, helping refine which cells respond to which cytokines.<br /><br />In contrast to the oral cavity, vaginal candidiasis behaved differently. Early studies suggested IL-17 was dispensable in standard estrogen-treated mouse models, but newer work showed that combined IL-17 and IL-22 deficiency dramatically increases susceptibility. This indicates cooperative, immune-driven protection independent of estrogen alone. The talk closed by highlighting that different Candida infections use distinct tissue-specific IL-17 pathways, and that susceptibility can also arise through impaired tissue repair, not just cytokine deficiency.

Meta Tag

Date April 18, 2026 9:58 AM - 10:29 AM

Room Ballroom

Session Major Symposium F: 20 Years of Th17 Cells: Discovery and Clinical Impact

Speaker Sarah Gaffen

Track Lymphocyte Differentiation and Peripheral Maintenance (LYM)

Year 2026

Keywords

IL-17 signaling

Candida albicans

oral candidiasis

IL-22

epithelial layers

iKappaB zeta

single-cell RNA-seq

April 18, 2026 9:58 AM - 10:29 AM

Ballroom

Major Symposium F: 20 Years of Th17 Cells: Discovery and Clinical Impact

Sarah Gaffen

Lymphocyte Differentiation and Peripheral Maintenance (LYM)

2026