Immune response in human chromoblastomycosis and eumycetoma - focusing on human interleukin-17A, interferon-gamma, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 beta and human beta-defensin-2

Exploring Fungal Abundance and WHO Fungal Priority Pathogens in Agricultural Fields: A One Health Perspective in Northeast Thailand

Fungal pathogens prevalent in agricultural areas pose a significant risk to human health, with some exhibiting high fatality rates, as reported by the WHO Fungal Pathogen Priority List (WHO FPPL). This study investigates fungal communities in northeast Thailand's agricultural areas, focusing on potential reservoirs of the WHO FPPL. Samples were collected from rice, cassava, rubber trees, and sugarcane fields across 18 provinces with distinct geological features. Metabarcoding of the ITS1 region and taxonomic analysis were conducted, and potential pathogens were selected according to WHO FPPL criteria. The results showed that overall fungal community richness and diversity were influenced by plant fields but not significantly different by geological features. Soil organic matter and water content affected fungal dynamics only in rubber tree fields. Fungal pathogens from the WHO FPPL were found in all four plant fields, with higher abundance in Chaiyaphum province, especially in sugarcane fields, and the lowest in Nong Bua Lam Phu. Candida tropicalis, a high-priority pathogen, was predominantly associated with rock salt features. This study underscores the need for vigilance among farmers and emphasizes the importance of confirming fungal pathogenicity.

The Role of IL-17-Producing Cells in Cutaneous Fungal Infections

The skin is the outermost layer of the body and is exposed to many environmental stimuli, which cause various inflammatory immune responses in the skin. Among them, fungi are common microorganisms that colonize the skin and cause cutaneous fungal diseases such as candidiasis and dermatophytosis. The skin exerts inflammatory responses to eliminate these fungi through the cooperation of skin-component immune cells. IL-17 producing cells are representative immune cells that play a vital role in anti-fungal action in the skin by producing antimicrobial peptides and facilitating neutrophil infiltration. However, the actual impact of IL-17-producing cells in cutaneous fungal infections remains unclear. In this review, we focused on the role of IL-17-producing cells in a series of cutaneous fungal infections, the characteristics of skin infectious fungi, and the recognition of cell components that drive cutaneous immune cells.

Interleukin-17 and matrix metalloprotease-9 expression in the mycetoma granuloma

Mycetoma is a persistent, progressive granulomatous inflammatory disease caused either by fungi or by bacteria. Characteristic of this disease is that the causative agents organise themselves in macroscopic structures called grains. These grains are surrounded by a massive inflammatory reaction. The processes leading to this host tissue reaction and the immunophenotypic characteristics of the mycetoma granuloma are not known. Due to the massive immune reaction and the tissue remodeling involved, we hypothesised that the expression levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and matrix metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9) in the mycetoma granuloma formation were correlated to the severity of the disease and that this correlation was independent of the causative agent responsible for the granuloma reaction. To determine the expression of IL-17 and MMP-9 in mycetoma lesions, the present study was conducted at the Mycetoma Research Centre, Sudan. Surgical biopsies from 100 patients with confirmed mycetoma were obtained, and IL-17 and MMP-9 expression in the mycetoma granuloma were evaluated immunohistochemically. IL-17 was mainly expressed in Zones I and II, and far less in Zone III. MMP-9 was detected mainly in Zones II and III, and the least expression was in Zone I. MMP-9 was more highly expressed in Actinomadura pelletierii and Streptomyces somaliensis biopsies compared to Madurella mycetomatis biopsies. MMP-9 levels were directly proportional to the levels of IL-17 (p = 0.001). The only significant association between MMP9 and the patients' characteristics was the disease duration (p<0.001). There was an insignificant correlation between the IL-17 levels and the patients' demographic characteristics.