Mediation of T-helper 17 responses to schistosomes by dendritic cells but not basophils.

International audienceT-helper (Th) 17 cells that express lineage-specific transcription factor RORC and produce cytokines interleukin 17A (IL-17A), interleukin 17F (IL-17F), and interleukin 22 (IL-22), play a key role in the clearance of both intracellular and extracellular bacteria and fungal infections. However, in the context of certain other infections, such as hepatitis B, chronic toxoplasmic uveitis, encephalitis, and Theiler murine encephalomyelitis, chronic activation of Th17 cells could contribute to tissue damage and immunopathology [1–3]. In line with these observations, Mbow et al [4] recently demonstrated that Th17 cells are associated with pathology in human schistosomiasis. They found elevated Th17 cells in peripheral blood of patients with schistosomiasis as well as in the liver and spleen of Schistosoma mansoni–infected mice. However, considering the essential role of innate immune cells in mediating T-cell responses, questions regarding the identification of innate cells that could promote Th17 responses during Schistosoma infection remain unexplored