Human IL-23 is essential for IFN-γ-dependent immunity to mycobacteria

Sci Immunol. 2023 Feb 17;8(80):eabq5204. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abq5204. Epub 2023 Feb 10.

Abstract

Patients with autosomal recessive (AR) IL-12p40 or IL-12Rβ1 deficiency display Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease (MSMD) due to impaired IFN-γ production and, less commonly, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC) due to impaired IL-17A/F production. We report six patients from four kindreds with AR IL-23R deficiency. These patients are homozygous for one of four different loss-of-function IL23R variants. All six patients have a history of MSMD, but only two suffered from CMC. We show that IL-23 induces IL-17A only in MAIT cells, possibly contributing to the incomplete penetrance of CMC in patients unresponsive to IL-23. By contrast, IL-23 is required for both baseline and Mycobacterium-inducible IFN-γ immunity in both Vδ2+ γδ T and MAIT cells, probably contributing to the higher penetrance of MSMD in these patients. Human IL-23 appears to contribute to IL-17A/F-dependent immunity to Candida in a single lymphocyte subset but is required for IFN-γ-dependent immunity to Mycobacterium in at least two lymphocyte subsets.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Interferon-gamma*
  • Interleukin-17 / genetics
  • Interleukin-23* / genetics
  • Mycobacterium Infections* / immunology
  • Mycobacterium*

Substances

  • Interferon-gamma
  • Interleukin-17
  • Interleukin-23