Immunology of Dermatophytosis
1994 年 35 巻 1 号 p. 1-8
詳細
1994 年 35 巻 1 号 p. 1-8
Resistance to dermatophyte fungi depends on both non-specific and specific immunological mechanisms. Amongst the former epidermal proliferation, unsaturated transferrin and fatty acids in sebum play major roles. In addition activated phagocytic cells destroy dermatophyte fungi in vitro both intra- and extra-cellularly. In experimental murine dermatophytosis immunity is transferred to naive animals with lymphocytes bearing the Thy-1, 2 phenotype. In man after experimental dermatophyte infection there is evidence that activation of T cell mediated immune responses correlates with recovery. By contrast in certain common dermatophyte infections in man there is evidence of poor T lymphocyte mediated responses (lymphocyte blastogenesis, DTH) to specific fungal antigens. An extracellularly expressed inhibitory factor produced by Trichophyton rubrum and other dermatophytes can suppress B and T lymphocyte blastogenesis in vitro. Circulating dermatophyte antigen is present in serum of infected patients and there is evidence of failure of expression of certain activation markers such as ICAM-1 on keratinocytes from chronically infected patients. These findings suggest that immunomodulation due to the presence of factor(s) derived from dermatophytes may play a role in determining the course of infection in some patients.
