IL-23 signaling limits ferroptosis-driven immunopathology during systemic fungal infection

Abstract

Abstract Pattern recognition receptors initiate antifungal immune responses during infection. Recently, we identified that the ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2) is a fungal β-glucan receptor which orchestrates innate immune responses and prevents oral Candida infection. However, the role of EphA2 during invasive candidiasis (IC) remains unknown. Here we found that EphA2 induces renal inflammation and injury; thus, promoting immunopathology during IC. In Epha2−/− mice, dendritic cells migrated more efficient in infected tissues, while secreting more IL-23. Furthermore, Epha2−/− mice had reduced lipid peroxidation in kidneys, a marker of ferroptotic cell death. Pharmacological inhibtion of ferroptosis increased macrophage fungal killing, reduced inflammation, and increased disease outcomes during IC. Previously, IL-23 signaling has been associated with myeloid cell survival during candidiasis. Treatment of macrophages with IL-23 reduced ferroptotic macrophage cell death and excessive inflammation, while increasing killing capacity. Furthermore, IL-23 treatment of infected mice increased survival and reduced ferroptosis during IC. Collectively, our study demonstrates that ferroptotic host cell death is linked to immunopathology and can be targeted by recombinant cytokine therapy during fungal infection. This work was supported in part by NIH grant R00DE026856, an American Association of Immunologists Careers in Immunology Fellowship, and a TLI Seed grant to MS