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Cited by 11Antimicrobial Peptides and ActivitiesAntifungal resistance and susceptibilityDermatology and Skin Diseases

Antimicrobial peptide-producing dermal preadipocytes defend against Candida albicans skin infection via the FGFR-MEK-ERK pathway

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Wang, Jianing, Duan, Zhimin, Zeng, Rong, Yang, Lu, Liu, Weizhao, Liu, Yiman, Yao, Qian, Chen, Xu +2 more·2023·PLOS Pathogens
DOI 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011754PMC PMC10688742
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Abstract

Dermal fibroblasts (dFBs) defend against deep bacterial skin infections by differentiating into preadipocytes (pAds) that produce the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin; this differentiation is known as the dermal reactive adipogenesis response. However, the role of dFBs in fungal infection remains unknown. Here, we found that cathelicidin-producing pAds were present in high numbers in skin lesions from patients with cutaneous Candida granulomas. Second, we showed that dermal Candida albicans (C. albicans) infection in mice robustly triggered the dermal reactive adipogenesis response and induced cathelicidin expression, and inhibition of adipogenesis with pharmacological inhibitors of peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ (PPARγ) impaired skin resistance to C. albicans. In vitro, C. albicans products induced cathelicidin expression in pAds, and differentiating pAds markedly suppressed the growth of C. albicans by producing cathelicidin. Finally, we showed that C. albicans induced an antimicrobial response in pAds through the FGFR-MEK-ERK pathway. Together, our data reveal a previously unknown role of dFBs in the defense against skin infection caused by C. albicans.

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  • A fibroblast-to-preadipocyte transition has been observed during C. albicans intradermal infection of mice, where CAMP production by preadipocytes is regulated through the FGFR-MEK-ERK signaling pathway.

    “A similar fibroblast-to-preadipocyte transition has been observed during C. albicans intradermal infection of mice, where CAMP production by preadipocytes is regulated through the FGFR-MEK-ERK signaling pathway [98].”

    From Host–Candida auris interactions in the skin (2026) · cites this paper as [98]

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Wang, J., Duan, Z., Zeng, R., Yang, L., Liu, W., Liu, Y., Yao, Q., Chen, X., Zhang, L.-J., & Li, M.
Affiliations
  • Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College (CN)
  • Nanjing Medical University (CN)
  • Xiamen University (CN)
Corresponding author
  • Chen, Xu
  • Zhang, Ling-juan
  • Li, Min
ORCID
Venue
PLOS Pathogens
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Published
2023-11-30
Volume
19
Issue
11
Pages
e1011754
ISSN
  • 1553-7366 (ISSN-L)
  • 1553-7374
DOI
10.1371/journal.ppat.1011754
PMC
PMC10688742
OpenAlex
W4389167326
Cited by
11
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 1
FWCI
2.02
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PLoS Pathogens (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Science (2021-I2M-1-059, 2017-I2M-1-017, 2021-I2M-1-001)
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (82173432, 82103749)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Antifungal resistance and susceptibility
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Dermatology and Skin Diseases
Keywords
antimicrobial peptides, cathelicidin, dermal fibroblasts, Candida albicans, fungal skin infection, PPARγ, skin immunity, host defense against fungi
MeSH terms
Antimicrobial Peptides, Animals, Candida albicans, Candidiasis, Humans, MAP Kinase Signaling System, Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides, Mice, Cathelicidins

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