IL-17 Control of Cutaneous Immune Homeostasis

Leah A Johnston; Raji R Nagalla; Mushi Li; Sarah K Whitley

doi:10.1016/j.jid.2023.11.016

IL-17 Control of Cutaneous Immune Homeostasis

J Invest Dermatol. 2024 Apr 26:S0022-202X(23)03191-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2023.11.016. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Leah A Johnston¹, Raji R Nagalla², Mushi Li³, Sarah K Whitley⁴

Affiliations

¹ Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
² Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.
³ Department of Dermatology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
⁴ Department of Dermatology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA; Autoimmune Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA; NeuroNexus Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusettes, USA. Electronic address: sarah.whitley@umassmed.edu.

PMID: 38678465
DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2023.11.016

Abstract

IL-17 is widely recognized for its roles in host defense and inflammatory disorders. However, it has become clear that IL-17 is also an essential regulator of barrier tissue physiology. Steady-state microbe sensing at the skin surface induces low-level IL-17 expression that enhances epithelial integrity and resists pathogens without causing overt inflammation. Recent reports describe novel protective roles for IL-17 in wound healing and counteracting physiologic stress; however, chronic amplification of these beneficial responses contributes to skin pathologies as diverse as fibrosis, cancer, and autoinflammation. In this paper, we discuss the context-specific roles of IL-17 in skin health and disease and therapeutic opportunities.

Keywords: Cancer; Fibrosis; Skin; T helper 17 (Th17); Type-17.

Publication types

Review