Role of Cytokine Secretion of Human Keratinocytes in Dermatophytosis

The clinical presentation of dermatophytosis depends on species of the infecting fungus. The infections caused by the anthropophilic species tend to be chronic and intractable, and the resultant inflammation is minimal. On the other hand, the infections caused by the geophilic and zoophilic species tend to be self-healing, and the resultant inflammation is more severe. We investigated the role of cytokine secretion of human keratinocyte during dermatophyte infections: Arthroderma benhamiae, a zoophilic dermatophyte, and Trichophyton tonsurans, an anthropophilic dermatophyte. The results demonstrate that keratinocytes secrete a broad spectrum of cytokines including proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and immunomodulatory cytokines in response to A. benhamiae infection, whereas T.tonsurans infection stimulates the production of only a limited number of cytokines. Such differential cytokine secretion of the keratinocytes in response to infection by dermatophyte species may reflect the distinct inflammatory responses in the skin.