Dermal fibroblasts play a central role in skin model protection against C. albicans invasion

This study shows that, in the presence of CD4+ T cells, dermal fibroblasts shift towards an antimicrobial phenotype leading to reduced dermal invasion by C. albicans. This is dependent on TLR2 activation and pro-IL-1β cleavage and results in expression of genes involved in defense against various classes of pathogens. Dual RNA-Seq of keratinocytes and fibroblasts with or without Candida albicans from infected humen reconstituted skin models with or without CD4+ T cells. Sequenced were fibroblasts, Keratinocytes and C. albicans isolated from these models. For each sample biological triplicates were analyzed.