Antigen-restricted Candida albicans Th17 cells link oral-gut immunity and adopt pathogenic features during intestinal inflammation.

C. albicans-specific Th17 cells are shared across oral and gut mucosa, with significant enrichment in Crohn's disease, linking commensal fungi to intestinal inflammation.

• Why it matters: Understanding how C. albicans drives Th17 responses and contributes to inflammatory diseases like Crohn's is crucial for developing targeted therapies for mucosal immune regulation.
• What they did: The study identified that C. albicans-reactive Th17 cells target fungal extracellular vesicle proteins, predominantly reside in the oral mucosa, and share clonotypes across tissues, with C. albicans influencing this overlap.
• The result: In Crohn's patients, these Th17 cells acquire pathogenic traits while maintaining antigen specificity, highlighting their potential as targets for immune modulation in intestinal inflammation.