Amphibian mast cells: barriers to chytrid fungus infections

Abstract

Global amphibian declines are compounded by deadly disease outbreaks caused by the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Much has been learned about the roles of amphibian skin-produced antimicrobial components and microbiomes in controlling Bd, yet almost nothing is known about the roles of skin-resident immune cells in anti-Bd defenses. Mammalian mast cells reside within and serve as key immune sentinels in barrier tissues like skin. Accordingly, we investigated the roles of Xenopus laevis frog mast cells during Bd infections. Our findings indicate that enrichment of X. laevis skin mast cells confers significant anti-Bd protection and ameliorates the inflammation-associated skin damage caused by Bd infection. This includes a significant reduction in Bd-infected skin infiltration by neutrophils. Augmenting frog skin mast cells promotes greater mucin content within cutaneous mucus glands and protects frogs from Bd-mediated changes to their skin microbiomes. Mammalian mast cells are known for their production of the pleiotropic interleukin-4 (IL4) cytokine and our findings suggest that the frog IL4 plays a key role in conferring the effects seen following frog skin mast cell enrichment. Together, this work underlines the importance of amphibian skin-resident immune cells in anti-Bd defenses and illuminates a novel avenue for investigating amphibian host-chytrid pathogen interactions.