Figure 3. IL-17 is critical for oral mucosal integrity and immunosurveillance.
Th17 cells, largely through its effector cytokine IL-17 (but also through IL-22), have an important role in maintaining mucosal barrier integrity. Key functions in IL-17-mediated mucosal surveillance are (1) regulation of epithelial tight junction protein expression (2), induction of antimicrobial peptide production (3) and release of neutrophil chemo-attractants.