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Histological Quantification to Determine Lung Fungal Burden in Experimental Aspergillosis
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Interactions of Aspergillus fumigatus with vascular endothelial cells

Y Kamai1, L Y Chiang, L M Lopes Bezerra

  • 1Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA.

Medical Mycology
|October 20, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Invasive aspergillosis involves two angioinvasion types. Aspergillus fumigatus hyphae invade endothelial cells from outside (abluminal) or inside (luminal), impacting disease progression differently.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Invasive aspergillosis presents distinct angioinvasion patterns.
  • Pulmonary aspergillosis involves abluminal invasion of vasculature by hyphae.
  • Disseminated disease involves blood-borne hyphal fragments invading from the lumen.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish in vitro models simulating luminal and abluminal endothelial cell invasion by Aspergillus fumigatus.
  • To compare the cellular responses to these two distinct invasion pathways.

Main Methods:

  • Development of in vitro models for Aspergillus fumigatus luminal and abluminal endothelial cell invasion.
  • Assessment of endothelial cell damage and gene expression (cytokines, adhesion molecules, tissue factor) following invasion.

Main Results:

  • Luminal invasion by Aspergillus fumigatus caused significant endothelial cell damage and stimulated tissue factor expression.
  • Abluminal invasion resulted in less endothelial cell damage but greater induction of genes for cytokines, leukocyte adhesion molecules, and tissue factor.

Conclusions:

  • Distinct endothelial cell responses to luminal versus abluminal Aspergillus fumigatus invasion suggest different pathogenic mechanisms.
  • Findings may elucidate differences in the pathogenesis of locally invasive, hematogenously disseminated aspergillosis.

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