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Morphological changes and phagocytic activity during the interaction of human neutrophils with Sporothrix schenckii:

Vicente Curtiellas-Piñol1, Javier Ventura-Juárez1, Estela Ruiz-Baca2

  • 1Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Av. Universidad No. 940, Aguascalientes, AGS, Mexico.

Microbial Pathogenesis
|February 3, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) interact with Sporothrix schenckii, showing morphological changes and increased phagocytosis. The fungus

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Sporotrichosis is characterized by pyogenic and granulomatous inflammation involving polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs).
  • The interaction between human PMNs and Sporothrix schenckii is crucial for disease manifestation but remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the phagocytic activity and morphological alterations of human PMNs upon co-culture with Sporothrix schenckii.
  • To elucidate the role of PMNs in the initial phase of sporotrichosis by comparing interactions with conidia and yeast forms.

Main Methods:

  • Co-culture of human PMNs with conidia or yeast cells of S. schenckii.
  • Analysis of PMN morphology using light microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
  • Assessment of S. schenckii viability post-co-culture.

Main Results:

  • PMNs exhibited increased cell size and nuclear lobe separation after phagocytosis.
  • SEM revealed PMNs with flattened filaments and surface vesicles; phagocytosed conidia enlarged.
  • Phagocytic activity was higher for yeast cells than conidia, with no significant impact on fungal viability after 2 hours.

Conclusions:

  • S. schenckii induces morphological changes in PMNs, suggesting a role in promoting pro-inflammatory events.
  • PMNs demonstrate a high capacity for binding and ingesting S. schenckii without compromising fungal viability.
  • Observed morphological changes in ingested conidia may indicate fungal dimorphic switching within PMNs.
Keywords:
Cell morphologyConidiaPhagocytosisYeasts

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