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Paracoccidioides species present distinct fungal adherence to epithelial lung cells and promote different IL-8

Bruna Rocha Almeida1, Bianca Carla Silva Campitelli Barros1, Ana Clara Liguori Araújo1

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 862-Ed. Antônio C. M. Paiva-6 andar, São Paulo, SP, 04023-062, Brazil.

Medical Microbiology and Immunology
|November 2, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Different Paracoccidioides fungal isolates trigger distinct lung epithelial cell responses, including varied interleukin-8 secretion and adhesion. Integrins play a role in fungal adherence to epithelial cells, highlighting isolate-specific host-pathogen interactions.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Paracoccidioides fungi cause paracoccidioidomycosis, a systemic mycosis prevalent in Latin America.
  • Epithelial cells are initial responders to fungal invasion, releasing inflammatory cytokines like IL-8.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how different Paracoccidioides isolates (Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and Paracoccidioides lutzii) interact with and stimulate lung epithelial cells.
  • To determine the role of specific fungal isolates in inducing inflammatory responses and cell adhesion.

Main Methods:

  • Exposure of A549 lung epithelial cells to distinct Paracoccidioides isolates (Pb18, Pb03, Pb01).
  • Quantification of interleukin-8 (IL-8) secretion.
  • Assessment of fungal adhesion to epithelial cells.
  • Analysis of α3 and α5 integrin expression.
  • Silencing of integrins using small interfering RNA (siRNA) to evaluate their role in adhesion.

Main Results:

  • Distinct isolates of Paracoccidioides differentially induced IL-8 secretion from A549 cells.
  • P. lutzii showed the highest adhesion rate to A549 cells compared to P. brasiliensis isolates.
  • All tested isolates increased α3 and α5 integrin expression in A549 cells.
  • Integrin silencing significantly reduced P. lutzii adhesion, indicating their involvement.

Conclusions:

  • Host epithelial cell responses to Paracoccidioides infection are isolate-dependent.
  • Specific fungal isolates elicit unique inflammatory profiles and adhesion patterns.
  • Integrins are crucial mediators in the interaction between pulmonary epithelial cells and Paracoccidioides yeasts.
Keywords:
AdhesionCytokineEpithelial cellIntegrinParacoccidioides

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