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Pneumocystis Exacerbates Inflammation and Mucus Hypersecretion in a Murine, Elastase-Induced-COPD Model

Diego A Rojas1, Carolina A Ponce2, Adriel Bustos1

  • 1Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICB), Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago 8910132, Chile.

Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 28, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Pneumocystis infection worsens chronic respiratory disease severity, like COPD, by increasing lung inflammation and mucus. This study highlights its role as a co-factor in disease exacerbation.

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonary Medicine
  • Mycology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Chronic respiratory diseases, including asthma and COPD, are characterized by inflammation and mucus hypersecretion.
  • Fungal infections, such as Pneumocystis, can act as co-factors, aggravating airway pathology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of Pneumocystis infection in exacerbating COPD-like pathology using an elastase-induced model.
  • To evaluate the impact of Pneumocystis on lung lesions, inflammation, and mucus production in COPD.

Main Methods:

  • An elastase-induced COPD model in animals was used.
  • Animals were infected with Pneumocystis to assess its effect on COPD exacerbation.
  • Histological analysis, inflammatory marker quantification, and mucin level assessment were performed.

Main Results:

  • Pneumocystis infection led to increased COPD-like lung lesions, airway inflammation, and mucus hypersecretion.
  • Co-infection synergistically elevated inflammatory markers (Cxcl2, IL6, IL8, IL10) and mucins (Muc5ac/Muc5b).
  • STAT6 pathway activation was implicated, with increased Gata3, FoxA3, Spdef and decreased FoxA2 levels.

Conclusions:

  • Pneumocystis acts as a co-factor in exacerbating COPD severity in this model.
  • The study underscores the significance of the STAT6 pathway in Pneumocystis-associated lung pathogenesis.
Keywords:
COPDMuc5acMuc5bPneumocystishypersecretioninflammationmucinsmucus

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