Secreted subtilisins of Microsporum canis are involved in adherence of arthroconidia to feline corneocytes.
Microsporum canis is a pathogenic fungus that causes a superficial cutaneous infection called dermatophytosis, mainly in cats and humans. The mechanisms involved in adherence of M. canis to epidermis have never been investigated. Here, a model was developed to study the adherence of M. canis to feline corneocytes through the use of a reconstructed interfollicular feline epidermis (RFE). In this model, adherence of arthroconidia to RFE was found to be time-dependent, starting at 2 h post-inoculation and still increasing at 6 h. Chymostatin, a serine protease inhibitor, inhibited M. canis adherence to RFE by 53%. Moreover, two mAbs against the keratinolytic protease subtilisin 3 (Sub3) inhibited M. canis adherence to RFE by 23%, suggesting that subtilisins, and Sub3 in particular, are involved in the adherence process.
Baldo
Aline
A
Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, B43 Sart Tilman, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Tabart
Jérémy
J
Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, B43 Sart Tilman, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Vermout
Sandy
S
Federal Agency for Medicinal and Health Products, Victor Horta Plein 40/40, 1060 Brussels, Belgium.
Mathy
Anne
A
Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, B43 Sart Tilman, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Collard
Alfred
A
Centre d'Economie Rurale (CER), Animal Immunology, Rue du Carmel 1, 6900 Marloie, Belgium.
Losson
Bertrand
B
Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, B43 Sart Tilman, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Mignon
Bernard
B
Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, B43 Sart Tilman, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000382:microbiology*; D008864:Microsporum / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013381:Subtilisins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D005656:Fungal Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013381:Subtilisins