title: Potential antifungal effects of human platelets against zygomycetes in vitro.
abstract: Zygomycosis is increasingly recognized in immunocompromised hosts. We investigated whether platelets become activated after contact with Zygomycetes and adhere to conidial and hyphal structures using immunofluorescence. The platelets' influence on fungal viability was evaluated by assessing hyphal elongation and hyphal damage. Platelets became activated and strongly adhered to conidia and hyphae of Zygomycetes. Platelets induced time dependent damage to hyphae and significantly reduced (P<.05) hyphal elongation. We found that platelets possess antifungal capacities against Zygomycetes based on granule dependent mechanisms and significantly reduce fungal growth and spread, both of which are of major importance in evolving invasive disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Social Medicine, Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria. Susanne.Perkhofer@i-med.ac.at
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perkhofer
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kainzner
authors.forename: Beate E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Kehrel
authors.forename: Manfred P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dierich
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nussbaumer
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lass-Flörl
mesh_terms: D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000276:immunology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D009090:Mucorales / Q000276:immunology*; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000276:immunology*
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