title: Fungalysin and dipeptidyl-peptidase gene transcription in Microsporum canis strains isolated from symptomatic and asymptomatic cats.
abstract: Microsporum canis is the main pathogenic fungus that causes a superficial cutaneous infection called dermatophytosis in domestic carnivores. In cats, M. canis causes symptomatic or asymptomatic infection. Recent conflicting data raise the question of whether the clinical status of the infected cat (symptomatic or asymptomatic) is directly correlated to the proteolytic activity of M. canis strains. Here, the transcription of fungalysin and dipeptidyl-peptidase genes (DPP) of M. canis was compared between four strains isolated from symptomatic and asymptomatic cats during the first steps of the infection process, namely in arthroconidia, during adherence of arthroconidia to corneocytes and during early invasion of the epidermis, using a new ex vivo model made of feline epidermis. There was no detectable transcription of the fungalysin genes in arthroconidia or during the first steps of the infection process for any of the tested strains, suggesting that these proteases play a role later in the infection process. Among DPP, the DPP IV gene was the most frequently transcribed both in arthroconidia and later during infection (adherence and invasion), but no significant differences were observed between M. canis strains isolated from symptomatic and asymptomatic cats. This study shows that the clinical aspect of M. canis feline dermatophytosis depends upon factors relating to the host rather than to the proteolytic activity of the infective fungal strain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, boulevard de Colonster 20 B-43a, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mathy
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baldo
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schoofs
authors.forename: Ludivine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cambier
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Defaweux
authors.forename: Jérémy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tabart
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maréchal
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Symoens
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mignon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058345:Asymptomatic Infections; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D002415:Cats; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004152:Dipeptidyl-Peptidases and Tripeptidyl-Peptidases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008864:Microsporum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D004152:Dipeptidyl-Peptidases and Tripeptidyl-Peptidases