TGF-beta plasma levels in chromoblastomycosis patients during itraconazole treatment.
BACKGROUND
Chromoblastomycosis (CBM) is a dermal mycosis. The disease evolves to a chronic state, presenting a suppurative granulomatous dermatitis, combined with variable dermal fibrosis. Pathogenesis of the inflammation and tissue repair in CBM are poorly understood.


OBJECTIVE
To quantify Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-beta) plasma levels of CBM patients during itraconazole (ITZ) treatment.


METHODS
Blood plasma of 12 CBM patients was subjected to TGF-beta titration with ELISA at 0, 3, 6 and 12months of 200mg per day of ITZ therapy, and correlated with the clinical aspects. Plasma of 12 healthy individuals were used for control.


RESULTS
CBM patients present high plasma levels of TGF-beta (7.016+/-1988pg/ml), decreasing after 03months (4.625+/-645pg/ml) of ITZ treatment, which correlates with a rapid clinical improvement. However, after 6 (6.566+/-777pg/ml) and 12months (6.908+/-776) of treatment, TGF-beta levels increase to almost the same levels observed before treatment, which is related to a slow clinical improvement, fungal persistence on the lesion, and fibrotic scars.


CONCLUSIONS
TGF-beta plasma levels are high in CBM patients. Fungal destruction by ITZ correlates with TGF-beta downregulation, but tissue remodeling and fungal persistence probably raises its levels again, interfering with cellular immune responses.
da Silva
Jorge Pereira
JP
Laboratório de Dermato-Imunologia, Universidade do Estado do Pará (UEPA), Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Unidade de Referência em Dermatologia Sanitária do Estado do Pará Dr. Marcello Candia (MC), Brazil.
da Silva
Moisés Batista
MB
Campelo
Simone Rodrigues
SR
Salgado
Ubirajara Imbiriba
UI
Diniz
José Antonio Picanço
JA
Esterre
Philippe
P
Rozental
Sonia
S
Salgado
Claudio Guedes
CG
D000328:Adult; D002862:Chromoblastomycosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D017964:Itraconazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*
D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D017964:Itraconazole