title: TGF-beta plasma levels in chromoblastomycosis patients during itraconazole treatment.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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.
authors.forename: Jorge Pereira
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Moisés Batista
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Simone Rodrigues
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Campelo
authors.forename: Ubirajara Imbiriba
authors.initials: UI
authors.lastname: Salgado
authors.forename: José Antonio Picanço
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Esterre
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rozental
authors.forename: Claudio Guedes
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Salgado
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D017964:Itraconazole