title: Antibodies Against Sporothrix schenckii Enhance TNF-α Production and Killing by Macrophages.
abstract: Sporotrichosis is a chronic granulomatous mycosis caused by the dimorphic fungus Sporothrix schenckii. The immunological mechanisms involved in the prevention and control of sporotrichosis suggest that cell-mediated immunity plays an important role in protecting the host against S. schenckii. Nonetheless, recent data strongly support the existence of protective Abs against this pathogenic fungus. In a previous study, we showed that passive Ab therapy led to a significant reduction in the number of colony forming unit in the organs of mice when the MAb was injected before and during S. schenckii infection. The ability of opsonization to enhance macrophage damage to S. schenckii and subsequent cytokine production was investigated in this work. Here we show that the fungicidal characteristics of macrophages are increased when the fungus is phagocytosed in the presence of inactivated serum from mice infected with S. schenckii or mAb anti-gp70. Additionally, we show an increase in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1β. This study provides additional support for the importance of antibodies in protecting against S. schenckii and concludes that opsonization is an important process to increase TNF-α production and fungus killing by macrophages in experimental sporotrichosis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilLaboratório de Micologia Celular e Proteômica, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilDepartamento de Ciências Biológicas, UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: D de Lima
authors.initials: Dde L
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilLaboratório de Micologia Celular e Proteômica, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilDepartamento de Ciências Biológicas, UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilLaboratório de Micologia Celular e Proteômica, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilDepartamento de Ciências Biológicas, UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilLaboratório de Micologia Celular e Proteômica, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilDepartamento de Ciências Biológicas, UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000737:chemistry; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D050296:Microbial Viability; D009895:Opsonin Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013175:Sporothrix / Q000276:immunology*; D013174:Sporotrichosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D007106:Immune Sera; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D009895:Opsonin Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha