title: Neutrophils in oral paracoccidioidomycosis and the involvement of Nrf2.
abstract: Neutrophils have been implicated in granuloma formation in several infectious diseases, in addition to their main phagocytic and pathogen destruction role. It has been demonstrated that Nrf2 regulates antioxidant protection in neutrophils, attenuating inflammation without compromising the hosts bacterial defense. In this study, we analyzed the presence of neutrophils in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis mycosis (PCM), as well as the immunoexpression of Nrf2. Thirty-nine cases of oral PCM were classified according to quantity of fungi and to the presence of loose or well-organized granulomas and microabscesses. An Nrf2 antibody was used for immunohistochemical analysis. The results showed that neutrophils are present in microabscesses and loose granulomas, but were absent in structured granulomas. A greater quantity of fungi was shown in cases with only loose granulomas when compared to loose and well organized granulomas. Nrf2 was observed in the nuclei of neutrophils of loose granulomas and abscesses, with its expression in loose granulomas maintained despite the additional presence of well organized granulomas in the same specimen. This study suggests that neutrophils participate in P. brasiliensis granuloma formation and that Nrf2 has a possible role in neutrophil survival, via modulation of the inflammatory response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, São Leopoldo Mandic Institute and Research Center, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vera Cavalcanti
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Ana Paula Dias
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Demasi
authors.forename: Andresa Borges
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Fabrício
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Passador-Santos
authors.forename: Marcelo Henrique
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Napimoga
authors.forename: Elizabeth Ferreira
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Nadir Severina
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Ney Soares
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Araújo
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D006099:Granuloma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009055:Mouth / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D010228:Paracoccidioides / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D010229:Paracoccidioidomycosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2; C495635:NFE2L2 protein, human