title: Hyphal growth of phagocytosed Fusarium oxysporum causes cell lysis and death of murine macrophages.
abstract: Fusarium oxysporum is an important plant pathogen and an opportunistic pathogen of humans. Here we investigated phagocytosis of F. oxysporum by J774.1 murine cell line macrophages using live cell video microscopy. Macrophages avidly migrated towards F. oxysporum germlings and were rapidly engulfed after cell-cell contact was established. F. oxysporum germlings continued hyphal growth after engulfment by macrophages, leading to associated macrophage lysis and escape. Macrophage killing depended on the multiplicity of infection. After engulfment, F. oxysporum inhibited macrophages from completing mitosis, resulting in large daughter cells fused together by means of a F. oxysporum hypha. These results shed new light on the initial stages of Fusarium infection and the innate immune response of the mammalian host.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.affiliation: Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Judith M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bain
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Pietro
authors.affiliation: Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Neil A R
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Gow
authors.affiliation: Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lars P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Erwig
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death; D002460:Cell Line; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000276:immunology; D005670:Fusarium / Q000502:physiology*; D025301:Hyphae; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008938:Mitosis; D010587:Phagocytosis