title: In vitro and ex vivo infection models help assess the molecular aspects of the interaction of Trichophyton rubrum with the host milieu.
abstract: Dermatophytes are fungal pathogens that cause cutaneous infections such as onychomycosis and athlete's foot in both healthy and immunocompromised patients.Trichophyton rubrum is the most prevalent dermatophyte causing human nail and skin infections worldwide, and because of its anthropophilic nature, animal infection models are limited. The purpose of this work was to compare the expression profile of T. rubrum genes encoding putative virulence factors during growth in ex vivo and in vitro infection models. The efficiency of the ex vivo skin infection model was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which showed that the conidia had produced hyphae that penetrated into the epidermis. Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that the expression of some genes is modulated in response to the infection model used, as compared to that observed in cells grown in glucose-containing media. We concluded that ex vivo infection models help assess the molecular aspects of the interaction of T. rubrum with the host milieu, and thus provide insights into the modulation of genes during infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil nalu@usp.br.
authors.forename: Nalu Teixeira de Aguiar
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Peres
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Larissa Gomes da
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo da Silva
authors.initials: Rda S
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tiago Rinaldi
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriela Felix
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Persinoti
authors.affiliation: Biological and Natural Sciences Institute, Triângulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, 38025-180, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lenaldo Branco
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Analysis, Toxicology and Food Sciences, Ribeirão Preto School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana Pfrimer
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Falcão
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nilce Maria
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Martinez-Rossi
mesh_terms: D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009262:Nails / Q000382:microbiology; D014009:Onychomycosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D014249:Trichophyton / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D037521:Virulence Factors
chemical_list: D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Trichophyton rubrum; dermatophytes; gene expression; host-pathogen interaction