Microsporum gypseum Isolated from Ailuropoda melanoleuca Provokes Inflammation and Triggers Th17 Adaptive Immunity Response

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 23; no. 19; p. 12037
• Main Authors: Ma, Xiaoping, Liu, Zhen, Yu, Yan, Jiang, Yaozhang, Wang, Chengdong, Zuo, Zhicai, Ling, Shanshan, He, Ming, Cao, Sanjie, Wen, Yiping, Zhao, Qin, Wu, Rui, Huang, Xiaobo, Zhong, Zhijun, Peng, Guangneng, Gu, Yu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.10.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Adaptive immunity; Ailuropoda melanoleuca; Chemokines; Conidia; cytokine; Cytokines; Dendritic cells; Flow cytometry; Fungi; Gene expression; Heart; Helper cells; Histology; IL-1β; immune response; Immune system; Immunofluorescence; Infections; Inflammation; Interleukin 10; Interleukin 12; Interleukin 22; Interleukin 23; Interleukin 6; Kidneys; Leukocytes (neutrophilic); Leukocytes (polymorphonuclear); Ligands; Liver; lung; Lungs; Lymphocytes T; Macrophages; Microsporum gypseum; Mortality; Neutrophils; Pathogens; Polymerase chain reaction; receptor; Reverse transcription; Skin; Spleen; TLR2 protein; Toll-like receptors; Tumor necrosis factor-α
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms231912037

Microsporum gypseum causes dermatomycoses in giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). This study aimed to investigate the immune response of M. gypseum following deep infection. The degree of damage to the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys was evaluated using tissue fungal load, organ index, and histopathological methods. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) detected the mRNA expression of receptors and cytokines in the lung, and immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry, were used to assess immune cells in the lung. The results indicated that conidia mainly colonized the lungs and caused serious injury with M. gypseum infection. Furthermore, dectin-1, TLR-2, and TLR-4 played a role in recognizing M. gypseum cells. Numerous inflammatory cells, mainly macrophages, dendritic cells, polymorphonuclear neutrophils, and inflammatory cytokines (TGF-β, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, and IL-23), were activated in the early stages of infection. With the high expression of IL-22, IL-17A, and IL-17F, the Th17 pathway exerted an adaptive immune response to M. gypseum infection. These results can potentially aid in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases caused by M. gypseum in giant pandas.