Serum opsonin ficolin-A enhances host–fungal interactions and modulates cytokine expression from human monocyte-derived macrophages and neutrophils following Aspergillus fumigatus challenge

Stefan Bidula, Darren W. Sexton, Silke Schelenz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Invasive aspergillosis is a devastating invasive fungal disease associated with a high mortality rate in the immunocompromised, such as leukaemia patients, transplant patients and those with HIV/AIDS. The rodent serum orthologue of human L-ficolin, ficolin-A, can bind to and opsonize Aspergillus fumigatus, the pathogen that causes invasive aspergillosis, and may participate in fungal defence. Using human monocyte-derived macrophages and neutrophils isolated from healthy donors, we investigated conidial association and fungal viability by flow cytometry and microscopy. Additionally, cytokine production was measured via cytometric bead arrays. Ficolin-A opsonization was observed to significantly enhance association of conidia, while also inhibiting hyphal growth and contributing to increased fungal killing following incubation with monocyte-derived macrophages and neutrophils. Additionally, ficolin-A opsonization was capable of manifesting a decrease in IL-8, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α production from MDM and IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α from neutrophils 24 h post-infection. In conclusion, rodent ficolin-A is functionally comparable to human L-ficolin and is capable of modulating the innate immune response to A. fumigatus, down-regulating cytokine production and could play an important role in airway immunity.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)133-142
Number of pages10
JournalMedical Microbiology and Immunology
Volume205
Issue number2
Early online date4 Sept 2015
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2016

Keywords

  • Aspergillosis
  • Macrophage
  • Neutrophil
  • Cytokines
  • Innate immunity

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