Sr. Almeida et al., Involvement of the major glycoprotein (gp43) of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in attachment to macrophages, MED MYCOL, 36(6), 1998, pp. 405-411
The yeast form of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, the causative agent of a d
eep mycosis in humans, is known to be phagocytized by, and to multiply insi
de, macrophages. In this work we describe the involvement of gp43, a major
antigenic protein of P. brasiliensis, in the initial steps of attachment of
the fungus to macrophages. Anti-gp43 F(ab) polyclonal fragments were capab
le of inhibiting phagocytosis in a concentration-dependent manner. Sheep re
d blood cells sensitized with purified gp43 were more endocytized than SF:B
C alone, and this process was also inhibited by anti-gp43 F(ab) fragments.
Inhibition tests indicated the involvement of fucose and mannose residues i
n the phagocytosis of the fungus and of SRBC-gp43 by macrophages. Taken tog
ether, these results suggest that gp43 may be involved in the adherence and
uptake of the fungus by murine peritoneal macrophages, and that this bindi
ng may be dependent on monosaccharide residues that are part of the gp43 gl
ycoprotein.