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Melanin particles isolated from the fungus Fonsecaea pedrosoi activates the human complement system

Overview of attention for article published in Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, June 2018
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Title
Melanin particles isolated from the fungus Fonsecaea pedrosoi activates the human complement system
Published in
Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, June 2018
DOI 10.1590/0074-02760180120
Pubmed ID
Authors

Lysianne Pinto, Luiz Fernando Zmetek Granja, Mariana Amorim de Almeida, Daniela Sales Alviano, Maria Helena da Silva, Regina Ejzemberg, Sonia Rozental, Celuta Sales Alviano

Abstract

Melanin production has been associated with virulence in various pathogenic fungi, including Fonsecaea pedrosoi, the major etiological agent for chromoblastomycosis, a subcutaneous fungal disease that occurs in South America. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of acid-basic extracted F. pedrosoi melanin particles and fungal cell ghosts obtained by Novozym 234 treatment on their ability to activate the human complement system. The ability of melanin particles and fungal cell ghosts to activate the human complement system was evaluated by complement consumption, immunofluorescence, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Unsensitised melanin particles and melanin ghosts presented complement consumption of 82.67 ± 2.08% and 96.04 ± 1.13%, respectively. Immunofluorescence assays revealed intense deposition of the C3 and C4 fragments on the surface of melanin particles and ghosts extracted from F. pedrosoi. Deposition of the C3, C4, and C5 fragments onto melanin samples and zymosan was confirmed by ELISA. Deposition of small amounts of C1q and C9 onto melanin samples and zymosan was detected by ELISA. Fonsecaea pedrosoi melanin particles and fungal cell ghosts activated the complement system mainly through an alternative pathway.

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The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 25 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 25 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Ph. D. Student 5 20%
Student > Bachelor 4 16%
Student > Master 3 12%
Student > Doctoral Student 2 8%
Student > Postgraduate 2 8%
Other 4 16%
Unknown 5 20%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology 6 24%
Immunology and Microbiology 5 20%
Medicine and Dentistry 3 12%
Environmental Science 1 4%
Chemical Engineering 1 4%
Other 2 8%
Unknown 7 28%