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Sialoglycoproteins in Morphological Distinct Stages of Mucor polymorphosporus and their Influence on Phagocytosis by Human Blood Phagocytes

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Abstract

The possible role of sialic acids in host cells–fungi interaction and their association with glycoproteins were evaluated using a clinical isolate of the dimorphic fungus Mucor polymorphosporus. Lectin-binding assays with spores and yeast cells denoted the presence of surface sialoglycoconjugates containing 2,3- and 2,6-linked sialylglycosyl groups. Western blotting with peroxidase-labeled Limulus polyphemus agglutinin revealed the occurrence of different sialoglycoprotein types in both cell lysates and cell wall protein extracts of mycelia, spores, and yeasts of M. polymorphosporus. Sialic acids contributed to the surface negative charge of spores and yeast forms as evaluated by adherence to a cationic substrate. Sialidase-treated spores were less resistant to phagocytosis by human neutrophils and monocytes from healthy individuals than control (untreated) fungal suspensions. The results suggest that sialic acids are terminal units of various glycoproteins of M. polymorphosporus, contributing to negative charge of yeasts and spore cells and protecting infectious propagules from destruction by host cells.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Fátima Regina de Vasconcelos Goulart for technical assistance and Dr. Marcio L. Rodrigues for critical reading of the manuscript. This work was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, sala 050, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP: 21941-902, Brazil

    Catia Amancio Almeida, Celuta Sales Alviano & Daniela Sales Alviano

  2. Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Católica de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Galba Maria de Campos-Takaki

  3. Departamento de Odontopediatria e Ortodontia, Centro de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Maristela Barbosa Portela

  4. Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunobiologia e Parasitologia, Unidade de Oncologia Experimental, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Luiz R Travassos

Authors
  1. Catia Amancio Almeida
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  2. Galba Maria de Campos-Takaki
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  3. Maristela Barbosa Portela
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  4. Luiz R Travassos
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  5. Celuta Sales Alviano
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  6. Daniela Sales Alviano
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Correspondence to Catia Amancio Almeida.

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Almeida, C.A., de Campos-Takaki, G.M., Portela, M.B. et al. Sialoglycoproteins in Morphological Distinct Stages of Mucor polymorphosporus and their Influence on Phagocytosis by Human Blood Phagocytes. Mycopathologia 176, 183–189 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-013-9692-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-013-9692-6

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