Acidic Mammalian Chitinase Negatively Affects Immune Responses during Acute and Chronic Aspergillus fumigatus Exposure.

ABSTRACT: Chitin is a polysaccharide that provides structure and rigidity to the cell walls of fungi and insects. Mammals possess multiple chitinases, which function to degrade chitin, thereby supporting a role for chitinases in immune defense. However, chitin degradation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma. Here, we determined the impact of acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase) (Chia) deficiency on host defense during acute exposure to the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus as well as its contribution to A. fumigatus-associated allergic asthma. We demonstrate that chitin in the fungal cell wall was detected at low levels in A. fumigatus conidia, which emerged at the highest level during hyphal transition. In response to acute A. fumigatus challenge, Chia-/- mice unexpectedly demonstr

SUBMITTER: Garth JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6013657 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature