Dexamethasone Creates a Suppressive Microenvironment and Promotes Aspergillus fumigatus Invasion in a Human 3D Epithelial/Immune Respiratory Model.

ABSTRACT: Lung immunity and susceptibility to infections is subject to interactions between the epithelial layer and immune cells residing in the pulmonary space. Aspergillus (A.) fumigatus, the most prevalent pathogenic fungus, affects both upper and lower respiratory tracts of immunocompromised hosts. Several reports implicate corticosteroids as a major risk factor due to their anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects, which are exacerbated by long-term treatment regimens. Here we demonstrate for the first time the influence of dexamethasone when it comes to germination and hyphae formation of A. fumigatus in the presence of macrophages within a highly differentiated air-liquid interphase (ALI) epithelial/immune lung model. We illustrate suppressed mucus production within the

SUBMITTER: Luvanda MK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8003030 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature