The left lung is preferentially targeted during experimental paracoccidioidomycosis in C57BL/6 mice

Author(s)

F.S.M. Tristão ^[1] ; F.A. Rocha ^[2] ; F.C. Dias ^[2] ; M.A. Rossi ^[3] ; J.S. Silva ^[2]

Affiliation

^[1] Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto. Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia - Brasil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, Dept Bioquim & Imunol, BR-14049 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Patol, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, BR-14049 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research; v. 46, n. 10, p. 839-843, 2013-10-02.

Abstract

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a chronic systemic mycosis caused by the inhalation of the thermally dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis as well as the recently described P. lutzii. Because the primary infection occurs in the lungs, we investigated the differential involvement of the right and left lungs in experimental P. brasiliensis infection. Lungs were collected from C57BL/6 mice at 70 days after intravenous infection with 1×106 yeast cells of a virulent strain of P. brasiliensis (Pb18). The left lung, which in mice is smaller and has fewer lobes than the right lung, yielded increased fungal recovery associated with a predominant interleukin-4 response and diminished synthesis of interferon-γ and nitric oxide compared with the right lung. Our data indicate differential involvement of the right and left lungs during experimental PCM. This knowledge emphasizes the need for an accurate, standardized protocol for tissue collection during studies of experimental P. brasiliensis infection, since experiments using the same lungs favor the collection of comparable data among different mice. (AU)