(489) CANDIDA ALBICANS MODULATES ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES OF B-DEFENSINS FAMILY DURING VAGINAL INFECTIONS

ANGIOLINI, SOFIA CARLA; RODRIGUEZ, EMILSE; MIRÓ, MARÍA SOLEDAD; ICELY, PAULA ALEJANDRA; SOTOMAYOR, CLAUDIA ELENA

Buenos Aires

Congreso; REUNIÓN DE SOCIEDADES DE BIOCIENCIAS 2021; 2021

SOCIEDAD ARGENTINA DE INVESTIGACIÓN CLÍNICA (SAIC), SOCIEDAD ARGENTINA DE INMUNOLOGÍA (SAI), ASOCIACIÓN ARGENTINA DE FARMACOLOGÍA EXPERIMENTAL (AAFE) y ASOCIACIÓN ARGENTINA DE NANOMEDICINAS (NANOMED-AR)

Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (VVC) is an acute inflammatory disease caused by Candida species that affects up to 75% of women of childbearing age once in their life. β-defensins (BDs) are one of the most important families of antimicrobial peptides in the female genital tract with relevant local functions such as antimicrobial and chemoattractant of PMNs, but its role during VVC is limited. Our aim was to study the role of BD1 (constitutive) and BD3 (inducible) in the pathogenesis of VVC using a murine model. Females (8-10-weekold C57BL/6J) were treated subcutaneously with β-estradiol-17?valerate in sesame oil (0.2mg/100μl) on days (D) -6,-3,2 and 4 post infection(pi). On D0 mice were inoculated intravaginally with C. albicans SC5314 suspension (5.106 yeasts/PBS)(infected group), or uninfected (No-infected group). Animals without any treatment were used as controls (untreated). Cervicovaginal lavages (VL) were obtained for the study of different parameters. Infection was evaluated by local fungal load (CFU) and PMNs recruited to vaginal lumen on D2,4 and 8 pi. Fungal burden remained stable from D2 to D4, with a significant decrease at D8(p<0.001), and the PMNs recruitment to vaginal lumen reached a peak at D2. Regarding BD1 and BD3 study, the mRNA (qPCR) and protein expression (immunofluorescence assay) were evaluated in cells recovered from VL. At early times(D2) a significant increase in mRNA of BD1(p<0.05 vs untreated group), and BD3(p<0.05 vs No-infected and untreated groups) was observed. Corrected total fluorescence analysis of cytoextended showed a significant increase of protein expression for both BDs in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells (BD1p<0.001;BD3p<0.05). Due to the relevant role of BDs in the protection against pathogens and in the modulation of the local innate immune response, the knowledge about their behavior during VVC is relevant to contribute to the understanding of the pathogenesis of this mycosis with elevated incidence and difficult treatment.