Paracoccidioides brasiliensis conidia recognize fibronectin and fibrinogen which subsequently participate in adherence to human type II alveolar cells: involvement of a specific adhesin.

We examined the ability of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis conidia to interact with fibronectin, fibrinogen and with A549 cells, in order to establish the nature of the molecules involved. Conidia bound to immobilized proteins in a concentration-dependent manner. Antibodies against fibronectin and fibrinogen inhibited the fungal adherence to the corresponding proteins; as did laminin and fibronectin, but not fibrinogen when added in soluble form; however, the fibrinogen fragment D interfered with adhesion in a significant manner. Various monosaccharides and RGD/RGDS peptides had no effect on adherence to fibronectin or fibrinogen, while N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) abolished adherence to both proteins. Additionally, these proteins were detected on the surface of A549 cells. Inhibition assays showed a significant decrease in fungal adherence when A549 cells were treated with anti-fibrinogen, anti-fibronectin antibodies and a purified adhesin of P. brasiliensis (32-kDa protein); or when conidia were treated with these soluble proteins, mAb anti-32-kDa protein, RGD peptides and NANA. These results suggest that fibrinogen and fibronectin facilitate the adherence of conidia to A549 cells probably through the interaction with adhesin-type molecules or a sialic acid based recognition system. These interactions appear to play a role in the initial fungal attachment to the lung, and consequently, also in the pathogenesis of paracoccidioidomycosis.