Host organism defense by a peptide-polysaccharide extracted from the fungus Sporothrix schenckii.

A peptide-polysaccharide, a peptide-rhamnomannan, was isolated from the pathogenic yeast form of the fungus Sporothrix schenckii. This substance, which may play a role in fungal virulence, was tested in an animal model of systemic disease, and depression of the immune response was observed in the animals between the 4th and 6th week of infection. Concomitantly, this compound showed mitogenic activity when challenged with normal lymphocytes and was also found to be involved in the inflammatory response. These results provide further information for the understanding of fungal implantation in tissues and of the pathogenicity of this systemic mycosis.