Functional characterization of macrophages and change of Th1/Th2 balance in patients with pythiosis after Pythium insidiosum antigen immunotherapy

Abstract There has been limited research into the role of the Pythium insidiosum antigen (PIA) in modulating immune response in patients with pythiosis. This study investigated the balance of T helper type 2 (Th2) and T helper type 1 (Th1) responses after receiving PIA immunotherapy in patients with...

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Main Authors: Sadeep Medhasi, Naunpun Sangphech, Nitipong Permpalung, Pattama Torvorapanit, Rongpong Plongla, Navaporn Worasilchai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-78756-x
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author Sadeep Medhasi
Naunpun Sangphech
Nitipong Permpalung
Pattama Torvorapanit
Rongpong Plongla
Navaporn Worasilchai
author_facet Sadeep Medhasi
Naunpun Sangphech
Nitipong Permpalung
Pattama Torvorapanit
Rongpong Plongla
Navaporn Worasilchai
author_sort Sadeep Medhasi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract There has been limited research into the role of the Pythium insidiosum antigen (PIA) in modulating immune response in patients with pythiosis. This study investigated the balance of T helper type 2 (Th2) and T helper type 1 (Th1) responses after receiving PIA immunotherapy in patients with pythiosis. Next, the phagocytic activity and phagocytic index of IFN-γ primed PIA-treated macrophages were examined. Furthermore, the phagocytosis of infective P. insidiosum zoospores by macrophages was investigated. This work showed that the PIA vaccine induced Th1 response and M1 macrophages in patients with vascular pythiosis who survived and those with localized pythiosis. Phagocytic activity and phagocytic index were increased considerably in localized pythiosis patients compared to vascular pythiosis patients with hematological diseases. IFN-γ priming of PIA-treated macrophages against P. insidiosum zoospores enhanced the phagocytic activity and phagocytic index in vascular and localized pythiosis patients. Macrophages engulfed P. insidiosum zoospores, but the zoospores continued germination, resulting in macrophage death. Overall, our results suggest that PIA can modulate the immune responses, contributing to higher levels of Th1-type cytokine and potentially improving the survival of patients with vascular pythiosis. This study is the first to uncover that P. insidiosum zoospores can survive within macrophages.
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spelling doaj-art-cc53ff6c8ae3492d82bbc3b7cce0cb662025-08-20T02:13:55ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-11-0114111210.1038/s41598-024-78756-xFunctional characterization of macrophages and change of Th1/Th2 balance in patients with pythiosis after Pythium insidiosum antigen immunotherapySadeep Medhasi0Naunpun Sangphech1Nitipong Permpalung2Pattama Torvorapanit3Rongpong Plongla4Navaporn Worasilchai5Department of Transfusion Medicine and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn UniversityDepartment of Medical Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat UniversityDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn UniversityDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross SocietyDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross SocietyDepartment of Transfusion Medicine and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn UniversityAbstract There has been limited research into the role of the Pythium insidiosum antigen (PIA) in modulating immune response in patients with pythiosis. This study investigated the balance of T helper type 2 (Th2) and T helper type 1 (Th1) responses after receiving PIA immunotherapy in patients with pythiosis. Next, the phagocytic activity and phagocytic index of IFN-γ primed PIA-treated macrophages were examined. Furthermore, the phagocytosis of infective P. insidiosum zoospores by macrophages was investigated. This work showed that the PIA vaccine induced Th1 response and M1 macrophages in patients with vascular pythiosis who survived and those with localized pythiosis. Phagocytic activity and phagocytic index were increased considerably in localized pythiosis patients compared to vascular pythiosis patients with hematological diseases. IFN-γ priming of PIA-treated macrophages against P. insidiosum zoospores enhanced the phagocytic activity and phagocytic index in vascular and localized pythiosis patients. Macrophages engulfed P. insidiosum zoospores, but the zoospores continued germination, resulting in macrophage death. Overall, our results suggest that PIA can modulate the immune responses, contributing to higher levels of Th1-type cytokine and potentially improving the survival of patients with vascular pythiosis. This study is the first to uncover that P. insidiosum zoospores can survive within macrophages.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-78756-xOomyceteZoosporeInterferon-γOcularVascular
spellingShingle Sadeep Medhasi
Naunpun Sangphech
Nitipong Permpalung
Pattama Torvorapanit
Rongpong Plongla
Navaporn Worasilchai
Functional characterization of macrophages and change of Th1/Th2 balance in patients with pythiosis after Pythium insidiosum antigen immunotherapy
Scientific Reports
Oomycete
Zoospore
Interferon-γ
Ocular
Vascular
title Functional characterization of macrophages and change of Th1/Th2 balance in patients with pythiosis after Pythium insidiosum antigen immunotherapy
title_full Functional characterization of macrophages and change of Th1/Th2 balance in patients with pythiosis after Pythium insidiosum antigen immunotherapy
title_fullStr Functional characterization of macrophages and change of Th1/Th2 balance in patients with pythiosis after Pythium insidiosum antigen immunotherapy
title_full_unstemmed Functional characterization of macrophages and change of Th1/Th2 balance in patients with pythiosis after Pythium insidiosum antigen immunotherapy
title_short Functional characterization of macrophages and change of Th1/Th2 balance in patients with pythiosis after Pythium insidiosum antigen immunotherapy
title_sort functional characterization of macrophages and change of th1 th2 balance in patients with pythiosis after pythium insidiosum antigen immunotherapy
topic Oomycete
Zoospore
Interferon-γ
Ocular
Vascular
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-78756-x
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