摘要
VEGF （Vascular endothelial growth factor） signaling is critical for endothelial cell survival and maintenance of the vasculature. Deregulation of VEGF signaling contributes to the physiopathology of many diseases. However, the ways in which infection with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis affects VEGF signaling and the influence of immunization with rPb27 （recombinant protein Pb27） on VEGF signaling have not yet been studied. Animals were immunized with rPb27 and subsequently infected with a virulent strain of P. brasiliensis. The fungal load was evaluated by measuring CFU （colony-forming unit） and histology was performed to evaluate the inflammatory reaction. At the two time points analyzed, the PC （positive control） and TREAT （treated） animals had decreased levels of pulmonary VEGF compared to basal levels. However, in the immunized （Pb27） and treated mice （Pb27 ＋ TREAT）, VEGF expression remained unchanged after infection. In the case of VEGFR-2, the Pb27 and Pb27 ＋ TREAT groups showed increased levels of expression. Regarding the levels of the eNOS enzyme, only the Pb27 group did not reduce the expression levels relative to baseline. The immunization with rPb27 kept VEGF signaling, NO production and increased VEGFR-2 expression, after infection with P. brasiliensis. Thus, the authors infer that immunization with rPb27 protects mice from the disruption of VEGF signaling in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection.
