Differential inflammatory response to Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans infection in human retinal pigment epithelial cells: Role in treatment of endophthalmitis.

OBJECTIVE

Fungal endophthalmitis is an emerging vision-threatening complication in tropical countries and the Retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) are said to play a major role in the retinal pathology. The aim of this study was to compare the immune response of Retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) challenged with A. flavus and C. albicans strains, isolated from patients with fungal endophthalmitis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retinal Pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19) cells were infected with A. flavus and C. albicans, and gene expression were assessed for TLRs, immune-mediators, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).

RESULTS

We observed a time-dependent gene expression of TLRs (TLR-2,-7 and -9); IL-8 and TNF-α in RPE cells challenged with A. flavus and C. albicans. Additonally, IL-6 (3.3 fold), IL-10 (15.2 fold), and IL-17 (5.6 fold) were significantly up-regulated only in cells infected with A. flavus. Additionally, MMP-9 gene expression was up-regulated in both A.flavus as well as C.albicans infected cells, while MMP- 2 gene expression was induced only in cells infected with C.albicans. A total of 9 upregulated differential expression of genes (DEGs) in A. flavus infected cells and 7 DEGs in C. albicans infected cells were used to construct Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network.

CONCLUSION

RPE cells induced a differential innate immune response depending on fungal species involved (A.flavus and C.albicans) and may provide clues for novel treatment targets and better prognosis.