Abstract

To investigate the immunoregulatory role of haptoglobin (Hp) in the Trichosporon asahiiinduced skin infection. A total of 80 BALB/c mice were assigned into immunosuppression (IS) group and non-immunosuppression (non-IS) group. Mice in both groups were subcutaneously inoculated with 3.2 × 10⁷ cfu/ml T. asahii suspension. 0.5, 1, 3 and 5 d after inoculation, mice was sacrificed and skin lesion was collected. mRNA expression of Hp gene was detected by RT-PCR. Microarray was employed to investigate immune related gene expression profile. In both groups, mRNA expression of Hp was detected as 0.5, 1, 3 and 5 d after T. asahii infection, but the Hp expression in IS group was significantly higher than that in non-IS group (P<0.01). One day after T. asahii infection, Hp expression was significantly higher than that of 0.5, 3 and 5 d after infection (P<0.01). A total of 11 immune related differentially expressed genes were identified in the microarray assay and the gene encoding Hp protein was up-regulated. Hp involves in the T. asahiiinfection of skin.

Key words: Trichosporon asahii, haptoglobin, skin, infection