Transcriptional profiling of macrophages infected with <i>Fonsecaea monophora</i>

Abstract

Fonsecaea monophora is a member of dematiaceous fungi capable of causing chromoblastomycosis through traumatic injury. However, little is known about the pathogenesis and early interactions between F. monophora and host. The aim of this study was to explore the potential mechanism of macrophages against F. monophora, especially the role of melanin during the pathogenic process. We carried out RNA sequencing based on the Illumina system. It showed that according to melanin contents, different strains of F. monophora induced different transcriptional profilings in macrophages. Functional analyses suggested the biological functions of differentially expressed genes were closely related to immune response, and the melanin might affect the interactions by regulating the MAPK signalling pathway of macrophages. Our results provide insights into the pathogenesis of infection by F. monophora conidia.