A new study published in the Journal of Extracellular Biology examines how extracellular vesicles released by Aspergillus fumigatus interact with the host immune system, and how the layer of biomolecules that adheres to those vesicles — the biomolecular corona — reshapes immune recognition and macrophage activation.
Led by Nogueira and colleagues, the work characterizes how the corona that forms on A. fumigatus extracellular vesicles in a biological environment alters the way macrophages detect the vesicles and the activation programs those macrophages then run. The researchers report that corona remodelling shifts the immune signal that A. fumigatus presents to innate immune cells, which has implications for how the body responds to inhaled fungal material.
Aspergillus fumigatus is among the most clinically significant indoor molds and is commonly identified in water-damaged buildings. The study adds mechanistic detail to a growing body of research on how fungal-derived particles drive innate immune responses in exposed individuals.