SUB6 Subtilisin is Involved During the Initial Adhesion of Trichophyton benhamiae and T . mentagrophytes onto Reconstructed Human Epidermis.

Faway, Émilie; Poirier, Wilfried; Yamada, Tsuyoshi; Ozawa, Kiyotaka; Monod, Michel; Mignon, Bernard; Poumay, Yves

doi:10.1016/j.xjidi.2025.100370

Article (Scientific journals)

SUB6 Subtilisin is Involved During the Initial Adhesion of Trichophyton benhamiae and T . mentagrophytes onto Reconstructed Human Epidermis.

Faway, Émilie; Poirier, Wilfried; Yamada, Tsuyoshi et al.

2025 • In JID Innovations, 5 (4), p. 100370

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

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https://hdl.handle.net/2268/342598

DOI
10.1016/j.xjidi.2025.100370

PubMed
40416790

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Keywords :

Adhesion; Dermatophytosis; Reconstructed human epidermis; Subtilisin; Virulence factor; Dermatology

Abstract :

[en] The growing incidence of dermatophytoses and the emergence of strains resistant to available antifungal agents raise the need for a better understanding of the virulence mechanisms of dermatophytes to identify new therapeutic targets. The proteases of the subtilisin family have previously been highlighted as potential virulence factors for dermatophytes, in particular the protease SUB6, which was first discovered to be an allergen capable of inducing immediate and delayed hypersensitivity skin reactions. Moreover, SUB6 expression and SUB6 protein production were detected during experimental and natural skin infections with several dermatophyte species. In this study, we specifically investigated the importance of SUB6 during Trichophyton benhamiae and T . mentagrophytes dermatophytosis in a reconstructed human epidermis model by comparing parental strains with genetically engineered ones deleted (ΔSUB6) or complemented for the SUB6-encoding gene. Thereby, a role for SUB6 has been identified in the initial steps of adhesion to the host epidermal surface. However, the ΔSUB6 strains were able to finally invade the reconstructed human epidermis, suggesting that SUB6 is a robust fungal marker of infection but not an essential virulence factor.

Disciplines :

Laboratory medicine & medical technology

Author, co-author :

Faway, Émilie ; Molecular Physiology Research Unit, NAmur Research Institute for Life Sciences (URPHYMNARILIS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium

Poirier, Wilfried ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des maladies infectieuses et parasitaires (DMI) > Mycologie vétérinaire

Yamada, Tsuyoshi ; Teikyo University Institute of Medical Mycology, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan ; Asia International Institute of Infectious Disease Control, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan

Ozawa, Kiyotaka ; Teikyo University Institute of Medical Mycology, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan ; Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan

Monod, Michel ; Department of Dermatology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudios, Lausanne, Switzerland

Mignon, Bernard ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des maladies infectieuses et parasitaires (DMI) > Mycologie vétérinaire

Poumay, Yves ; Molecular Physiology Research Unit, NAmur Research Institute for Life Sciences (URPHYMNARILIS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium

Language :

English

Title :

SUB6 Subtilisin is Involved During the Initial Adhesion of Trichophyton benhamiae and T . mentagrophytes onto Reconstructed Human Epidermis.

Publication date :

10 April 2025

Journal title :

JID Innovations

eISSN :

2667-0267

Publisher :

Elsevier Inc., Netherlands

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

100370

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S2667026725000268?httpAccept=text/xml

Name of the research project :

MycEpi

Funders :

Région wallonne

Funding number :

1910074

Available on ORBi :

since 10 March 2026

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