CCPG1 involved in corneal Aspergillus fumigatus infection

Aim: To investigate whether non-canonical Autophagy transport receptor cell cycle progression 1 (CCPG1) is involved in the corneal Antifungal immune response.

Methods: Human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) and human myeloid leukemia mononuclear cells (THP-1) macrophages stimulated by Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) were used as cell models. The expression of CCPG1 mRNA was detected by qRT-PCR. Western blot was used to determine the protein expression of CCPG1 and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). The Dectin-1 neutralizing antibody was used to detect the association between Dectin-1 and CCPG1. Immunofluorescence was used to observe the colocalization of CCPG1 and C-type lectin-like receptor-1 (CLEC-1) in THP-1 macrophages.

Results: The expression of CCPG1 started to increase at 4h after Infection and increased in a time-dependent manner in HCECs and THP-1 macrophages. With Dectin-1 neutralizing antibody pretreatment, the expression of IL-1β was down-regulated. CCPG1 up-regulation in response to A. fumigatus Infection was independent of Dectin-1. Immunofluorescence showed the colocalization of CCPG1 and CLEC-1 in THP-1 macrophages.

Conclusion: As a specific Autophagy protein of non-canonical Autophagy pathway, CCPG1 is involved in corneal Infection with A. fumigatus.