Marina Lima Fontes

Dr. Marina Lima Fontes


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

4Years (2023-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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31 May 2023 in Journal of Fungi
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
KSKelvin Sousa Santos
Kelvin Sousa Santos
LOLariane Teodoro Oliveira
Lariane Teodoro Oliveira
MFMarina Lima Fontes
Marina Lima Fontes
KMKetylin Fernanda Migliato
Ketylin Fernanda Migliato
AFAna Marisa Fusco-Almeida
Ana Marisa Fusco-Almeida
AMANDREI MOROZ
ANDREI MOROZ
A three-dimensional (3D) lung aggregate model based on sodium alginate scaffolds was developed to study the interactions between Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (Pb) and lung epithelial cells. The suitability of the 3D aggregate as an infection model was examined using cell viability (cytotoxicity), metabolic activity, and proliferation assays. Several studies exemplify the similarity between 3D cell cultures and living organisms, which can generate complementary data due to the greater complexity observed in these designed models, compared to 2D cell cultures. A 3D cell culture system of human A549 lung cell line plus sodium alginate was used to create the scaffolds that were infected with Pb18. Our results showed low cytotoxicity, evidence of increased cell density (indicative of cell proliferation), and the maintenance of cell viability for seven days. The confocal analysis revealed viable yeast within the 3D scaffold, as demonstrated in the solid BHI Agar medium cultivation. Moreover, when ECM proteins were added to the alginate scaffolds, the number of retrieved fungi was significantly higher. Our results highlight that this 3D model may be promising for in vitro studies of host–pathogen interactions.