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Alonso R, Pisa D, Fernández-Fernández AM, Rábano A, Carrasco L. Fungal infection in neural tissue of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurobiol Dis 2017; 108:249-260. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 09/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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Benito-León J, Laurence M. The Role of Fungi in the Etiology of Multiple Sclerosis. Front Neurol 2017; 8:535. [PMID: 29085329 PMCID: PMC5650687 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2017.00535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system. Infectious triggers of MS are being actively investigated. Substantial evidence supports the involvement of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), though other viruses, bacteria, protists, and fungi are also being considered. Many links between fungi and diseases involving chronic inflammation have been found recently. Evidence linking MS and fungi is reviewed here. The HLA-DRB1*15 allele group is the most important genetic risk factor of MS, and is a risk factor in several other conditions linked to fungal infections. Many biomarkers of MS are consistent with fungal infections, such as IL-17, chitotriosidase, and antibodies against fungi. Dimethyl fumarate (DMF), first used as an industrial fungicide, was recently repurposed to reduce MS symptoms. Its mechanisms of action in MS have not been firmly established. The low risk of MS during childhood and its moderate association with herpes simplex virus type 2 suggest genital exposure to microbes (including fungi) should be investigated as a possible trigger. Molecular and epidemiological evidence support a role for infections such as EBV in MS. Though fungal infections have not been widely studied in MS, many lines of evidence are consistent with a fungal etiology. Future microbiome and serological studies should consider fungi as a possible risk factor for MS, and future clinical studies should consider the effect of fungicides other than DMF on MS symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julián Benito-León
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital “12 de Octubre”, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
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Ruan L, Wu D, Li X, Huang Q, Lin L, Lin J, Chen L, Xu P, Jin J, Yang N, Li X. Analysis of microbial community composition and diversity in postoperative intracranial infection using high‑throughput sequencing. Mol Med Rep 2017; 16:3938-3946. [PMID: 29067467 PMCID: PMC5646973 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2017.7082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracranial infection is one of the most serious complications following neurosurgery. It is well acknowledged that bacteria and fungi are the main pathogens responsible for postoperative intracranial infection. However, the microbial community structure, including composition, abundance and diversity, in postoperative intracranial infection is not fully understood, which greatly compromises our understanding of the necessity and effectiveness of postoperative antibiotic treatment. The present study collected eight cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with intracranial infection following neurosurgical procedures. High‑throughput amplicon sequencing for 16S rDNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) was performed using the Illumina MiSeq platform to investigate the microbial community composition and diversity between treated and untreated patients. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the microbial composition and diversity in each patient group (that is, with or without antibiotic treatment) was similar; however, the group receiving antibiotic treatment had a comparatively lower species abundance and diversity compared with untreated patients. At the genus level, Acinetobacter and Staphylococcus were widely distributed in CSF samples from patients with postoperative intracranial infection; in particular, Acinetobacter was detected in all CSF samples. In addition, five ITS fungal libraries were constructed, and Candida was detected in three out of four patients not receiving antibiotic treatment, indicating that the fungal infection should be given more attention. In summary, 16S and ITS high‑throughput amplicon sequencing were practical methods to identify pathogens in the different periods of treatment in patients with postoperative intracranial infection. There was a notable difference in microbial composition and diversity between the treated and untreated patients. Alterations in the microbial community structure may provide a signal whether antibiotic treatment worked in postoperative intracranial infection and may assist surgeons to better control the progression of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixin Ruan
- Department of Neurosurgery, The People's Hospital of Pingyang, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325400, P.R. China
| | - Daowu Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The People's Hospital of Pingyang, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325400, P.R. China
| | - Xinchong Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, The People's Hospital of Pingyang, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325400, P.R. China
| | - Qichuan Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The People's Hospital of Pingyang, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325400, P.R. China
| | - Laipeng Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, The People's Hospital of Pingyang, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325400, P.R. China
| | - Jie Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, The People's Hospital of Pingyang, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325400, P.R. China
| | - Lie Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The People's Hospital of Pingyang, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325400, P.R. China
| | - Peisong Xu
- Department of Research Service, Zhiyuan Inspection Medical Institute Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Jie Jin
- Department of Research Service, Zhiyuan Inspection Medical Institute Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Ningmin Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhiyuan Inspection Medical Institute Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Xianfeng Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, The People's Hospital of Pingyang, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325400, P.R. China
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Polymicrobial Infections In Brain Tissue From Alzheimer's Disease Patients. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5559. [PMID: 28717130 PMCID: PMC5514053 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05903-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies have advanced the idea that the etiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) could be microbial in origin. In the present study, we tested the possibility that polymicrobial infections exist in tissue from the entorhinal cortex/hippocampus region of patients with AD using immunohistochemistry (confocal laser scanning microscopy) and highly sensitive (nested) PCR. We found no evidence for expression of early (ICP0) or late (ICP5) proteins of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in brain sections. A polyclonal antibody against Borrelia detected structures that appeared not related to spirochetes, but rather to fungi. These structures were not found with a monoclonal antibody. Also, Borrelia DNA was undetectable by nested PCR in the ten patients analyzed. By contrast, two independent Chlamydophila antibodies revealed several structures that resembled fungal cells and hyphae, and prokaryotic cells, but most probably were unrelated to Chlamydophila spp. Finally, several structures that could belong to fungi or prokaryotes were detected using peptidoglycan and Clostridium antibodies, and PCR analysis revealed the presence of several bacteria in frozen brain tissue from AD patients. Thus, our results show that polymicrobial infections consisting of fungi and bacteria can be revealed in brain tissue from AD patients.
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Daschner A. An Evolutionary-Based Framework for Analyzing Mold and Dampness-Associated Symptoms in DMHS. Front Immunol 2017; 7:672. [PMID: 28119688 PMCID: PMC5220099 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2016.00672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Among potential environmental harmful factors, fungi deserve special consideration. Their intrinsic ability to actively germinate or infect host tissues might determine a prominent trigger in host defense mechanisms. With the appearance of fungi in evolutionary history, other organisms had to evolve strategies to recognize and cope with them. Existing controversies around dampness and mold hypersensitivity syndrome (DMHS) can be due to the great variability of clinical symptoms but also of possible eliciting factors associated with mold and dampness. An hypothesis is presented, where an evolutionary analysis of the different response patterns seen in DMHS is able to explain the existing variability of disease patterns. Classical interpretation of immune responses and symptoms are addressed within the field of pathophysiology. The presented evolutionary analysis seeks for the ultimate causes of the vast array of symptoms in DMHS. Symptoms can be interpreted as induced by direct (toxic) actions of spores, mycotoxins, or other fungal metabolites, or on the other side by the host-initiated response, which aims to counterbalance and fight off potentially deleterious effects or fungal infection. Further, individual susceptibility of immune reactions can confer an exaggerated response, and magnified symptoms are then explained in terms of immunopathology. IgE-mediated allergy fits well in this scenario, where individuals with an atopic predisposition suffer from an exaggerated response to mold exposure, but studies addressing why such responses have evolved and if they could be advantageous are scarce. Human history is plenty of plagues and diseases connected with mold exposure, which could explain vulnerability to mold allergy. Likewise, multiorgan symptoms in DMHS are analyzed for its possible adaptive role not only in the defense of an active infection, but also as evolved mechanisms for avoidance of potentially harmful environments in an evolutionary past or present setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro Daschner
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Servicio de Alergia , Madrid , Spain
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56
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Pisa D, Alonso R, Rábano A, Horst MN, Carrasco L. Fungal Enolase, β-Tubulin, and Chitin Are Detected in Brain Tissue from Alzheimer's Disease Patients. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1772. [PMID: 27872620 PMCID: PMC5097921 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent findings provide evidence that fungal structures can be detected in brain tissue from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients using rabbit polyclonal antibodies raised against whole fungal cells. In the present work, we have developed and tested specific antibodies that recognize the fungal proteins, enolase and β-tubulin, and an antibody that recognizes the fungal polysaccharide chitin. Consistent with our previous studies, a number of rounded yeast-like and hyphal structures were detected using these antibodies in brain sections from AD patients. Some of these structures were intracellular and, strikingly, some were found to be located inside nuclei from neurons, whereas other fungal structures were detected extracellularly. Corporya amylacea from AD patients also contained enolase and β-tubulin as revealed by these selective antibodies, but were devoid of fungal chitin. Importantly, brain sections from control subjects were usually negative for staining with the three antibodies. However, a few fungal structures can be observed in some control individuals. Collectively, these findings indicate the presence of two fungal proteins, enolase and β-tubulin, and the polysaccharide chitin, in CNS tissue from AD patients. These findings are consistent with our hypothesis that AD is caused by disseminated fungal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Pisa
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa," Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid, Spain
| | - Ruth Alonso
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa," Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Rábano
- Department of Neuropathology and Tissue Bank, Unidad de Investigación Proyecto Alzheimer, Fundación CIEN, Instituto de Salud Carlos III Madrid, Spain
| | - Michael N Horst
- Division of Basic Medical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon GA, USA
| | - Luis Carrasco
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa," Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid, Spain
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57
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Andreu Z, Otta Oshiro R, Redruello A, López-Martín S, Gutiérrez-Vázquez C, Morato E, Marina AI, Olivier Gómez C, Yáñez-Mó M. Extracellular vesicles as a source for non-invasive biomarkers in bladder cancer progression. Eur J Pharm Sci 2016; 98:70-79. [PMID: 27751843 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2016.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Revised: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Bladder cancer is the second most frequent malignancy of the urinary tract after prostate cancer. Current diagnostic techniques, such as cystoscopy and biopsies are highly invasive and accompanied of undesirable side effects. Moreover, there are no suitable biomarkers for relapse or progression prognosis. We analysed whether the specific composition of microRNAs (miRNAs) and proteins of extracellular vesicles (EVs) that urothelial tumour cells of bladder mucosa release into the urine, could reflect their pathologic condition. For this purpose, urinary EVs were isolated and their protein and miRNA composition evaluated in healthy donors and low or high-grade bladder cancer patients. Using a microarray platform containing probes for 851 human miRNAs we found 26 deregulated miRNAs in high-grade bladder cancer urine EVs, from which 23 were downregulated and 3 upregulated. Real-time PCR analysis pointed to miR-375 as a biomarker for high-grade bladder cancer while miR-146a could identify low-grade patients. Finally, several protein markers were also deregulated in EVs from tumour patients. Our data suggest that the presence of ApoB in the 100,000 pellet is a clear marker for malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoraida Andreu
- Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Santa Cristina, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Princesa (IIS-IP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Renan Otta Oshiro
- Servicio de Urología, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Princesa (IIS-IP), Spain
| | - Alberto Redruello
- Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Santa Cristina, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Princesa (IIS-IP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Soraya López-Martín
- Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Santa Cristina, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Princesa (IIS-IP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Gutiérrez-Vázquez
- Servicio de Inmunología, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Princesa (IIS-IP); Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain; Unidad de Proteómica, CBM-SO, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Biología Molecular, UAM/CBM-SO, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Carlos Olivier Gómez
- Servicio de Urología, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Princesa (IIS-IP), Spain
| | - María Yáñez-Mó
- Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Santa Cristina, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Princesa (IIS-IP), Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Biología Molecular, UAM/CBM-SO, Madrid, Spain.
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58
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Alonso R, Pisa D, Rábano A, Rodal I, Carrasco L. Cerebrospinal Fluid from Alzheimer's Disease Patients Contains Fungal Proteins and DNA. J Alzheimers Dis 2016; 47:873-6. [PMID: 26401766 DOI: 10.3233/jad-150382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The identification of biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease is important for patient management and to assess the effectiveness of clinical intervention. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers constitute a powerful tool for diagnosis and monitoring disease progression. We have analyzed the presence of fungal proteins and DNA in CSF from AD patients. Our findings reveal that fungal proteins can be detected in CSF with different anti-fungal antibodies using a slot-blot assay. Additionally, amplification of fungal DNA by PCR followed by sequencing distinguished several fungal species. The possibility that these fungal macromolecules could represent AD biomarkers is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Alonso
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa", c/Nicolás Cabrera, 1, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diana Pisa
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa", c/Nicolás Cabrera, 1, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Rábano
- Department of Neuropathology and Tissue Bank, Unidad de Investigación Proyecto Alzheimer, Fundación CIEN, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Izaskun Rodal
- Department of Neuropathology and Tissue Bank, Unidad de Investigación Proyecto Alzheimer, Fundación CIEN, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Carrasco
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa", c/Nicolás Cabrera, 1, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
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59
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de Pedro-Cuesta J, Martínez-Martín P, Rábano A, Ruiz-Tovar M, Alcalde-Cabero E, Calero M. Etiologic Framework for the Study of Neurodegenerative Disorders as Well as Vascular and Metabolic Comorbidities on the Grounds of Shared Epidemiologic and Biologic Features. Front Aging Neurosci 2016; 8:138. [PMID: 27378910 PMCID: PMC4904010 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2016.00138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: During the last two decades, protein aggregation at all organismal levels, from viruses to humans, has emerged from a neglected area of protein science to become a central issue in biology and biomedicine. This article constitutes a risk-based review aimed at supporting an etiologic scenario of selected, sporadic, protein-associated, i.e., conformational, neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs), and their vascular- and metabolic-associated ailments. Methods: A rationale is adopted, to incorporate selected clinical data and results from animal-model research, complementing epidemiologic evidences reported in two prior articles. Findings: Theory is formulated assuming an underlying conformational transmission mechanism, mediated either by horizontal transfer of mammalian genes coding for specific aggregation-prone proteins, or by xeno-templating between bacterial and host proteins. We build a few population-based and experimentally-testable hypotheses focusing on: (1) non-disposable surgical instruments for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) and other rapid progressive neurodegenerative dementia (sRPNDd), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and motor neuron disease (MND); and (2) specific bacterial infections such as B. pertussis and E. coli for all forms, but particularly for late-life sporadic conformational, NDDs, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and atherosclerosis where natural protein fibrils present in such organisms as a result of adaptation to the human host induce prion-like mechanisms. Conclusion: Implications for cohort alignment and experimental animal research are discussed and research lines proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús de Pedro-Cuesta
- Department of Applied Epidemiology, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of HealthMadrid, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), National Institute of Health Carlos IIIMadrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Martínez-Martín
- Department of Applied Epidemiology, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of HealthMadrid, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), National Institute of Health Carlos IIIMadrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Rábano
- Alzheimer Disease Research Unit, CIEN Foundation, Queen Sofia Foundation Alzheimer Center Madrid, Spain
| | - María Ruiz-Tovar
- Department of Applied Epidemiology, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of HealthMadrid, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), National Institute of Health Carlos IIIMadrid, Spain
| | - Enrique Alcalde-Cabero
- Department of Applied Epidemiology, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of HealthMadrid, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), National Institute of Health Carlos IIIMadrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Calero
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), National Institute of Health Carlos IIIMadrid, Spain; Alzheimer Disease Research Unit, CIEN Foundation, Queen Sofia Foundation Alzheimer CenterMadrid, Spain; Chronic Disease Programme, Carlos III Institute of Health, MajadahondaMadrid, Spain
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60
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Severance EG, Gressitt KL, Stallings CR, Katsafanas E, Schweinfurth LA, Savage CL, Adamos MB, Sweeney KM, Origoni AE, Khushalani S, Leweke FM, Dickerson FB, Yolken RH. Candida albicans exposures, sex specificity and cognitive deficits in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. NPJ SCHIZOPHRENIA 2016; 2:16018. [PMID: 27336058 PMCID: PMC4898895 DOI: 10.1038/npjschz.2016.18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Revised: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Immune aberrations in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder have led to the hypotheses that infectious agents or corresponding immune responses might contribute to psychiatric etiopathogeneses. We investigated case-control differences in exposure to the opportunistic fungal pathogen, Candida albicans, and examined associations with cognition, medication, lifestyle, and somatic conditions. We quantified C. albicans IgG antibodies in two cohorts totaling 947 individuals and evaluated odds ratios (OR) of exposure with psychiatric disorder using multivariate regressions. The case-control cohort included 261 with schizophrenia, 270 with bipolar disorder, and 277 non-psychiatric controls; the second included 139 with first-episode schizophrenia, 78 of whom were antipsychotic naive. No differences in C. albicans exposures were found until diagnostic groups were stratified by sex. In males, C. albicans seropositivity conferred increased odds for a schizophrenia diagnosis (OR 2.04-9.53, P⩽0.0001). In females, C. albicans seropositivity conferred increased odds for lower cognitive scores on Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) in schizophrenia (OR 1.12, P⩽0.004), with significant decreases on memory modules for both disorders (P⩽0.0007-0.03). C. albicans IgG levels were not impacted by antipsychotic medications. Gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances were associated with elevated C. albicans in males with schizophrenia and females with bipolar disorder (P⩽0.009-0.02). C. albicans exposure was associated with homelessness in bipolar males (P⩽0.0015). In conclusion, sex-specific C. albicans immune responses were evident in psychiatric disorder subsets. Inquiry regarding C. albicans infection or symptoms may expedite amelioration of this treatable comorbid condition. Yeast exposure as a risk factor for schizophrenia and its associated cognitive and GI effects require further investigation including the possible contribution of gut-brain mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily G Severance
- Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kristin L Gressitt
- Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Emily Katsafanas
- Sheppard Pratt Health System, Stanley Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Christina L Savage
- Sheppard Pratt Health System, Stanley Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Maria B Adamos
- Sheppard Pratt Health System, Stanley Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kevin M Sweeney
- Sheppard Pratt Health System, Stanley Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrea E Origoni
- Sheppard Pratt Health System, Stanley Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sunil Khushalani
- Sheppard Pratt Health System, Stanley Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - F Markus Leweke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Faith B Dickerson
- Sheppard Pratt Health System, Stanley Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert H Yolken
- Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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61
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Scheperjans F. Can microbiota research change our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases? Neurodegener Dis Manag 2016; 6:81-5. [PMID: 27033377 DOI: 10.2217/nmt-2015-0012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Filip Scheperjans
- Department of Neurology, Helsinki University Hospital & Department of Clinical Neurosciences (Neurology), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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62
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Pisa D, Alonso R, Rábano A, Carrasco L. Corpora Amylacea of Brain Tissue from Neurodegenerative Diseases Are Stained with Specific Antifungal Antibodies. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:86. [PMID: 27013948 PMCID: PMC4781869 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The origin and potential function of corpora amylacea (CA) remains largely unknown. Low numbers of CA are detected in the aging brain of normal individuals but they are abundant in the central nervous system of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, we show that CA from patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) contain fungal proteins as detected by immunohistochemistry analyses. Accordingly, CA were labeled with different anti-fungal antibodies at the external surface, whereas the central portion composed of calcium salts contain less proteins. Detection of fungal proteins was achieved using a number of antibodies raised against different fungal species, which indicated cross-reactivity between the fungal proteins present in CA and the antibodies employed. Importantly, these antibodies do not immunoreact with cellular proteins. Additionally, CNS samples from patients diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson's disease (PD) also contained CA that were immunoreactive with a range of antifungal antibodies. However, CA were less abundant in ALS or PD patients as compared to CNS samples from AD. By contrast, CA from brain tissue of control subjects were almost devoid of fungal immunoreactivity. These observations are consistent with the concept that CA associate with fungal infections and may contribute to the elucidation of the origin of CA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Pisa
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa," Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid, Spain
| | - Ruth Alonso
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa," Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Rábano
- Department of Neuropathology and Tissue Bank, Unidad de Investigación Proyecto Alzheimer, Fundación Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Neurologicas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Carrasco
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa," Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid, Spain
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63
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Different Brain Regions are Infected with Fungi in Alzheimer's Disease. Sci Rep 2015; 5:15015. [PMID: 26468932 PMCID: PMC4606562 DOI: 10.1038/srep15015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 166] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The possibility that Alzheimer's disease (AD) has a microbial aetiology has been proposed by several researchers. Here, we provide evidence that tissue from the central nervous system (CNS) of AD patients contain fungal cells and hyphae. Fungal material can be detected both intra- and extracellularly using specific antibodies against several fungi. Different brain regions including external frontal cortex, cerebellar hemisphere, entorhinal cortex/hippocampus and choroid plexus contain fungal material, which is absent in brain tissue from control individuals. Analysis of brain sections from ten additional AD patients reveals that all are infected with fungi. Fungal infection is also observed in blood vessels, which may explain the vascular pathology frequently detected in AD patients. Sequencing of fungal DNA extracted from frozen CNS samples identifies several fungal species. Collectively, our findings provide compelling evidence for the existence of fungal infection in the CNS from AD patients, but not in control individuals.
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