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Ryan K, Byrd TF. Mycobacterium abscessus: Shapeshifter of the Mycobacterial World. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2642. [PMID: 30443245 PMCID: PMC6221961 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review we will focus on unique aspects of Mycobacterium abscessus (MABS) which we feel earn it the designation of "shapeshifter of the mycobacterial world." We will review its emergence as a distinct species, the recognition and description of MABS subspecies which are only now being clearly defined in terms of pathogenicity, its ability to exist in different forms favoring a saprophytic lifestyle or one more suitable to invasion of mammalian hosts, as well as current challenges in terms of antimicrobial therapy and future directions for research. One can see in the various phases of MABS, a species transitioning from a free living saprophyte to a host-adapted pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keenan Ryan
- Department of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Hospital, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Thomas F. Byrd
- Department of Medicine, The University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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102
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Dubois V, Viljoen A, Laencina L, Le Moigne V, Bernut A, Dubar F, Blaise M, Gaillard JL, Guérardel Y, Kremer L, Herrmann JL, Girard-Misguich F. MmpL8 MAB controls Mycobacterium abscessus virulence and production of a previously unknown glycolipid family. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E10147-E10156. [PMID: 30301802 PMCID: PMC6205491 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1812984115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium abscessus is a peculiar rapid-growing Mycobacterium (RGM) capable of surviving within eukaryotic cells thanks to an arsenal of virulence genes also found in slow-growing mycobacteria (SGM), such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis A screen based on the intracellular survival in amoebae and macrophages (MΦ) of an M. abscessus transposon mutant library revealed the important role of MAB_0855, a yet uncharacterized Mycobacterial membrane protein Large (MmpL). Large-scale comparisons with SGM and RGM genomes uncovered MmpL12 proteins as putative orthologs of MAB_0855 and a locus-scale synteny between the MAB_0855 and Mycobacterium chelonae mmpL8 loci. A KO mutant of the MAB_0855 gene, designated herein as mmpL8MAB , had impaired adhesion to MΦ and displayed a decreased intracellular viability. Despite retaining the ability to block phagosomal acidification, like the WT strain, the mmpL8MAB mutant was delayed in damaging the phagosomal membrane and in making contact with the cytosol. Virulence attenuation of the mutant was confirmed in vivo by impaired zebrafish killing and a diminished propensity to induce granuloma formation. The previously shown role of MmpL in lipid transport prompted us to investigate the potential lipid substrates of MmpL8MAB Systematic lipid analysis revealed that MmpL8MAB was required for the proper expression of a glycolipid entity, a glycosyl diacylated nonadecyl diol (GDND) alcohol comprising different combinations of oleic and stearic acids. This study shows the importance of MmpL8MAB in modifying interactions between the bacteria and phagocytic cells and in the production of a previously unknown glycolipid family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violaine Dubois
- Université de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM UMR1173, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Albertus Viljoen
- CNRS UMR 9004, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Laura Laencina
- Université de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM UMR1173, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Vincent Le Moigne
- Université de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM UMR1173, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Audrey Bernut
- CNRS UMR 9004, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Faustine Dubar
- Université de Lille, CNRS UMR 8576, Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Mickaël Blaise
- CNRS UMR 9004, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Louis Gaillard
- Université de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM UMR1173, 78000 Versailles, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Groupement Hospitalier Universitaire Paris Ile de France Ouest, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Hôpital Ambroise Paré, 92380 Garches, Boulogne Billancourt, France
| | - Yann Guérardel
- Université de Lille, CNRS UMR 8576, Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Laurent Kremer
- CNRS UMR 9004, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, 34293 Montpellier, France
- INSERM, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Louis Herrmann
- Université de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM UMR1173, 78000 Versailles, France;
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Groupement Hospitalier Universitaire Paris Ile de France Ouest, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Hôpital Ambroise Paré, 92380 Garches, Boulogne Billancourt, France
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103
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Dubois V, Laencina L, Bories A, Le Moigne V, Pawlik A, Herrmann JL, Girard-Misguich F. Identification of Virulence Markers of Mycobacterium abscessus for Intracellular Replication in Phagocytes. J Vis Exp 2018. [PMID: 30320743 DOI: 10.3791/57766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
What differentiates Mycobacterium abscessus from other saprophytic mycobacteria is the ability to resist phagocytosis by human macrophages and the ability to multiply inside such cells. These virulence traits render M. abscessus pathogenic, especially in vulnerable hosts with underlying structural lung disease, such as cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis or tuberculosis. How patients become infected with M. abscessus remains unclear. Unlike many mycobacteria, M. abscessus is not found in the environment but might reside inside amoebae, environmental phagocytes that represent a potential reservoir for M. abscessus. Indeed, M. abscessus is resistant to amoebal phagocytosis and the intra-amoeba life seems to increase M. abscessus virulence in an experimental model of infection. However, little is known about M. abscessus virulence in itself. To decipher the genes conferring an advantage to M. abscessus intracellular life, a screening of a M. abscessus transposon mutant library was developed. In parallel, a method of RNA extraction from intracellular Mycobacteria after co-culture with amoebae was developed. This method was validated and allowed the sequencing of whole M. abscessus transcriptomes inside the cells; providing, for the first time, a global view on M. abscessus adaptation to intracellular life. Both approaches give us an insight into M. abscessus virulence factors that enable M. abscessus to colonize the airways in humans.
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104
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Kim SW, Subhadra B, Whang J, Back YW, Bae HS, Kim HJ, Choi CH. Clinical Mycobacterium abscessus strain inhibits autophagy flux and promotes its growth in murine macrophages. Pathog Dis 2018; 75:4259640. [PMID: 29044406 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftx107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is known to be a vital homeostatic defense process that controls mycobacterial infection. However, the relationship between autophagy response and the virulence of Mycobacterium abscessus strain UC22 has not been reported. Here, we demonstrate that M. abscessus induces autophagy and inhibits autophagy flux in murine macrophages. Further, the rough variant of M. abscessus, UC22 that is a highly virulent clinical isolate, significantly inhibited autophagic flux than the smooth variant of M. abscessus ATCC 19977. In addition, it was noticed that the intracellular survival of UC22 is significantly enhanced by blocking the autophagosome-lysosome fusion in macrophages compared to the smooth variant. However, Mycobacterium smegmatis did not block autophagy flux in murine macrophages. Besides, we confirmed that the lipid components of M. abscessus UC22 play a role in autophagosome formation. These data suggest that the virulent M. abscessus might be able to survive and grow within autophagosomes by preventing the autophagosome-lysosome fusion and their clearance from the cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seong-Woo Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Science, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, 266 Munwha-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Bindu Subhadra
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Science, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, 266 Munwha-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Jake Whang
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Science, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, 266 Munwha-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Woo Back
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Science, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, 266 Munwha-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Shik Bae
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Science, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, 266 Munwha-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Hwa-Jung Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Science, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, 266 Munwha-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Chul Hee Choi
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Science, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, 266 Munwha-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
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105
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Gutiérrez AV, Viljoen A, Ghigo E, Herrmann JL, Kremer L. Glycopeptidolipids, a Double-Edged Sword of the Mycobacterium abscessus Complex. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1145. [PMID: 29922253 PMCID: PMC5996870 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium abscessus is a rapidly-growing species causing a diverse panel of clinical manifestations, ranging from cutaneous infections to severe respiratory disease. Its unique cell wall, contributing largely to drug resistance and to pathogenicity, comprises a vast panoply of complex lipids, among which the glycopeptidolipids (GPLs) have been the focus of intense research. These lipids fulfill various important functions, from sliding motility or biofilm formation to interaction with host cells and intramacrophage trafficking. Being highly immunogenic, the induction of a strong humoral response is likely to select for rough low-GPL producers. These, in contrast to the smooth high-GPL producers, display aggregative properties, which strongly impacts upon intracellular survival. A propensity to grow as extracellular cords allows these low-GPL producing bacilli to escape the innate immune defenses. Transitioning from high-GPL to low-GPL producers implicates mutations within genes involved in biosynthesis or transport of GPL. This leads to induction of an intense pro-inflammatory response and robust and lethal infections in animal models, explaining the presence of rough isolates in patients with decreased pulmonary functions. Herein, we will discuss how, thanks to the generation of defined GPL mutants and the development of appropriate cellular and animal models to study pathogenesis, GPL contribute to M. abscessus biology and physiopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Victoria Gutiérrez
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, UMR 9004, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,CNRS, IRD 198, INSERM U1095, APHM, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, UMR 7278, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Albertus Viljoen
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, UMR 9004, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Eric Ghigo
- CNRS, Campus Joseph Aiguier, Marseille, France
| | | | - Laurent Kremer
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, UMR 9004, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,INSERM, IRIM, Montpellier, France
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106
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Pathogen Box screening for hit identification against Mycobacterium abscessus. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0195595. [PMID: 29698397 PMCID: PMC5919404 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium abscessus is a rapidly growing life-threatening mycobacterium with multiple drug-resistance mechanisms. However, there is no official regimen for M. abscessus therapy. In this study, we screened the Pathogen Box, which contains 400 drug-like molecules active against neglected diseases, to identify active molecules targeting Mycobacterium abscessus using resazurin live/dead assays. In this screening assay, the Z-factor was 0.7, as an indicator of the statistical confidence of the assay. A cut-off of 80% growth inhibition in the screening resulted in the identification of four different compounds at a single concentration (20 μM). Dose-response curves identified three different hit candidates, i.e., MMV688508, MMV688844, and MMV688845, which generated good inhibitory curves. All hit candidates were expected to have different molecular targets. Among them, MMV688844 showed the best minimum inhibitory concentration value for not only wild-type M. abscessus but also for nine different R and S morphotype clinical isolates. Thus, we found that MMV688844, identified from the Pathogen Box screen, may be a promising candidate in the M. abscessus drug discovery pipeline.
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107
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Wu ML, Aziz DB, Dartois V, Dick T. NTM drug discovery: status, gaps and the way forward. Drug Discov Today 2018; 23:1502-1519. [PMID: 29635026 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2018.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Incidence of pulmonary diseases caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), relatives of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is increasing at an alarming rate, surpassing tuberculosis in many countries. Current chemotherapies require long treatment times and the clinical outcomes are often disappointing. There is an urgent medical need to discover and develop new, more-efficacious anti-NTM drugs. In this review, we summarize the current status of NTM drug development, and highlight knowledge gaps and scientific obstacles in NTM drug discovery. We propose strategies to reduce biological uncertainties and to begin to populate a NTM drug pipeline with attractive leads and drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mu-Lu Wu
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, 117599, Singapore
| | - Dinah B Aziz
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, 117599, Singapore
| | - Véronique Dartois
- Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 225 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Thomas Dick
- Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 225 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
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108
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109
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Abstract
Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) include species that colonize human epithelia, as well as species that are ubiquitous in soil and aquatic environments. NTM that primarily inhabit soil and aquatic environments include the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC, M. avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare) and the Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABSC, M. abscessus subspecies abscessus, massiliense, and bolletii), and can be free-living, biofilm-associated, or amoeba-associated. Although NTM are rarely pathogenic in immunocompetent individuals, those who are immunocompromised - due to either an inherited or acquired immunodeficiency - are highly susceptible to NTM infection (NTMI). Several characteristics such as biofilm formation and the ability of select NTM species to form distinct colony morphotypes all may play a role in pathogenesis not observed in the related, well-characterized pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis The recognition of different morphotypes of NTM has been established and characterized since the 1950s, but the mechanisms that underlie colony phenotype change and subsequent differences in pathogenicity are just beginning to be explored. Advances in genomic analysis have led to progress in identifying genes important to the pathogenesis and persistence of MAC disease as well as illuminating genetic aspects of different colony morphotypes. Here we review recent literature regarding NTM ecology and transmission, as well as the factors which regulate colony morphotype and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany A Claeys
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Richard T Robinson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
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110
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Laencina L, Dubois V, Le Moigne V, Viljoen A, Majlessi L, Pritchard J, Bernut A, Piel L, Roux AL, Gaillard JL, Lombard B, Loew D, Rubin EJ, Brosch R, Kremer L, Herrmann JL, Girard-Misguich F. Identification of genes required for Mycobacterium abscessus growth in vivo with a prominent role of the ESX-4 locus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E1002-E1011. [PMID: 29343644 PMCID: PMC5798338 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1713195115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium abscessus, a rapidly growing mycobacterium (RGM) and an opportunistic human pathogen, is responsible for a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from pulmonary to skin and soft tissue infections. This intracellular organism can resist the bactericidal defense mechanisms of amoebae and macrophages, an ability that has not been observed in other RGM. M. abscessus can up-regulate several virulence factors during transient infection of amoebae, thereby becoming more virulent in subsequent respiratory infections in mice. Here, we sought to identify the M. abscessus genes required for replication within amoebae. To this end, we constructed and screened a transposon (Tn) insertion library of an M. abscessus subspecies massiliense clinical isolate for attenuated clones. This approach identified five genes within the ESX-4 locus, which in M. abscessus encodes an ESX-4 type VII secretion system that exceptionally also includes the ESX conserved EccE component. To confirm the screening results and to get further insight into the contribution of ESX-4 to M. abscessus growth and survival in amoebae and macrophages, we generated a deletion mutant of eccB4 that encodes a core structural element of ESX-4. This mutant was less efficient at blocking phagosomal acidification than its parental strain. Importantly, and in contrast to the wild-type strain, it also failed to damage phagosomes and showed reduced signs of phagosome-to-cytosol contact, as demonstrated by a combination of cellular and immunological assays. This study attributes an unexpected and genuine biological role to the underexplored mycobacterial ESX-4 system and its substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Laencina
- Université de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM UMR1173, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Violaine Dubois
- Université de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM UMR1173, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Vincent Le Moigne
- Université de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM UMR1173, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Albertus Viljoen
- Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, CNRS UMR 9004, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Laleh Majlessi
- Unité de Pathogénomique Mycobactérienne, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Justin Pritchard
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Audrey Bernut
- Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, CNRS UMR 9004, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Laura Piel
- Université de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM UMR1173, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Anne-Laure Roux
- Université de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM UMR1173, 78000 Versailles, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpitaux Universitaires Ile de France Ouest, Ambroise Paré, Boulogne and Raymond Poincaré, 92380 Garches, France
| | - Jean-Louis Gaillard
- Université de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM UMR1173, 78000 Versailles, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpitaux Universitaires Ile de France Ouest, Ambroise Paré, Boulogne and Raymond Poincaré, 92380 Garches, France
| | - Bérengère Lombard
- Laboratoire de spectrométrie de masse protéomique, Institut Curie, Paris Science and Letters Research University, 75248 Paris, France
| | - Damarys Loew
- Laboratoire de spectrométrie de masse protéomique, Institut Curie, Paris Science and Letters Research University, 75248 Paris, France
| | - Eric J Rubin
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Roland Brosch
- Unité de Pathogénomique Mycobactérienne, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Laurent Kremer
- Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, CNRS UMR 9004, 34293 Montpellier, France
- INSERM, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Louis Herrmann
- Université de Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, INSERM UMR1173, 78000 Versailles, France;
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpitaux Universitaires Ile de France Ouest, Ambroise Paré, Boulogne and Raymond Poincaré, 92380 Garches, France
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111
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Seveau S, Turner J, Gavrilin MA, Torrelles JB, Hall-Stoodley L, Yount JS, Amer AO. Checks and Balances between Autophagy and Inflammasomes during Infection. J Mol Biol 2017; 430:174-192. [PMID: 29162504 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2017.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2017] [Revised: 11/05/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy and inflammasome complex assembly are physiological processes that control homeostasis, inflammation, and immunity. Autophagy is a ubiquitous pathway that degrades cytosolic macromolecules or organelles, as well as intracellular pathogens. Inflammasomes are multi-protein complexes that assemble in the cytosol of cells upon detection of pathogen- or danger-associated molecular patterns. A critical outcome of inflammasome assembly is the activation of the cysteine protease caspase-1, which activates the pro-inflammatory cytokine precursors pro-IL-1β and pro-IL-18. Studies on chronic inflammatory diseases, heart diseases, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis revealed that autophagy and inflammasomes intersect and regulate each other. In the context of infectious diseases, however, less is known about the interplay between autophagy and inflammasome assembly, although it is becoming evident that pathogens have evolved multiple strategies to inhibit and/or subvert these pathways and to take advantage of their intricate crosstalk. An improved appreciation of these pathways and their subversion by diverse pathogens is expected to help in the design of anti-infective therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Seveau
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA; Infectious Diseases Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Joanne Turner
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA
| | - Mikhail A Gavrilin
- Infectious Diseases Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | - Luanne Hall-Stoodley
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA; Infectious Diseases Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jacob S Yount
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA; Infectious Diseases Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Amal O Amer
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA; Infectious Diseases Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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112
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Becker K, Haldimann K, Selchow P, Reinau LM, Dal Molin M, Sander P. Lipoprotein Glycosylation by Protein- O-Mannosyltransferase (MAB_1122c) Contributes to Low Cell Envelope Permeability and Antibiotic Resistance of Mycobacterium abscessus. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2123. [PMID: 29163413 PMCID: PMC5673659 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipoproteins are important components of the mycobacterial cell envelope due to their function in cell wall homeostasis and bacterial virulence. They are post-translationally modified with lipid- and glycosyl-residues in various species and interference with acylation or glycosylation leads to reduced growth and attenuated virulence in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Lipoproteins are also expressed in the emerging and highly drug resistant pathogen Mycobacterium abscessus which frequently affects the lungs of patients with chronic pulmonary disease or cystic fibrosis. We investigated post-translational modification, acylation and glycosylation, of heterologously expressed (M. tuberculosis LppX and Mpt83) and endogenous (SodC) lipoproteins at the molecular level in M. abscessus and identified MAB_1122c as protein O-mannosyltransferase (Pmt). Both, heterologous and endogenous lipoproteins carried a characteristic lipid anchor with palmitic acid (C16), palmitoleic acid (C16:1), oleic acid (C18), or tuberculostearic acid (C19) modifications. Multiple hexose-moieties were detected in the N-terminal region of the model lipoproteins expressed in M. abscessus. Conservation of lipoprotein glycosylation in M. tuberculosis and M. abscessus was revealed and points toward the existence of an O-glycosylation motif or other regulatory mechanisms regarding this post-translational modification. Deletion of MAB_1122c prevented glycosylation and affected susceptibility to specific antibiotics which are large or target peptidoglycan synthesis and to lysozyme. Cell envelope permeability of M. abscessus Δpmt was increased and mutant bacteria showed reduced survival inside macrophages. The results provide a link between post-translational modification of lipoproteins and the permeability of the mycobacterial cell envelope which stresses the importance of lipoproteins as components of this complex structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Becker
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Klara Haldimann
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Petra Selchow
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lukas M Reinau
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Dal Molin
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Peter Sander
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.,National Center for Mycobacteria, Zürich, Switzerland
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113
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Sabin AP, Ferrieri P, Kline S. Mycobacterium abscessus Complex Infections in Children: A Review. Curr Infect Dis Rep 2017; 19:46. [PMID: 28983867 PMCID: PMC5821427 DOI: 10.1007/s11908-017-0597-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Infections in children with Mycobacterium abscessus complex represent a particular challenge for clinicians. Increasing incidence of these infections worldwide has necessitated focused attention to improve both diagnostic as well as treatment modalities. Published medical literature was reviewed, with emphasis on material published in the past 5 years. RECENT FINDINGS Increasing availability of new diagnostic tools, such as matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry and custom PCRs, has provided unique insights into the subspecies within the complex and improved diagnostic certainty. Microbiological review of all recent isolates at the University of Minnesota Medical Center was also conducted, with description of the antimicrobial sensitivity patterns encountered in our center, and compared with those published from other centers in the recent literature. A discussion of conventional antimicrobial treatment regimens, alongside detailed description of the relevant antimicrobials, is derived from recent publications. Antimicrobial therapy, combined with surgical intervention in some cases, remains the mainstay of pediatric care. Ongoing questions remain regarding the transmission mechanics, immunologic vulnerabilities exploited by these organisms in the host, and the optimal antimicrobial regimens necessary to enable a reliable cure. Updated treatment guidelines based on focused clinical studies in children and accounting especially for the immunocompromised children at greatest risk are very much needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arick P Sabin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC # 250, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Patricia Ferrieri
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology and Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Susan Kline
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware Street SE, MMC # 250, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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Ribeiro GM, Matsumoto CK, Real F, Teixeira D, Duarte RS, Mortara RA, Leão SC, de Souza Carvalho-Wodarz C. Increased survival and proliferation of the epidemic strain Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. massiliense CRM0019 in alveolar epithelial cells. BMC Microbiol 2017; 17:195. [PMID: 28903728 PMCID: PMC5598063 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-017-1102-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Outbreaks of infections caused by rapidly growing mycobacteria have been reported worldwide generally associated with medical procedures. Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. massiliense CRM0019 was obtained during an epidemic of postsurgical infections and was characterized by increased persistence in vivo. To better understand the successful survival strategies of this microorganism, we evaluated its infectivity and proliferation in macrophages (RAW and BMDM) and alveolar epithelial cells (A549). For that, we assessed the following parameters, for both M. abscessus CRM0019 as well as the reference strain M. abscessus ATCC 19977: internalization, intracellular survival for up 3 days, competence to subvert lysosome fusion and the intracellular survival after cell reinfection. RESULTS CRM0019 and ATCC 19977 strains showed the same internalization rate (approximately 30% after 6 h infection), in both A549 and RAW cells. However, colony forming units data showed that CRM0019 survived better in A549 cells than the ATCC 19977 strain. Phagosomal characteristics of CRM0019 showed the bacteria inside tight phagosomes in A549 cells, contrasting to the loosely phagosomal membrane in macrophages. This observation holds for the ATCC 19977 strain in both cell types. The competence to subvert lysosome fusion was assessed by acidification and acquisition of lysosomal protein. For M. abscessus strains the phagosomes were acidified in all cell lines; nevertheless, the acquisition of lysosomal protein was reduced by CRM0019 compared to the ATCC 19977 strain, in A549 cells. Conversely, in macrophages, both M. abscessus strains were located in mature phagosomes, however without bacterial death. Once recovered from macrophages M. abscessus could establish a new intracellular infection. Nevertheless, only CRM0019 showed a higher growth rate in A549, increasing nearly 10-fold after 48 and 72 h. CONCLUSION M. abscessus CRM0019 creates a protective and replicative niche in alveolar epithelial cells mainly by avoiding phagosome maturation. Once recovered from infected macrophages, CRM0019 remains infective and displays greater intracellular growth in A549 cells compared to the ATCC 19977 strain. This evasion strategy in alveolar epithelial cells may contribute to the long survival of the CRM0019 strain in the host and thus to the inefficacy of in vivo treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Monteiro Ribeiro
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Cristianne Kayoko Matsumoto
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fernando Real
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Laboratoire Entrée muqueuse du VIH et Immunité muqueuse, Department Infection, Immunité et Inflammation, Institut Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Daniela Teixeira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Rafael Silva Duarte
- Laboratório de Micobactérias, Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Renato Arruda Mortara
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Sylvia Cardoso Leão
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Cristiane de Souza Carvalho-Wodarz
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. .,Department of Drug Delivery, Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarbrücken, Germany.
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115
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Viljoen A, Herrmann JL, Onajole OK, Stec J, Kozikowski AP, Kremer L. Controlling Extra- and Intramacrophagic Mycobacterium abscessus by Targeting Mycolic Acid Transport. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:388. [PMID: 28920054 PMCID: PMC5585149 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium abscessus is a rapidly growing mycobacterium (RGM) causing serious infections especially among cystic fibrosis patients. Extremely limited therapeutic options against M. abscessus and a rise in infections with this mycobacterium require novel chemotherapies and a better understanding of how the bacterium causes infection. Different from most RGM, M. abscessus can survive inside macrophages and persist for long durations in infected tissues. We recently delineated differences in the infective programs followed by smooth (S) and rough (R) variants of M. abscessus. Unexpectedly, we found that the S variant behaves like pathogenic slow growing mycobacteria, through maintaining a block on the phagosome maturation process and by inducing phagosome-cytosol communications. On the other hand, R variant infection triggers autophagy and apoptosis, reminiscent of the way that macrophages control RGM. However, the R variant has an exquisite capacity to form extracellular cords, allowing these bacteria to rapidly divide and evade phagocytosis. Therefore, new chemotherapeutic interventions against M. abscessus need to efficiently deal with both the reservoir of intracellular bacilli and the extracellular cords. In this context, we recently identified two chemical entities that were very effective against both M. abscessus populations. Although being structurally unrelated these two chemotypes inhibit the activity of the essential mycolic acid transporter, MmpL3. In this Perspective, we aimed to highlight recent insights into how M. abscessus interacts with phagocytic cells and how the inhibition of mycolic acid transport in this pathogenic RGM could be an efficient means to control both intracellular and extracellular populations of the bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albertus Viljoen
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR9004, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, Université de MontpellierMontpellier, France
| | - Jean-Louis Herrmann
- UMR1173, INSERM and UFR Des Sciences de la Santé Simone Veil, Université de Versailles Saint QuentinMontigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Oluseye K Onajole
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Physical Sciences, Roosevelt UniversityChicago, IL, United States
| | - Jozef Stec
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Marshall B. Ketchum UniversityFullerton, CA, United States
| | - Alan P Kozikowski
- StarWise Therapeutics LLC, University Research ParkMadison, WI, United States
| | - Laurent Kremer
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR9004, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, Université de MontpellierMontpellier, France.,INSERM, IRIM, 34293Montpellier, France
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116
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Whang J, Back YW, Lee KI, Fujiwara N, Paik S, Choi CH, Park JK, Kim HJ. Mycobacterium abscessus glycopeptidolipids inhibit macrophage apoptosis and bacterial spreading by targeting mitochondrial cyclophilin D. Cell Death Dis 2017; 8:e3012. [PMID: 28837151 PMCID: PMC5596598 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2017.420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Revised: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Mycobacterium abscessus (MAB) is a species of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and a major causative pathogen of pulmonary diseases especially in patients with cystic fibrosis. MAB infection is notoriously difficult to treat because of its intrinsic or inducible resistance to most antibiotics. The rough (R) morphotype of MAB, lacking cell surface glycopeptidolipids (GPLs), is associated with more severe and persistent infection than the smooth (S) type; however, the mechanisms underlying the R type's virulence and the relation with GPLs remain unclear. In this study, we found that R-type MAB is much more proapoptotic than the S type, as a result of GPL-mediated inhibition of macrophage apoptosis. Polar GPLs inhibited an apoptotic response (induced by proapoptotic stimuli) by suppressing ROS production and the cytochrome c release and by preserving mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Furthermore, GPLs were found to be targeted to mitochondria and interacted with cyclophilin D; their acetylation was essential for this interaction. Finally, GPLs inhibited the intracellular growth and bacterial spreading of R-type MAB among macrophages via apoptosis inhibition. These findings suggest that GPLs limit MAB virulence by inhibiting apoptosis and the spread of bacteria and therefore provide a novel insight into the mechanism underlying virulence of MAB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake Whang
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Yong Woo Back
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Kang-In Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Nagatoshi Fujiwara
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Tezukayama University, Gakuenminami, Nara, Japan
| | - Seungwha Paik
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Chul Hee Choi
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jeong-Kyu Park
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Hwa-Jung Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
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117
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Llorens-Fons M, Pérez-Trujillo M, Julián E, Brambilla C, Alcaide F, Byrd TF, Luquin M. Trehalose Polyphleates, External Cell Wall Lipids in Mycobacterium abscessus, Are Associated with the Formation of Clumps with Cording Morphology, Which Have Been Associated with Virulence. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1402. [PMID: 28790995 PMCID: PMC5524727 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium abscessus is a reemerging pathogen that causes pulmonary diseases similar to tuberculosis, which is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. When grown in agar medium, M. abscessus strains generate rough (R) or smooth colonies (S). R morphotypes are more virulent than S morphotypes. In searching for the virulence factors responsible for this difference, R morphotypes have been found to form large aggregates (clumps) that, after being phagocytozed, result in macrophage death. Furthermore, the aggregates released to the extracellular space by damaged macrophages grow, forming unphagocytosable structures that resemble cords. In contrast, bacilli of the S morphotype, which do not form aggregates, do not damage macrophages after phagocytosis and do not form cords. Cording has also been related to the virulence of M. tuberculosis. In this species, the presence of mycolic acids and surface-exposed cell wall lipids has been correlated with the formation of cords. The objective of this work was to study the roles of the surface-exposed cell wall lipids and mycolic acids in the formation of cords in M. abscessus. A comparative study of the pattern and structure of mycolic acids was performed on R (cording) and S (non-cording) morphotypes derived from the same parent strains, and no differences were observed between morphotypes. Furthermore, cords formed by R morphotypes were disrupted with petroleum ether (PE), and the extracted lipids were analyzed by thin layer chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Substantial amounts of trehalose polyphleates (TPP) were recovered as major lipids from PE extracts, and images obtained by transmission electron microscopy suggested that these lipids are localized to the external surfaces of cords and R bacilli. The structure of M. abscessus TPP was revealed to be similar to those previously described in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Although the exact role of TPP is unknown, our results demonstrated that TPP are not toxic by themselves and have a function in the formation of clumps and cords in M. abscessus, thus playing an important role in the pathogenesis of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Llorens-Fons
- Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Míriam Pérez-Trujillo
- Servei de Ressonància Magnètica Nuclear and Departament de Química, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Julián
- Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Cecilia Brambilla
- Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Fernando Alcaide
- Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge-IDIBELL, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Thomas F. Byrd
- The University of New Mexico School of Medicine, AlbuquerqueNM, United States
| | - Marina Luquin
- Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
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118
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Viljoen A, Dubois V, Girard-Misguich F, Blaise M, Herrmann JL, Kremer L. The diverse family of MmpL transporters in mycobacteria: from regulation to antimicrobial developments. Mol Microbiol 2017; 104:889-904. [DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Albertus Viljoen
- Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM); CNRS, UMR 9004, Université de Montpellier, France
| | - Violaine Dubois
- INSERM, UMR1173; Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines; Montigny-le-Bretonneux 78180 France
| | - Fabienne Girard-Misguich
- INSERM, UMR1173; Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines; Montigny-le-Bretonneux 78180 France
| | - Mickaël Blaise
- Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM); CNRS, UMR 9004, Université de Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Louis Herrmann
- INSERM, UMR1173; Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines; Montigny-le-Bretonneux 78180 France
| | - Laurent Kremer
- Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM); CNRS, UMR 9004, Université de Montpellier, France
- IRIM; INSERM; 34293 Montpellier France
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119
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Bernut A, Herrmann JL, Ordway D, Kremer L. The Diverse Cellular and Animal Models to Decipher the Physiopathological Traits of Mycobacterium abscessus Infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:100. [PMID: 28421165 PMCID: PMC5378707 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium abscessus represents an important respiratory pathogen among the rapidly-growing non-tuberculous mycobacteria. Infections caused by M. abscessus are increasingly found in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and are often refractory to antibiotic therapy. The underlying immunopathological mechanisms of pathogenesis remain largely unknown. A major reason for the poor advances in M. abscessus research has been a lack of adequate models to study the acute and chronic stages of the disease leading to delayed progress of evaluation of therapeutic efficacy of potentially active antibiotics. However, the recent development of cellular models led to new insights in the interplay between M. abscessus with host macrophages as well as with amoebae, proposed to represent the environmental host and reservoir for non-tuberculous mycobacteria. The zebrafish embryo has also appeared as a useful alternative to more traditional models as it recapitulates the vertebrate immune system and, due to its optical transparency, allows a spatio-temporal visualization of the infection process in a living animal. More sophisticated immunocompromised mice have also been exploited recently to dissect the immune and inflammatory responses to M. abscessus. Herein, we will discuss the limitations, advantages and potential offered by these various models to study the pathophysiology of M. abscessus infection and to assess the preclinical efficacy of compounds active against this emerging human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Bernut
- IRIM (ex-CPBS)-UMR 9004, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Infectious Disease Research Institute of Montpellier, Université de MontpellierMontpellier, France
| | - Jean-Louis Herrmann
- UMR 1173, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-YvelinesMontigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Diane Ordway
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State UniversityFort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Laurent Kremer
- IRIM (ex-CPBS)-UMR 9004, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Infectious Disease Research Institute of Montpellier, Université de MontpellierMontpellier, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, IRIMMontpellier, France
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