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Walsh TJ, Alastruey-Izquierdo A. A view of excellence for the future of medical mycology in Clinical Microbiology and Infection. Clin Microbiol Infect 2024; 30:1-3. [PMID: 37678508 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2023.08.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Walsh
- Center for Innovative Therapeutics and Diagnostics, Richmond, VA, USA; University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Ana Alastruey-Izquierdo
- Mycology Reference Laboratory, Spanish National Centre for Microbiology, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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Li L, Wu H, Zhu S, Ji Z, Chi X, Xie F, Hao Y, Lu H, Yang F, Yan L, Zhang D, Jiang Y, Ni T. Discovery of Novel 7-Hydroxy-5-oxo-4,5-dihydrothieno[3,2- b]pyridine-6-carboxamide Derivatives with Potent and Selective Antifungal Activity against Cryptococcus Species. J Med Chem 2022; 65:11257-11269. [PMID: 35922963 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii can cause fatal invasive infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. However, few antifungal drugs are available to help treat cryptococcosis. In this study, by compound library screening, we presented the first report of hit compound P163-0892, which had potent in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity against Cryptococcus spp. In vitro tests showed that P163-0892 was not cytotoxic and had highly selective and strong antifungal activities against Cryptococcus spp. with MIC values less than 1 μg/mL. Synergism of P163-0892 and fluconazole was also observed in vitro. The in vivo antifungal efficacy of P163-0892 was assessed in a wax moth larval fungal infection model, and treatment with 10 mg/kg P163-0892 caused a significant reduction in fungal burden and significant extension of the survival time. Taken together, our data indicate that the hit compound P163-0892 warrants further investigation as a novel anti-Cryptococcus agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Shuo Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Zhe Ji
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiaochen Chi
- Department of Organic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Navy Medical University, PLA, No. 325 Guohe Road, Shanghai 200433, China.,School of Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Fei Xie
- Department of Organic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Navy Medical University, PLA, No. 325 Guohe Road, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yumeng Hao
- Department of Organic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Navy Medical University, PLA, No. 325 Guohe Road, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Hui Lu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Feng Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Lan Yan
- Center for New Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Navy Medical University, PLA, No. 325 Guohe Road, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Dazhi Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China.,Department of Organic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Navy Medical University, PLA, No. 325 Guohe Road, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yuanying Jiang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Tingjunhong Ni
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
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A Peptide from Budding Yeast GAPDH Serves as a Promising Antifungal against Cryptococcus neoformans. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0082621. [PMID: 35019693 PMCID: PMC8754130 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00826-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection of Cryptococcus neoformans is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, particularly among immunocompromised patients. However, currently available drugs for the treatment of C. neoformans infection are minimal. Here, we report SP1, a peptide derived from glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, efficiently kills C. neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. SP1 causes damages to the capsule. Unlike many antimicrobial peptides, SP1 does not form pores on the cell membrane of C. neoformans. It interacts with membrane ergosterol and enters vacuole possibly through membrane trafficking. C. neoformans treated with SP1 show the apoptotic phenotypes such as imbalance of calcium ion homeostasis, reactive oxygen increment, phosphatidylserine exposure, and nuclear fragmentation. Our data imply that SP1 has the potential to be developed into a treatment option for cryptococcosis. IMPORTANCE Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii can cause cryptococcosis, which has a high mortality rate. To treat the disease, amphotericin B and fluconazole are often used in clinic. However, amphotericin B has rather high renal toxicity, and tolerance to these drugs are quicky developed. The peptide SP1 derived from baker's yeast GAPDH shows antifungal function to kill Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii efficiently with a high specificity, even for the drug-resistant strains. Our data demonstrate that SP1 induces the apoptosis-like death of Cryptococcus neoformans at low concentrations. The finding of this peptide may shed light on a new direction to treat cryptococcosis.
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Vaccine protection by Cryptococcus neoformans Δsgl1 is mediated by γδ T cells via TLR2 signaling. Mucosal Immunol 2022; 15:1416-1430. [PMID: 36229573 PMCID: PMC9705245 DOI: 10.1038/s41385-022-00570-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
We previously reported that administration of Cryptococcus neoformans Δsgl1 mutant vaccine, accumulating sterylglucosides (SGs) and having normal capsule (GXM), protects mice from a subsequent infection even during CD4+ T cells deficiency, a condition commonly associated with cryptococcosis. Here, we studied the immune mechanism that confers host protection during CD4+T deficiency. Mice receiving Δsgl1 vaccine produce IFNγ and IL-17A during CD4+ T (or CD8+ T) deficiency, and protection was lost when either cytokine was neutralized. IFNγ and/or IL-17A are produced by γδ T cells, and mice lacking these cells are no longer protected. Interestingly, ex vivo γδ T cells are highly stimulated in producing IFNγ and/or IL-17A by Δsgl1 vaccine, but this production was significantly decreased when cells were incubated with C. neoformans Δcap59/Δsgl1 mutant, accumulating SGs but lacking GXM. GXM modulates toll-like receptors (TLRs), including TLR2. Importantly, neither Δsgl1 nor Δcap59/Δsgl1 stimulate IFNγ or IL-17A production by ex vivo γδ T cells from TLR2-/- mice. Finally, TLR2-/- animals do not produce IL-17A in response to Δsgl1 vaccine and were no longer protected from WT challenge. Our results suggest that SGs may act as adjuvants for GXM to stimulate γδ T cells in producing IFNγ and IL-17A via TLR2, a mechanism that is still preserved upon CD4+ T deficiency.
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