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Roosen L, Maes D, Musetta L, Himmelreich U. Preclinical Models for Cryptococcosis of the CNS and Their Characterization Using In Vivo Imaging Techniques. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:146. [PMID: 38392818 PMCID: PMC10890286 DOI: 10.3390/jof10020146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Infections caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii remain a challenge to our healthcare systems as they are still difficult to treat. In order to improve treatment success, in particular for infections that have disseminated to the central nervous system, a better understanding of the disease is needed, addressing questions like how it evolves from a pulmonary to a brain disease and how novel treatment approaches can be developed and validated. This requires not only clinical research and research on the microorganisms in a laboratory environment but also preclinical models in order to study cryptococci in the host. We provide an overview of available preclinical models, with particular emphasis on models of cryptococcosis in rodents. In order to further improve the characterization of rodent models, in particular the dynamic aspects of disease manifestation, development, and ultimate treatment, preclinical in vivo imaging methods are increasingly used, mainly in research for oncological, neurological, and cardiac diseases. In vivo imaging applications for fungal infections are rather sparse. A second aspect of this review is how research on models of cryptococcosis can benefit from in vivo imaging methods that not only provide information on morphology and tissue structure but also on function, metabolism, and cellular properties in a non-invasive way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Roosen
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dries Maes
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Luigi Musetta
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Uwe Himmelreich
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Lafont E, Sturny-Leclère A, Coelho C, Lanternier F, Alanio A. Assessing Phagocytosis of Cryptococcus neoformans Cells in Human Monocytes or the J774 Murine Macrophage Cell Line. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2775:157-169. [PMID: 38758317 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3722-7_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Monocyte/macrophage cells play a central role in innate immunity against C. neoformans and C. gattii, species known to cause human disease. Cryptococcus is the only fungal genus known to possess such a large extracellular polysaccharide capsule, which impacts interactions of innate cells with the yeast. This interaction results in different fates, such as phagocytosis and intracellular proliferation and, as the interaction progresses, vomocytosis, cell-to-cell transfer, lysis of macrophages, or yeast killing. Differentiating internalized versus external Cryptococcus cells is thus essential to evaluate monocyte-macrophage phagocytosis. We describe here a protocol that allows quantification of Cryptococcus spp. phagocytosis using quantitative flow cytometry in human monocytes and a murine macrophage cell line (J774).
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Lafont
- Translational Mycology Research Group, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, National Reference Center for Invasive Mycoses and Antifungals, Mycology Department, Paris, France
| | - Aude Sturny-Leclère
- Department of Mycology, Translational Mycology Group, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, National Reference Center for Invasive Mycoses and Antifungals, Paris, France
| | - Carolina Coelho
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, College of Health and Medicine, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, UK
| | - Fanny Lanternier
- Translational Mycology Research Group, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, National Reference Center for Invasive Mycoses and Antifungals, Mycology Department, Paris, France
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, College of Health and Medicine, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, UK
- Service de maladies infectieuses et tropicales, hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Alanio
- Translational Mycology Research Group, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, National Reference Center for Invasive Mycoses and Antifungals, Mycology Department, Paris, France.
- Laboratoire de parasitologie-mycologie, AP-HP, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France.
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de Campos GY, Oliveira-Brito PKM, Guimarães JG, da Costa LS, Lazo Chica JE, da Silva TA. Adjuvant Pam3CSk4 does not improve the immunization against Cryptococcus gattii infection in C57BL/6 mice. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14778. [PMID: 36743957 PMCID: PMC9897066 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cryptococcosis is a relevant invasive fungal infection that affects immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals when caused by Cryptococcus gattii. Host innate and adaptive immune responses can be subverted by C. gattii, that blocks the differentiation of T helper (Th) 1 and Th17 cells, which are involved in the protection against cryptococcosis. Moreover, the macrophage polarization is modulated by C. gattii infection that requires a balance in the macrophage subsets to control the C. gattii infection. Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 agonists are important immunomodulators favoring a pro-inflammatory response with potential fungicidal activity, and TLR2 agonists have been used as adjuvants in vaccines against infections caused by bacteria or viruses. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of the tripalmitoyl lipopeptide S-glycerol cysteine (Pam3CSK4 or P3C4), a TLR2 agonist, as an adjuvant in the vaccination against C. gattii infection. Methods and Results C57BL/6 mice were immunized with 2 × 107 inactivated yeasts of C. gattii via intranasal route on day 1, 14 and 28 (Immunized group). Immunization was associated with 1µg or 10µg of adjuvant P3C4 (Immunized+P3C4-1µg or Immunized+P3C4-10 µg), followed by C. gattii infection on day 42 after the immunization protocol. Immunized+P3C4-1 µg group had reduced levels of IgG1, IgG2a and IgA and no significant difference in the IgG and IgM anti-GXM antibody titer was detected, compared to the Immunized group. High levels of IL-17 and IL-1β in lung tissue of mice from the Immunized+P3C4-1µg group did not promote a predominance of Th17 cells, in contrast, the frequency of TLR2+ cells was increased in immunized mice that received 1 µg of P3C4. The reduction in the relative expression of T-bet and high levels of Foxp3 detected in the lungs of the Immunized+P3C4-1µg group suggest a prevalence of regulatory T cells in the tissue, which did not contribute to the control of C. gattii infection. The immunization protocol associated with 10 µg of adjuvant P3C4 induced high levels of IL-17 in the lung tissue, whereas the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were downregulated. To evaluate the effect of adjuvant P3C4 in the control of C. gattii infection, quantification of the fungal burden in the lungs was performed by the CFU assay, and the groups with adjuvant P3C4 showed a pulmonary C. gattii burden that was not significantly altered when compared with the immunized group. The mice that received 1 µg of adjuvant P3C4 had a lower percentage of inflammatory infiltrate in the lungs. Conclusion The immunomodulatory effect of P3C4, associated with the immunization protocol, plays an imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory response in the lungs that did not favor a protection against C. gattii infection, which is related to the immune response characterized by a suppressive/regulatory profile in the pulmonary microenvironment after C. gattii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Yamazaki de Campos
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Júlia Garcia Guimarães
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Letícia Serafim da Costa
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Javier Emílio Lazo Chica
- Institute of Natural and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Thiago Aparecido da Silva
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Abstract
Cryptococcosis is a disease caused by the pathogenic fungi Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii, both environmental fungi that cause severe pneumonia and may even lead to cryptococcal meningoencephalitis. Although C. neoformans affects more fragile individuals, such as immunocompromised hosts through opportunistic infections, C. gattii causes a serious indiscriminate primary infection in immunocompetent individuals. Typically seen in tropical and subtropical environments, C. gattii has increased its endemic area over recent years, largely due to climatic factors that favor contagion in warmer climates. It is important to point out that not only C. gattii, but the Cryptococcus species complex produces a polysaccharidic capsule with immunomodulatory properties, enabling the pathogenic species of Cryptococccus to subvert the host immune response during the establishment of cryptococcosis, facilitating its dissemination in the infected organism. C. gattii causes a more severe and difficult-to-treat infection, with few antifungals eliciting an effective response during chronic treatment. Much of the immunopathology of this cryptococcosis is still poorly understood, with most studies focusing on cryptococcosis caused by the species C. neoformans. C. gattii became more important in the epidemiological scenario with the outbreaks in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, which resulted in phylogenetic studies of the virulent variant responsible for the severe infection in the region. Since then, the study of cryptococcosis caused by C. gattii has helped researchers understand the immunopathological aspects of different variants of this pathogen.
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Oliveira-Brito PKM, de Campos GY, Guimarães JG, Serafim da Costa L, Silva de Moura E, Lazo-Chica JE, Roque-Barreira MC, da Silva TA. Adjuvant Curdlan Contributes to Immunization against Cryptococcus gattii Infection in a Mouse Strain-Specific Manner. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10040620. [PMID: 35455369 PMCID: PMC9030172 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10040620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The low efficacy and side effects associated with antifungal agents have highlighted the importance of developing immunotherapeutic approaches to treat Cryptococcus gattii infection. We developed an immunization strategy that uses selective Dectin-1 agonist as an adjuvant. BALB/c or C57BL/6 mice received curdlan or β-glucan peptide (BGP) before immunization with heat-killed C. gattii, and the mice were infected with viable C. gattii on day 14 post immunization and euthanized 14 days after infection. Adjuvant curdlan restored pulmonary tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α) levels, as induced by immunization with heat-killed C. gattii. The average area and relative frequency of C. gattii titan cells in the lungs of curdlan-treated BALB/c mice were reduced. However, this did not reduce the pulmonary fungal burden or decrease the i0,nflammatory infiltrate in the pulmonary parenchyma of BALB/c mice. Conversely, adjuvant curdlan induced high levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin (IL)-10 and decreased the C. gattii burden in the lungs of C57BL/6 mice, which was not replicated in β-glucan peptide-treated mice. The adjuvant curdlan favors the control of C. gattii infection depending on the immune response profile of the mouse strain. This study will have implications for developing new immunotherapeutic approaches to treat C. gattii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Kellen Martins Oliveira-Brito
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil; (P.K.M.O.-B.); (G.Y.d.C.); (J.G.G.); (E.S.d.M.); (M.C.R.-B.)
| | - Gabriela Yamazaki de Campos
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil; (P.K.M.O.-B.); (G.Y.d.C.); (J.G.G.); (E.S.d.M.); (M.C.R.-B.)
| | - Júlia Garcia Guimarães
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil; (P.K.M.O.-B.); (G.Y.d.C.); (J.G.G.); (E.S.d.M.); (M.C.R.-B.)
| | - Letícia Serafim da Costa
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 14049-900, SP, Brazil;
| | - Edanielle Silva de Moura
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil; (P.K.M.O.-B.); (G.Y.d.C.); (J.G.G.); (E.S.d.M.); (M.C.R.-B.)
| | - Javier Emílio Lazo-Chica
- Institute of Natural and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba 38025-189, MG, Brazil;
| | - Maria Cristina Roque-Barreira
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil; (P.K.M.O.-B.); (G.Y.d.C.); (J.G.G.); (E.S.d.M.); (M.C.R.-B.)
| | - Thiago Aparecido da Silva
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil; (P.K.M.O.-B.); (G.Y.d.C.); (J.G.G.); (E.S.d.M.); (M.C.R.-B.)
- Thiago Aparecido da Silva, Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular e Bioagentes Patogênicos, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, SP, Brazil
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +55-16-3315-3049
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da Silva-Junior EB, Firmino-Cruz L, Guimarães-de-Oliveira JC, De-Medeiros JVR, de Oliveira Nascimento D, Freire-de-Lima M, de Brito-Gitirana L, Morrot A, Previato JO, Mendonça-Previato L, Decote-Ricardo D, de Matos Guedes HL, Freire-de-Lima CG. The role of Toll-like receptor 9 in a murine model of Cryptococcus gattii infection. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1407. [PMID: 33446850 PMCID: PMC7809259 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-80959-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) is crucial to the host immune response against fungi, such as Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans, but its importance in Cryptococcus gattii infection is unknown. Our study aimed to understand the role of TLR9 during the course of experimental C. gattii infection in vivo, considering that the cryptococcal DNA interaction with the receptor could contribute to host immunity even in an extremely susceptible model. We inoculated C57BL/6 (WT) and TLR9 knock-out (TLR9−/−) mice intratracheally with 104C. gattii yeast cells. TLR9−/− mice had a higher mortality rate compared to WT mice and more yeast cells that had abnormal size, known as titan cells, in the lungs. TLR9−/− mice also had a greater number of CFUs in the spleen and brain than WT mice, in addition to having lower levels of IFN-γ and IL-17 in the lung. With these markers of aggressive cryptococcosis, we can state that TLR9−/− mice are more susceptible to C. gattii, probably due to a mechanism associated with the decrease of a Th1 and Th17-type immune response that promotes the formation of titan cells in the lungs. Therefore, our results indicate the participation of TLR9 in murine resistance to C. gattii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias Barbosa da Silva-Junior
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-900, Brazil
| | - Luan Firmino-Cruz
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-900, Brazil.,Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21045-900, Brazil
| | | | - Juliana Valente Rodrigues De-Medeiros
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-900, Brazil.,Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21045-900, Brazil
| | | | - Matheus Freire-de-Lima
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-900, Brazil
| | - Lycia de Brito-Gitirana
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-900, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Morrot
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21045-900, Brazil.,Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-900, Brazil
| | - Jose Osvaldo Previato
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-900, Brazil
| | - Lucia Mendonça-Previato
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-900, Brazil
| | - Debora Decote-Ricardo
- Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, 23890-000, Brazil.
| | - Herbert Leonel de Matos Guedes
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-900, Brazil. .,Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21045-900, Brazil.
| | - Celio Geraldo Freire-de-Lima
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-900, Brazil.
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Lin KH, Lin YP, Ho MW, Chen YC, Chung WH. Molecular epidemiology and phylogenetic analyses of environmental and clinical isolates of Cryptococcus gattii sensu lato in Taiwan. Mycoses 2020; 64:324-335. [PMID: 33037734 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The rare occurrence of cryptococcosis caused by Cryptococcus gattii sensu lato (C. gattii s.l.) leads to the difficulties in studying the molecular epidemiology of this globally emerging disease. OBJECTIVES To establish the molecular epidemiological profile of C. gattii s.l. in Taiwan, and understand the genetic relationship between locally endemic and global isolates. METHODS A nationwide survey on environmental C. gattii s.l. in Taiwan was conducted from 2017 to 2019. The geographic distribution and molecular epidemiology based on multilocus sequence typing (MLST) data of the environmental isolates were compared with 18 previously collected clinical isolates. Phylogenetic analysis was performed to elucidate the genetic relationship between the global isolates and the isolates endemic to Taiwan. RESULTS From a total of 622 environmental samples, 104 (16.7%) were positive for C. gattii s.l.. Seven sequence types were identified among the environmental isolates. The genetic population structure showed that the environmental and clinical isolates were closely linked by sequence types and geographical locations. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the association between the C. gattii s.l. isolates in Taiwan and those from South America and South Asia. The recombination test suggested that, in Taiwan, the C. gattii sensu stricto (C. gattii s.s). isolates undergo clonal reproduction and sexual recombination, whereas C. deuterogattii isolates were clonal. CONCLUSIONS The molecular epidemiology of environmental C. gattii s.l. isolates is closely linked to the clinical isolates. Phylogenetic analysis of the environmental isolates provides an insight into the mechanisms underlying reproduction and dispersal of C. gattii s.l. in Taiwan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuo-Hsi Lin
- Tungs' Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Pei Lin
- Tungs' Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Mao-Wang Ho
- China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | | | - Wen-Hsin Chung
- Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture (IDCSA), Taichung, Taiwan
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Nematollahi S, Dioverti-Prono V. Cryptococcal infection in haematologic malignancies and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Mycoses 2020; 63:1033-1046. [PMID: 32740974 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
This review summarises both the recent and relevant studies about cryptococcal infections in haematologic malignancies and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Although uncommon in this patient population, this infection carries a high mortality, especially if left untreated. Given the limited data, we draw some conclusions with respect to management from the solid organ transplantation and HIV-infected literature. Herein, we discuss cryptococcosis with a particular attention to its background, epidemiology, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment and prevention in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saman Nematollahi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Veronica Dioverti-Prono
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Oliveira-Brito PKM, Rezende CP, Almeida F, Roque-Barreira MC, da Silva TA. iNOS/Arginase-1 expression in the pulmonary tissue over time during Cryptococcus gattii infection. Innate Immun 2019; 26:117-129. [PMID: 31446837 PMCID: PMC7016403 DOI: 10.1177/1753425919869436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhalation of Cryptococcus gattii yeasts (causing cryptococcosis) triggers an anti-cryptococcal immune response initiated by macrophages, neutrophils or dendritic cells, and the iNOS expressed by various cells may regulate the function and differentiation of innate and adaptive immune cells. Here, we evaluated the effect of progression of C. gattii infection on the host innate immune response. C. gattii infection in BALB/c mice spreads to several organs by 21 d post infection. The numbers of neutrophils and lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of C. gattii–infected mice were remarkably altered on that day. The frequency of CD11b+ cells and cell concentrations of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was significantly altered in the pulmonary tissue of infected mice. We found a higher frequency of CD11b+/iNOS+ cells in the lungs of infected mice, accompanied by an increase in frequency of CD11b+/Arginase-1+ cells over time. Moreover, the iNOS/Arginase-1 expression ratio in CD11b+ cells reached its lowest value at 21 d post infection. In addition, the cytokine micro-environment in infected lungs did not show a pro-inflammatory profile. Surprisingly, iNOS knock-out prolonged the survival of infected mice, while their pulmonary fungal burden was higher than that of infected WT mice. Thus, C. gattii infection alters the immune response in the pulmonary tissue, and iNOS expression may play a key role in infection progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Kellen Martins Oliveira-Brito
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Caroline Patini Rezende
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Fausto Almeida
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria Cristina Roque-Barreira
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thiago Aparecido da Silva
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil
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Macrolides Inhibit Capsule Formation of Highly Virulent Cryptococcus gattii and Promote Innate Immune Susceptibility. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019; 63:AAC.02364-18. [PMID: 30936099 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02364-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus gattii is a fungal pathogen, endemic in tropical and subtropical regions, the west coast of Canada, and the United States, that causes a potentially fatal infection in otherwise healthy individuals. Because the cryptococcal polysaccharide capsule is a leading virulence factor due to its resistance against innate immunity, the inhibition of capsule formation may be a promising new therapeutic strategy for C. gattii Macrolides have numerous nonantibiotic effects, including immunomodulation of mammalian cells and suppression of bacterial (but not fungal) pathogenicity. Thus, we hypothesized that a macrolide would inhibit cryptococcal capsule formation and improve the host immune response. Coincubation with clarithromycin (CAM) and azithromycin significantly reduced the capsule thickness and the amount of capsular polysaccharide of both C. gattii and C. neoformans CAM-treated C. gattii cells were significantly more susceptible to H2O2 oxidative stress and opsonophagocytic killing by murine neutrophils. In addition, more C. gattii cells were phagocytosed by murine macrophages, resulting in increased production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) by CAM exposure. After CAM exposure, dephosphorylation of Hog1, one of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways of Cryptococcus, was observed in Western blot analysis. In addition, CAM exposure significantly reduced the mRNA expression of LAC1 and LAC2 (such mRNA expression is associated with cell wall integrity and melanin production). These results suggest that CAM may aid in inhibiting capsular formation via the MAPK signaling pathway and by suppressing virulent genes; thus, it may be a useful adjunctive agent for treatment of refractory C. gattii infection.
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Ikeda-Dantsuji Y, Nakamura S, Ohno H, Inukai T, Nagi M, Ueno K, Umeyama T, Kinjo Y, Yamagoe S, Shibuya K, Miyazaki Y. Intraspecies variation in the efficacy of adjunctive recombinant interferon-γ therapy against cryptococcal meningoencephalitis in mice. Med Mycol 2019; 56:382-386. [PMID: 28992282 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myx063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The efficacy of recombinant interferon γ (rIFN-γ) for cryptococcal meningoencephalitis has been poorly understood. Compared to Cryptococcus gattii, rIFN-γ significantly improved the survival in experimental meningoencephalitis due to Cryptococcus neoformans. The number of phagocytic macrophages and the levels of inflammatory cytokines production for ex vivo co-incubation with C. neoformans were increased after rIFN-γ stimulation but not C. gattii. Intraspecies differences of phagocytosis by the rIFN-γ-activated macrophages might be associated to the severity of cryptococcal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yurika Ikeda-Dantsuji
- Department of Chemotherapy and Mycoses, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo
| | - Shigeki Nakamura
- Department of Chemotherapy and Mycoses, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo
| | - Hideaki Ohno
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama
| | - Tatsuya Inukai
- Department of Chemotherapy and Mycoses, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo
| | - Minoru Nagi
- Department of Chemotherapy and Mycoses, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo
| | - Keigo Ueno
- Department of Chemotherapy and Mycoses, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo
| | - Takashi Umeyama
- Department of Chemotherapy and Mycoses, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo
| | - Yuki Kinjo
- Department of Chemotherapy and Mycoses, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo
| | - Satoshi Yamagoe
- Department of Chemotherapy and Mycoses, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo
| | - Kazutoshi Shibuya
- Department of Pathology, Toho University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshitsugu Miyazaki
- Department of Chemotherapy and Mycoses, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo
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Differential In Vitro Cytokine Induction by the Species of Cryptococcus gattii Complex. Infect Immun 2018; 86:IAI.00958-17. [PMID: 29311248 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00958-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcal species vary in capsule and cell size, thermotolerance, geographic distribution, and affected populations. Cryptococcus gattii sensu stricto and C. deuterogattii affect mainly immunocompetent hosts; however, C. bacillisporus, C. decagattii, and C. tetragattii cause infections mainly in immunocompromised hosts. This study aimed to compare the capacities of different species of the C. gattii species complex to induce cytokines and antimicrobial molecules in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Cryptococcus bacillisporus and C. deuterogattii induced the lowest levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-6 among the five species of the C. gattii complex. Cryptococcus deuterogattii induced higher levels of IL-22 than those induced by C. tetragattii and the environmental species C. flavescens In addition, C. bacillisporus and C. gattii sensu stricto proliferated inside human monocyte-derived macrophages after 24 h of infection. All Cryptococcus species were able to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in human PBMCs, with C. bacillisporus and C. deuterogattii being more efficient than the other species. In conclusion, C. bacillisporus and C. deuterogattii induce lower levels of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 and higher ROS levels than those induced by the other species. Species of the Cryptococcus gattii complex have different abilities to induce cytokine and ROS production by human PBMCs.
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Mora DJ, Ferreira-Paim K, Andrade-Silva LE, Bragine T, Rocha IH, Ribeiro BDM, Machado GH, Rodrigues Junior V, Silva-Teixeira DN, Meyer W, Silva-Vergara ML. Cytokine patterns in a prospective cohort of HIV-infected patients with cryptococcal meningitis following initiation of antifungal and antiretroviral therapy. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176304. [PMID: 28486489 PMCID: PMC5423598 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is a life-threatening infection in HIV-infected patients, especially in resource-limited settings. Cytokine patterns in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and sera may be related to clinical outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate cytokine patterns in the CSF and sera of HIV-infected patients with CM as well as the cytokines produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) when stimulated with LPS and cryptococcal GXM. CSF and serum levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-17A, INF-γ, TNF-α and CXCL-10 were measured in HIV-infected patients with CM (CM+ HIV+) at various time points. Cytokine levels were evaluated in the PBMC culture supernatants and the baseline values were compared to those of HIV-infected patients without CM (CM- HIV+) and healthy controls (CM- HIV-). CSF cytokine levels at admission (n = 33) were higher than levels among the 23 survivors at week 2, but statistically significant differences were observed for IL-8 and IFN-γ (p<0.05). CSF and serum levels of IL-4 and IL-17A at week 10 (n = 16) were lower than the baseline values, whereas IL-2 levels increased compared to week 2 (p<0.05). At week 16 (n = 15), CSF and serum levels of IL-4, IL-10 and CXCL-10 were decreased compared to the baseline values (p<0.05). PBMCs from CM- HIV- individuals produced significantly higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines in response to LPS, with the exception of TNF-α, which showed higher levels among CM+ HIV+ patients. The PBMCs of CM patients produced higher levels of IL-4 than those of CM- HIV- patients in response to GXM stimulation, and levels progressively decreased during treatment (p<0.05). Then, a progressive shift in cytokine expression favoring a Th1 pattern was observed, which is crucial in controlling cryptococcal infection. A better understanding of the protective immune response against Cryptococcus neoformans will help to develop novel strategies to improve the outcomes of patients with cryptococcosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delio José Mora
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Triângulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Kennio Ferreira-Paim
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Triângulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Thatiane Bragine
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Triângulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ivonete Helena Rocha
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Triângulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Barbara de Melo Ribeiro
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Triângulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - David Nascimento Silva-Teixeira
- Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Medicine, Triângulo Mineiro Federal University, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Wieland Meyer
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Marie Bashir Institute for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Sydney Medical School-Westmead Hospital, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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