17β-Estradiol inhibits estrogen binding protein-mediated hypha formation in Candida albicans

Effects of oestrogen on vulvovaginal candidosis

As a frequently occurring infectious disease mainly caused by Candida albicans, vulvovaginal candidosis (VVC) affects more than 100 million women worldwide every year. Multiple factors that influence C. albicans colonisation have been linked to the incidence of VVC, including high levels of circulating oestrogen due to pregnancy, the use of oral contraceptives, and hormone replacement therapy. This review provides an overview of the current understanding of the mechanism(s) by which oestrogen contributes to VVC, which might provide meaningful guidance to the prevention and treatment of this disease.

A Comparative Transcriptome Between Anti-drug Sensitive and Resistant Candida auris in China

Candida auris emerged as a pathogenic species of fungus that causes severe and invasive outbreaks worldwide. The fungus exhibits high intrinsic resistance rates to various first-line antifungals, and the underlying molecular mechanism responsible for its multidrug resistance is still unclear. In this study, a transcriptomic analysis was performed between two C. auris isolates that exhibited different anti-drug patterns by RNA-sequencing, namely, CX1 (anti-drug sensitive) and CX2 (resistant). Transcriptomic analysis results revealed 541 upregulated and 453 downregulated genes in the resistant C. auris strain compared with the susceptible strain. In addition, our findings highlight the presence of potential differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which may play a role in drug resistance, including genes involved in ergosterol and efflux pump biosynthesis such as SNQ2, CDR4, ARB1, MDR1, MRR1, and ERG genes. We also found that Hsp related genes were upregulated for expression in the anti-drug-resistant strain. Biofilm formation and growth conditions were also compared between the two isolates. Our study provides novel clues for future studies in terms of understanding multidrug resistance mechanisms of C. auris strains.

Rab Proteins: Insights into Intracellular Trafficking in Endometrium

Rab proteins belong to the Ras superfamily of small monomeric GTPases. These G proteins are the main controllers of vesicular transport in every tissue, among them, the endometrium. They are in charge of to the functional subcellular compartmentalization and cargo transport between organelles and the plasma membrane. In turn, intracellular trafficking contributes to endometrial changes during the menstrual cycle, secretion to the uterine fluid, and trophoblast implantation; however, few reports analyze the role of Rab proteins in the uterus. In general, Rab proteins control the release of cytokines, growth factors, enzymes, hormones, cell adhesion molecules, and mucus. Further, the secretion of multiple compounds into the uterine cavity is required for successful implantation. Therefore, alterations in Rab-controlled intracellular transport likely impair secretory processes to the uterine fluid that may correlate with abnormal endometrial development and failed reproductive outcomes. Overall, they could explain recurrent miscarriages, female infertility, and/or assisted reproductive failure. Interestingly, estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P) regulate gene expression of Rab proteins involved in secretory pathways. This review aims to gather information regarding the role of Rab proteins and intracellular trafficking in the endometrium during the different menstrual phases, and in the generation of a receptive stage for embryo implantation, modulated by E2 and P. This knowledge might be useful for the development of novel reproductive therapies that overcome low implantation rates of assisted reproductive procedures.

G-protein-coupled Receptors in Fungi

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of transmembrane receptors in fungi. These receptors have an important role in the transduction of extracellular signals into intracellular sites in response to diverse stimuli. They enable fungi to coordinate cell function and metabolism, thereby promoting their survival and propagation, and sense certain fundamentally conserved elements, such as nutrients, pheromones, and stress, for adaptation to their niches, environmental stresses, and host environment, causing disease and pathogen virulence. This chapter highlights the role of GPCRs in fungi in coordinating cell function and metabolism. Fungal cells sense the molecular interactions between extracellular signals. Their respective sensory systems are described here in detail.

Hormones modulate Candida vaginal isolates biofilm formation and decrease their susceptibility to azoles and hydrogen peroxide

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is an infection usually caused by Candida albicans and increasingly by Candida glabrata, which has an intrinsically high resistance to commonly used antifungals. Candida species possess virulence factors that contribute to VVC development, as the ability to form biofilms in vaginal walls and intrauterine devices. It is known that VVC is promoted by conditions that increase the hormones levels, during pregnancy, however, the effects of hormones on Candida cells are poorly studied, especially in C. glabrata. Thus, the influence of progesterone and β-estradiol, at normal cycle and pregnancy concentrations, on biofilm formation and resistance of C. albicans and C. glabrata vaginal isolates, was analyzed using acidic conditions (pH 4). Biofilms of C. albicans developed in the presence of hormones presented reduced biomass (up to 65%) and impaired cells ability to produce filamentous forms. On the other hand, C. glabrata presented high adaptation to the presence of hormones, which did not affect its biofilm formation. Additionally, hormones impaired the susceptibility of C. albicans and C. glabrata cells to azoles, with potential clinical significance in the presence of pregnancy hormone levels. A similar result was obtained for the susceptibility to hydrogen peroxide, a biological vaginal barrier against Candida growth. Overall, the results of this study suggest that hormones may act as environmental cues promoting Candida protection from vaginal defenses and harmful conditions, what may have implications in Candida vaginal pathogenicity and treatment of VVC, especially in C. glabrata infections due to its high adaptability to vaginal conditions.

An Overview of Sex Bias in C. neoformans Infections

Cryptococcosis, a fungal disease arising from the etiologic agent Cryptococcus neoformans, sickens a quarter of a million people annually, resulting in over 180,000 deaths. Interestingly, males are affected by cryptococcosis more frequently than females, a phenomenon observed for more than a half century. This disparity is seen in both HIV− (~3M:1F) and HIV⁺ (~8M:2F) populations of cryptococcal patients. In humans, male sex is considered a pre-disposing risk factor for cryptococcosis and males suffering from the disease have more severe symptoms and poorer outcomes. There are numerous observational, clinical and epidemiological studies documenting the male disadvantage in C. neoformans but with no further explanation of cause or mechanism. Despite being commonly acknowledged, little primary research has been conducted elucidating the reasons for these differences. The research that has been conducted, however, suggests sex hormones are a likely cause. Given that the sex difference is both prevalent and accepted by many researchers in the field, it is surprising that more is not known. This review highlights the data regarding differences in sexual dimorphism in C. neoformans infections and suggests future directions to close the research gap in this area.

Host Sensing by Pathogenic Fungi

The ability to cause disease extends from the ability to grow within the host environment. The human host provides a dynamic environment to which fungal pathogens must adapt to in order to survive. The ability to grow under a particular condition (i.e., the ability to grow at mammalian body temperature) is considered a fitness attribute and is essential for growth within the human host. On the other hand, some environmental conditions activate signaling mechanisms resulting in the expression of virulence factors, which aid pathogenicity. Therefore, pathogenic fungi have evolved fitness and virulence attributes to enable them to colonize and infect humans. This review highlights how some of the major pathogenic fungi respond and adapt to key environmental signals within the human host.