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Liu F, Zeng M, Zhou X, Huang F, Song Z. Aspergillus fumigatus escape mechanisms from its harsh survival environments. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:53. [PMID: 38175242 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12952-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous pathogenic mold and causes several diseases, including mycotoxicosis, allergic reactions, and systemic diseases (invasive aspergillosis), with high mortality rates. In its ecological niche, the fungus has evolved and mastered many reply strategies to resist and survive against negative threats, including harsh environmental stress and deficiency of essential nutrients from natural environments, immunity responses and drug treatments in host, and competition from symbiotic microorganisms. Hence, treating A. fumigatus infection is a growing challenge. In this review, we summarized A. fumigatus reply strategies and escape mechanisms and clarified the main competitive or symbiotic relationships between A. fumigatus, viruses, bacteria, or fungi in host microecology. Additionally, we discussed the contemporary drug repertoire used to treat A. fumigatus and the latest evidence of potential resistance mechanisms. This review provides valuable knowledge which will stimulate further investigations and clinical applications for treating and preventing A. fumigatus infections. KEY POINTS: • Harsh living environment was a great challenge for A. fumigatus survival. • A. fumigatus has evolved multiple strategies to escape host immune responses. • A. fumigatus withstands antifungal drugs via intrinsic escape mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyan Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng Zeng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 402160, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue Zhou
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China
| | - Fujiao Huang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhangyong Song
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China.
- Molecular Biotechnology Platform, Public Center of Experimental Technology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China.
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2
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Thakur R, Shishodia SK, Sharma A, Chauhan A, Kaur S, Shankar J. Accelerating the understanding of Aspergillus terreus: Epidemiology, physiology, immunology and advances. CURRENT RESEARCH IN MICROBIAL SCIENCES 2024; 6:100220. [PMID: 38303967 PMCID: PMC10831165 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2024.100220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus species encompass a variety of infections, ranging from invasive aspergillosis to allergic conditions, contingent upon the immune status of the host. In this spectrum, Aspergillus terreus stands out due to its emergence as a notable pathogen and its intrinsic resistance to amphotericin-B. The significance of Aspergillus-associated infections has witnessed a marked increase in the past few decades, particularly with the increasing number of immunocompromised individuals. The exploration of epidemiology, morphological transitions, immunopathology, and novel treatment approaches such as new antifungal drugs (PC945, olorofim) and combinational therapy using antifungal drugs and phytochemicals (Phytochemicals: quercetin, shikonin, artemisinin), also using immunotherapies to modulate immune response has resulted in better outcomes. Furthermore, in the context COVID-19 era and its aftermath, fungal infections have emerged as a substantial challenge for both immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. This is attributed to the use of immune-suppressing therapies during COVID-19 infections and the increase in transplant cases. Consequently, this review aims to provide an updated overview encompassing the epidemiology, germination events, immunopathology, and novel drug treatment strategies against Aspergillus terreus-associated infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raman Thakur
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | | | - Ananya Sharma
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Arjun Chauhan
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Applied Sciences and Humanities, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sumanpreet Kaur
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | - Jata Shankar
- Genomic Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
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3
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Liu H, Lin J, Phan QT, Gravelat FN, Sheppard DC, Filler SG. Use of a human small airway epithelial cell line to study the interactions of Aspergillus fumigatus with pulmonary epithelial cells. mSphere 2023; 8:e0031423. [PMID: 37578262 PMCID: PMC10597448 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00314-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
During the initiation of invasive aspergillosis, inhaled Aspergillus fumigatus conidia are deposited on the epithelial cells lining the bronchi, terminal bronchioles, and alveoli. While the interactions of A. fumigatus with bronchial and type II alveolar cell lines have been investigated in vitro, little is known about the interactions of this fungus with terminal bronchiolar epithelial cells. Using the HSAEC1-KT human small airway epithelial (HSAE) cell line, we developed an in vitro model to study the interaction of two strains of A. fumigatus with these cells. We then compared the interactions of A. fumigatus with the A549 type II alveolar epithelial cell line and the HSAE cell line. We found that A. fumigatus conidia were poorly endocytosed by A549 cells, but avidly endocytosed by HSAE cells. A. fumigatus germlings invaded both cell types by induced endocytosis, but not by active penetration. A549 cell endocytosis of A. fumigatus was independent of fungal viability, more dependent on host microfilaments than microtubules, and induced by A. fumigatus CalA interacting with host cell integrin α5β1. By contrast, HSAE cell endocytosis required fungal viability, was more dependent on microtubules than microfilaments, and did not require CalA or integrin α5β1. HSAE cells were more susceptible than A549 cells to damage caused by direct contact with killed A. fumigatus germlings and by secreted fungal products. In response to A. fumigatus infection, A549 cells secreted a broader profile of cytokines and chemokines than HSAE cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that studies of HSAE cells provide complementary data to A549 cells and thus represent a useful model for probing the interactions of A. fumigatus with bronchiolar epithelial cells in vitro. Importance During the initiation of invasive aspergillosis, Aspergillus fumigatus interacts with the epithelial cells that line the airways and alveoli. Previous studies of A. fumigatus-epithelial cell interactions in vitro used either large airway epithelial cell lines or the A549 type II alveolar epithelial cell line; the interactions of fungi with terminal bronchiolar epithelial cells were not investigated. Using the TERT-immortalized human small airway epithelial HSAEC1-KT (HSAE) cell line, we developed an in vitro model of the interactions of A. fumigatus with bronchiolar epithelial cells. We discovered that A. fumigatus invades and damages A549 and HSAE cell lines by distinct mechanisms. Also, the proinflammatory responses of the cell lines to A. fumigatus are different. These results provide insight into how A. fumigatus interacts with different types of epithelial cells during invasive aspergillosis and demonstrate that HSAE cells are useful in vitro model for investigating the interactions of this fungus with bronchiolar epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Liu
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, USA
| | - Jianfeng Lin
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, USA
| | - Quynh T. Phan
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, USA
| | - Fabrice N. Gravelat
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, and Immunity in Global Health Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Donald C. Sheppard
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, and Immunity in Global Health Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Scott G. Filler
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
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4
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Liu H, Lin J, Phan QT, Gravelat FN, Sheppard DC, Filler SG. Use of a human small airway epithelial cell line to study the interactions of Aspergillus fumigatus with pulmonary epithelial cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.18.537379. [PMID: 37131584 PMCID: PMC10153395 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.18.537379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
During the initiation of invasive aspergillosis, inhaled Aspergillus fumigatus conidia are deposited on the epithelial cells lining the bronchi, terminal bronchioles, and alveoli. While the interactions of A. fumigatus with bronchial and type II alveolar cell lines have been investigated in vitro , little is known about the interactions of this fungus with terminal bronchiolar epithelial cells. We compared the interactions of A. fumigatus with the A549 type II alveolar epithelial cell line and the HSAEC1-KT human small airway epithelial (HSAE) cell line. We found that A. fumigatus conidia were poorly endocytosed by A549 cells, but avidly endocytosed by HSAE cells. A. fumigatus germlings invaded both cell types by induced endocytosis, but not by active penetration. A549 cell endocytosis of A. fumigatus was independent of fungal viability, more dependent on host microfilaments than microtubules, and induced by A. fumigatus CalA interacting with host cell integrin α5β1. By contrast, HSAE cell endocytosis required fungal viability, was more dependent on microtubules than microfilaments, and did not require CalA or integrin α5β1. HSAE cells were more susceptible than A549 cells to damage caused by direct contact with killed A. fumigatus germlings and by secreted fungal products. In response to A. fumigatus infection, A549 cells secreted a broader profile of cytokines and chemokines than HSAE cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that studies of HSAE cells provide complementary data to A549 cells and thus represent a useful model for probing the interactions of A. fumigatus with bronchiolar epithelial cells in vitro . Importance During the initiation of invasive aspergillosis, Aspergillus fumigatus invades, damages, and stimulates the epithelial cells that line the airways and alveoli. Previous studies of A. fumigatus - epithelial cell interactions in vitro have used either large airway epithelial cell lines or the A549 type II alveolar epithelial cell line. The interactions of fungi with terminal bronchiolar epithelial cells have not been investigated. Here, we compared the interactions of A. fumigatus with A549 cells and the Tert-immortalized human small airway epithelial HSAEC1-KT (HSAE) cell line. We discovered that A. fumigatus invades and damages these two cell lines by distinct mechanisms. Also, the proinflammatory responses of the cell lines to A. fumigatus are different. These results provide insight into how A. fumigatus interacts with different types of epithelial cells during invasive aspergillosis and demonstrate that HSAE cells are useful in vitro model for investigating the interactions of this fungus with bronchiolar epithelial cells.
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5
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Cui X, Chen F, Zhao J, Li D, Hu M, Chen X, Zhang Y, Han L. Involvement of JNK signaling in Aspergillus fumigatus-induced inflammatory factors release in bronchial epithelial cells. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1293. [PMID: 36690696 PMCID: PMC9871034 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28567-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) is an important fungal pathogen and its conidia can be inhaled and interact with airway epithelial cells; however, the release of inflammatory factors from bronchial epithelial cells upon A. fumigatus infection and its regulation remained unclear. Here it was demonstrated that the release of IL-27, MCP-1 and TNF-α from BEAS-2B cells were upregulated upon stimulation by conidia, while mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway was activated. Further, the inhibition of JNK, but not p38 and ERK, could inhibit inflammatory factors release and the LC3II formation in BEAS-2B cells induced by A. fumigatus conidia. In addition, an inhibitor of autophagy, bafilomycin A1 was able to significantly down-regulate the release of inflammatory factors in BEAS-2B cells upon A. fumigatus conidia, while rapamycin could reverse the effect of JNK inhibitor on IL-27 and TNF-α release. Taken together, these data demonstrated that JNK signal might play an important role in inflammatory factor release regulated by autophagy in bronchial epithelial cells against A. fumigatus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Cui
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Fangyan Chen
- Department for Disinfection and Infection Control, Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Jingya Zhao
- Department for Disinfection and Infection Control, Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Dingchen Li
- Department for Disinfection and Infection Control, Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Mandong Hu
- National Center of Biomedical Analysis, 27 Taiping Lu, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Xue Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Yulin Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China.
| | - Li Han
- Department for Disinfection and Infection Control, Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
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6
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Duca M, Haksar D, van Neer J, Thies-Weesie DM, Martínez-Alarcón D, de Cock H, Varrot A, Pieters RJ. Multivalent Fucosides Targeting β-Propeller Lectins from Lung Pathogens with Promising Anti-Adhesive Properties. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:3515-3526. [PMID: 36414265 PMCID: PMC9764287 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Fungal and bacterial pathogens causing lung infections often use lectins to mediate adhesion to glycoconjugates at the surface of host tissues. Given the rapid emergence of resistance to the treatments in current use, β-propeller lectins such as FleA from Aspergillus fumigatus, SapL1 from Scedosporium apiospermum, and BambL from Burkholderia ambifaria have become appealing targets for the design of anti-adhesive agents. In search of novel and cheap anti-infectious agents, we synthesized multivalent compounds that can display up to 20 units of fucose, the natural ligand. We obtained nanomolar inhibitors that are several orders of magnitude stronger than their monovalent analogue according to several biophysical techniques (i.e., fluorescence polarization, isothermal titration calorimetry, and bio-layer interferometry). The reason for high affinity might be attributed to a strong aggregating mechanism, which was examined by analytical ultracentrifugation. Notably, the fucosylated inhibitors reduced the adhesion of A. fumigatus spores to lung epithelial cells when administered 1 h before or after the infection of human lung epithelial cells. For this reason, we propose them as promising anti-adhesive drugs for the prevention and treatment of aspergillosis and related microbial lung infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Duca
- Department
of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Utrecht University, NL-3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands,Department
of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands,Univ.
Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Diksha Haksar
- Department
of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Utrecht University, NL-3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jacq van Neer
- Department
of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Dominique M.E. Thies-Weesie
- Debye
Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht
University, Padualaan
8, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Hans de Cock
- Department
of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands,
| | | | - Roland J. Pieters
- Department
of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Utrecht University, NL-3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands,
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Effect of Flagellin Pre-Exposure on the Inflammatory and Antifungal Response of Bronchial Epithelial Cells to Fungal Pathogens. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8121268. [PMID: 36547601 PMCID: PMC9782670 DOI: 10.3390/jof8121268] [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: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Bronchial epithelial cells (BEC) play a crucial role in innate immunity against inhaled fungi. Indeed, in response to microorganisms, BEC synthesize proinflammatory cytokines involved in the recruitment of neutrophils. We have recently shown that BEC exert antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus by inhibiting filament growth. In the present study, we first analyzed the inflammatory and antifungal responses of BEC infected by several fungal species such as Aspergillus spp., Scedosporium apiospermum and Candida albicans, which are frequently isolated from the sputum of people with chronic pulmonary diseases. The airways of these patients, such as people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF), are mainly colonized by P. aeruginosa and secondary by fungal pathogens. We have previously demonstrated that BEC are capable of innate immune memory, allowing them to increase their inflammatory response against A. fumigatus following a previous contact with Pseudomonas aeruginosa flagellin. To identify the impact of bacteria exposure on BEC responses to other fungal infections, we extended the analysis of BEC innate immune memory to Aspergillus spp., Scedosporium apiospermum and Candida albicans infection. Our results show that BEC are able to recognize and respond to Aspergillus spp., S. apiospermum and C. albicans infection and that the modulation of BEC responses by pre-exposure to flagellin varies according to the fungal species encountered. Deepening our knowledge of the innate immune memory of BEC should open new therapeutic avenues to modulate the inflammatory response against polymicrobial infections observed in chronic pulmonary diseases such as CF.
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Modulation of Virulence-Associated Traits in Aspergillus fumigatus by BET Inhibitor JQ1. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10112292. [DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10112292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a disease-causing, opportunistic fungus that can establish infection due to its capacity to respond to a wide range of environmental conditions. Secreted proteins and metabolites, which play a critical role in fungal–host interactions and pathogenesis, are modulated by epigenetic players, such as bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins. In this study, we evaluated the in vitro and in vivo capability of the BET inhibitor JQ1 to modulate the extracellular proteins and virulence of A. fumigatus. The abundance of 25 of the 76 extracellular proteins identified through LC-MS/MS proteomic analysis changed following JQ1 treatment. Among them, a ribonuclease, a chitinase, and a superoxide dismutase were dramatically downregulated. Moreover, the proteomic analysis of A. fumigatus intracellular proteins indicated that Abr2, an intracellular laccase involved in the last step of melanin synthesis, was absent in the JQ1-treated group. To investigate at which level this downregulation occurred and considering the ability of JQ1 to modulate gene expression we checked the level of ABR2, Chitinase, and Superoxide dismutase mRNA expression by qRT-PCR. Finally, the capacity of JQ1 to reduce the virulence of A. fumigatus has been proved using Galleria mellonella larvae, which are an in vivo model to evaluate fungal virulence. Overall, the promising activity exhibited by JQ1 suggests that A. fumigatus is sensitive to BET inhibition and BET proteins may be a viable target for developing antifungal agents.
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Novel Treatment Approach for Aspergilloses by Targeting Germination. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8080758. [PMID: 35893126 PMCID: PMC9331470 DOI: 10.3390/jof8080758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Germination of conidia is an essential process within the Aspergillus life cycle and plays a major role during the infection of hosts. Conidia are able to avoid detection by the majority of leukocytes when dormant. Germination can cause severe health problems, specifically in immunocompromised people. Aspergillosis is most often caused by Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) and affects neutropenic patients, as well as people with cystic fibrosis (CF). These patients are often unable to effectively detect and clear the conidia or hyphae and can develop chronic non-invasive and/or invasive infections or allergic inflammatory responses. Current treatments with (tri)azoles can be very effective to combat a variety of fungal infections. However, resistance against current azoles has emerged and has been increasing since 1998. As a consequence, patients infected with resistant A. fumigatus have a reported mortality rate of 88% to 100%. Especially with the growing number of patients that harbor azole-resistant Aspergilli, novel antifungals could provide an alternative. Aspergilloses differ in defining characteristics, but germination of conidia is one of the few common denominators. By specifically targeting conidial germination with novel antifungals, early intervention might be possible. In this review, we propose several morphotypes to disrupt conidial germination, as well as potential targets. Hopefully, new antifungals against such targets could contribute to disturbing the ability of Aspergilli to germinate and grow, resulting in a decreased fungal burden on patients.
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Esteves P, Allard B, Celle A, Dupin I, Maurat E, Ousova O, Thumerel M, Dupuy JW, Leste-Lasserre T, Marthan R, Girodet PO, Trian T, Berger P. Asthmatic bronchial smooth muscle increases rhinovirus replication within the bronchial epithelium. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110571. [PMID: 35354045 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhinovirus (RV) infection of the bronchial epithelium is implicated in the vast majority of severe asthma exacerbations. Interestingly, the susceptibility of bronchial epithelium to RV infection is increased in persons with asthma. Bronchial smooth muscle (BSM) remodeling is an important feature of severe asthma pathophysiology, and its reduction using bronchial thermoplasty has been associated with a significant decrease in the exacerbation rate. We hypothesized that asthmatic BSM can play a role in RV infection of the bronchial epithelium. Using an original co-culture model between bronchial epithelium and BSM cells, we show that asthmatic BSM cells increase RV replication in bronchial epithelium following RV infection. These findings are related to the increased production of CCL20 by asthmatic BSM cells. Moreover, we demonstrate an original downregulation of the activity of the epithelial protein kinase RNA-activated (PKR) antiviral pathway. Finally, we identify a direct bottom-up effect of asthmatic BSM cells on bronchial epithelium susceptibility to RV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Esteves
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, Département de Pharmacologie, CIC 1401, 33000 Bordeaux, France; INSERM, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux U1045, Plateforme Transcriptome Neurocentre Magendie U1215, Functionnal Genomics Center (CGFB) Proteomics Facility, CIC 1401, PTIB - Hôpital Xavier Arnozan, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33600 PESSAC, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Benoit Allard
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, Département de Pharmacologie, CIC 1401, 33000 Bordeaux, France; INSERM, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux U1045, Plateforme Transcriptome Neurocentre Magendie U1215, Functionnal Genomics Center (CGFB) Proteomics Facility, CIC 1401, PTIB - Hôpital Xavier Arnozan, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33600 PESSAC, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Alexis Celle
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, Département de Pharmacologie, CIC 1401, 33000 Bordeaux, France; INSERM, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux U1045, Plateforme Transcriptome Neurocentre Magendie U1215, Functionnal Genomics Center (CGFB) Proteomics Facility, CIC 1401, PTIB - Hôpital Xavier Arnozan, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33600 PESSAC, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Isabelle Dupin
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, Département de Pharmacologie, CIC 1401, 33000 Bordeaux, France; INSERM, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux U1045, Plateforme Transcriptome Neurocentre Magendie U1215, Functionnal Genomics Center (CGFB) Proteomics Facility, CIC 1401, PTIB - Hôpital Xavier Arnozan, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33600 PESSAC, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Elise Maurat
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, Département de Pharmacologie, CIC 1401, 33000 Bordeaux, France; INSERM, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux U1045, Plateforme Transcriptome Neurocentre Magendie U1215, Functionnal Genomics Center (CGFB) Proteomics Facility, CIC 1401, PTIB - Hôpital Xavier Arnozan, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33600 PESSAC, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Olga Ousova
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, Département de Pharmacologie, CIC 1401, 33000 Bordeaux, France; INSERM, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux U1045, Plateforme Transcriptome Neurocentre Magendie U1215, Functionnal Genomics Center (CGFB) Proteomics Facility, CIC 1401, PTIB - Hôpital Xavier Arnozan, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33600 PESSAC, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Matthieu Thumerel
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, Département de Pharmacologie, CIC 1401, 33000 Bordeaux, France; INSERM, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux U1045, Plateforme Transcriptome Neurocentre Magendie U1215, Functionnal Genomics Center (CGFB) Proteomics Facility, CIC 1401, PTIB - Hôpital Xavier Arnozan, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33600 PESSAC, 33000 Bordeaux, France; CHU de Bordeaux, Service d'exploration fonctionnelle respiratoire, Service de pharmacologie, CIC 1401, Service de chirurgie thoracique, 33604 Pessac, France
| | - Jean-William Dupuy
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, Département de Pharmacologie, CIC 1401, 33000 Bordeaux, France; INSERM, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux U1045, Plateforme Transcriptome Neurocentre Magendie U1215, Functionnal Genomics Center (CGFB) Proteomics Facility, CIC 1401, PTIB - Hôpital Xavier Arnozan, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33600 PESSAC, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Thierry Leste-Lasserre
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, Département de Pharmacologie, CIC 1401, 33000 Bordeaux, France; INSERM, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux U1045, Plateforme Transcriptome Neurocentre Magendie U1215, Functionnal Genomics Center (CGFB) Proteomics Facility, CIC 1401, PTIB - Hôpital Xavier Arnozan, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33600 PESSAC, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Roger Marthan
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, Département de Pharmacologie, CIC 1401, 33000 Bordeaux, France; INSERM, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux U1045, Plateforme Transcriptome Neurocentre Magendie U1215, Functionnal Genomics Center (CGFB) Proteomics Facility, CIC 1401, PTIB - Hôpital Xavier Arnozan, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33600 PESSAC, 33000 Bordeaux, France; CHU de Bordeaux, Service d'exploration fonctionnelle respiratoire, Service de pharmacologie, CIC 1401, Service de chirurgie thoracique, 33604 Pessac, France
| | - Pierre-Olivier Girodet
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, Département de Pharmacologie, CIC 1401, 33000 Bordeaux, France; INSERM, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux U1045, Plateforme Transcriptome Neurocentre Magendie U1215, Functionnal Genomics Center (CGFB) Proteomics Facility, CIC 1401, PTIB - Hôpital Xavier Arnozan, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33600 PESSAC, 33000 Bordeaux, France; CHU de Bordeaux, Service d'exploration fonctionnelle respiratoire, Service de pharmacologie, CIC 1401, Service de chirurgie thoracique, 33604 Pessac, France
| | - Thomas Trian
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, Département de Pharmacologie, CIC 1401, 33000 Bordeaux, France; INSERM, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux U1045, Plateforme Transcriptome Neurocentre Magendie U1215, Functionnal Genomics Center (CGFB) Proteomics Facility, CIC 1401, PTIB - Hôpital Xavier Arnozan, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33600 PESSAC, 33000 Bordeaux, France.
| | - Patrick Berger
- Univ-Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux, U1045, Département de Pharmacologie, CIC 1401, 33000 Bordeaux, France; INSERM, Centre de Recherche Cardio-thoracique de Bordeaux U1045, Plateforme Transcriptome Neurocentre Magendie U1215, Functionnal Genomics Center (CGFB) Proteomics Facility, CIC 1401, PTIB - Hôpital Xavier Arnozan, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33600 PESSAC, 33000 Bordeaux, France; CHU de Bordeaux, Service d'exploration fonctionnelle respiratoire, Service de pharmacologie, CIC 1401, Service de chirurgie thoracique, 33604 Pessac, France
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11
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Ortiz SC, Pennington K, Thomson DD, Bertuzzi M. Novel Insights into Aspergillus fumigatus Pathogenesis and Host Response from State-of-the-Art Imaging of Host-Pathogen Interactions during Infection. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:264. [PMID: 35330266 PMCID: PMC8954776 DOI: 10.3390/jof8030264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus spores initiate more than 3,000,000 chronic and 300,000 invasive diseases annually, worldwide. Depending on the immune status of the host, inhalation of these spores can lead to a broad spectrum of disease, including invasive aspergillosis, which carries a 50% mortality rate overall; however, this mortality rate increases substantially if the infection is caused by azole-resistant strains or diagnosis is delayed or missed. Increasing resistance to existing antifungal treatments is becoming a major concern; for example, resistance to azoles (the first-line available oral drug against Aspergillus species) has risen by 40% since 2006. Despite high morbidity and mortality, the lack of an in-depth understanding of A. fumigatus pathogenesis and host response has hampered the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the clinical management of fungal infections. Recent advances in sample preparation, infection models and imaging techniques applied in vivo have addressed important gaps in fungal research, whilst questioning existing paradigms. This review highlights the successes and further potential of these recent technologies in understanding the host-pathogen interactions that lead to aspergillosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien C. Ortiz
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Grafton Street, Manchester M13 9NT, UK; (S.C.O.); (K.P.)
| | - Katie Pennington
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Grafton Street, Manchester M13 9NT, UK; (S.C.O.); (K.P.)
| | - Darren D. Thomson
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK;
| | - Margherita Bertuzzi
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Grafton Street, Manchester M13 9NT, UK; (S.C.O.); (K.P.)
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12
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Kastelberg B, Ayubi T, Tubau-Juni N, Leber A, Hontecillas R, Bassaganya-Riera J, Kale SD. Nlrx1-Regulated Defense and Metabolic Responses to Aspergillus fumigatus Are Morphotype and Cell Type Specific. Front Immunol 2021; 12:749504. [PMID: 34790195 PMCID: PMC8591139 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.749504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Nlr family member X1 (Nlrx1) is an immuno-metabolic hub involved in mediating effective responses to virus, bacteria, fungi, cancer, and auto-immune diseases. We have previously shown that Nlrx1 is a critical regulator of immune signaling and mortality in several models of pulmonary fungal infection using the clinically relevant fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. In the absence of Nlrx1, hosts produce an enhanced Th2 response primarily by CD103+ dendritic cell populations resulting in enhanced mortality via immunopathogenesis as well as enhanced fungal burden. Here, we present our subsequent efforts showcasing loss of Nlrx1 resulting in a decreased ability of host cells to process A. fumigatus conidia in a cell-type-specific manner by BEAS-2B airway epithelial cells, alveolar macrophages, bone marrow-derived macrophages, but not bone marrow-derived neutrophils. Furthermore, loss of Nlrx1 results in a diminished ability to generate superoxide and/or generic reactive oxygen species during specific responses to fungal PAMPs, conidia, and hyphae. Analysis of glycolysis and mitochondrial function suggests that Nlrx1 is needed to appropriately shut down glycolysis in response to A. fumigatus conidia and increase glycolysis in response to hyphae in BEAS-2B cells. Blocking glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) via 2-DG and NADPH production through glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase inhibitor resulted in significantly diminished conidial processing in wild-type BEAS-2B cells to the levels of Nlrx1-deficient BEAS-2B cells. Our findings suggest a need for airway epithelial cells to generate NADPH for reactive oxygen species production in response to conidia via PPP. In context to fungal pulmonary infections, our results show that Nlrx1 plays significant roles in host defense via PPP modulation of several aspects of metabolism, particularly glycolysis, to facilitate conidia processing in addition to its critical role in regulating immune signaling.
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13
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Arastehfar A, Carvalho A, Houbraken J, Lombardi L, Garcia-Rubio R, Jenks J, Rivero-Menendez O, Aljohani R, Jacobsen I, Berman J, Osherov N, Hedayati M, Ilkit M, Armstrong-James D, Gabaldón T, Meletiadis J, Kostrzewa M, Pan W, Lass-Flörl C, Perlin D, Hoenigl M. Aspergillus fumigatus and aspergillosis: From basics to clinics. Stud Mycol 2021; 100:100115. [PMID: 34035866 PMCID: PMC8131930 DOI: 10.1016/j.simyco.2021.100115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The airborne fungus Aspergillus fumigatus poses a serious health threat to humans by causing numerous invasive infections and a notable mortality in humans, especially in immunocompromised patients. Mould-active azoles are the frontline therapeutics employed to treat aspergillosis. The global emergence of azole-resistant A. fumigatus isolates in clinic and environment, however, notoriously limits the therapeutic options of mould-active antifungals and potentially can be attributed to a mortality rate reaching up to 100 %. Although specific mutations in CYP 51A are the main cause of azole resistance, there is a new wave of azole-resistant isolates with wild-type CYP 51A genotype challenging the efficacy of the current diagnostic tools. Therefore, applications of whole-genome sequencing are increasingly gaining popularity to overcome such challenges. Prominent echinocandin tolerance, as well as liver and kidney toxicity posed by amphotericin B, necessitate a continuous quest for novel antifungal drugs to combat emerging azole-resistant A. fumigatus isolates. Animal models and the tools used for genetic engineering require further refinement to facilitate a better understanding about the resistance mechanisms, virulence, and immune reactions orchestrated against A. fumigatus. This review paper comprehensively discusses the current clinical challenges caused by A. fumigatus and provides insights on how to address them.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Arastehfar
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, 07110, USA
| | - A. Carvalho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães/Braga, Portugal
| | - J. Houbraken
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - L. Lombardi
- UCD Conway Institute and School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - R. Garcia-Rubio
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, 07110, USA
| | - J.D. Jenks
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92103, USA
- Clinical and Translational Fungal-Working Group, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - O. Rivero-Menendez
- Medical Mycology Reference Laboratory, National Center for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28222, Spain
| | - R. Aljohani
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - I.D. Jacobsen
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology—Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
- Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - J. Berman
- Research Group Microbial Immunology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology—Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - N. Osherov
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - M.T. Hedayati
- Invasive Fungi Research Center/Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - M. Ilkit
- Division of Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Çukurova University, 01330, Adana, Turkey
| | | | - T. Gabaldón
- Life Sciences Programme, Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS), Jordi Girona, Barcelona, 08034, Spain
- Mechanisms of Disease Programme, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J. Meletiadis
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Attikon University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - W. Pan
- Medical Mycology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - C. Lass-Flörl
- Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - D.S. Perlin
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, 07110, USA
| | - M. Hoenigl
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92103, USA
- Section of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036, Graz, Austria
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
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14
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Lebreton A, Bonnardel F, Dai YC, Imberty A, Martin FM, Lisacek F. A Comprehensive Phylogenetic and Bioinformatics Survey of Lectins in the Fungal Kingdom. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:453. [PMID: 34200153 PMCID: PMC8227253 DOI: 10.3390/jof7060453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal lectins are a large family of carbohydrate-binding proteins with no enzymatic activity. They play fundamental biological roles in the interactions of fungi with their environment and are found in many different species across the fungal kingdom. In particular, their contribution to defense against feeders has been emphasized, and when secreted, lectins may be involved in the recognition of bacteria, fungal competitors and specific host plants. Carbohydrate specificities and quaternary structures vary widely, but evidence for an evolutionary relationship within the different classes of fungal lectins is supported by a high degree of amino acid sequence identity. The UniLectin3D database contains 194 fungal lectin 3D structures, of which 129 are characterized with a carbohydrate ligand. Using the UniLectin3D lectin classification system, 109 lectin sequence motifs were defined to screen 1223 species deposited in the genomic portal MycoCosm of the Joint Genome Institute. The resulting 33,485 putative lectin sequences are organized in MycoLec, a publicly available and searchable database. These results shed light on the evolution of the lectin gene families in fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Lebreton
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; (A.L.); (Y.-C.D.)
| | - François Bonnardel
- University of Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, 38000 Grenoble, France;
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, CH-1227 Geneva, Switzerland
- Computer Science Department, UniGe, CH-1227 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Yu-Cheng Dai
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; (A.L.); (Y.-C.D.)
| | - Anne Imberty
- University of Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, 38000 Grenoble, France;
| | - Francis M. Martin
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; (A.L.); (Y.-C.D.)
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, UMR Interactions Arbres/Microorganismes (IAM), Laboratoire d’Excellence ARBRE, Centre INRAE GrandEst-Nancy, 54280 Champenoux, France
| | - Frédérique Lisacek
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, CH-1227 Geneva, Switzerland
- Computer Science Department, UniGe, CH-1227 Geneva, Switzerland
- Section of Biology, UniGe, CH-1205 Geneva, Switzerland
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15
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Characterisation of Aspergillus fumigatus Endocytic Trafficking within Airway Epithelial Cells Using High-Resolution Automated Quantitative Confocal Microscopy. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7060454. [PMID: 34200399 PMCID: PMC8229978 DOI: 10.3390/jof7060454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The precise characterization of the mechanisms modulating Aspergillus fumigatus survival within airway epithelial cells has been impaired by the lack of live-cell imaging technologies and user-friendly quantification approaches. Here we described the use of an automated image analysis pipeline to estimate the proportion of A. fumigatus spores taken up by airway epithelial cells, those contained within phagolysosomes or acidified phagosomes, along with the fungal factors contributing to these processes. Coupling the use of fluorescent A. fumigatus strains and fluorescent epithelial probes targeting lysosomes, acidified compartments and cell membrane, we found that both the efficacy of lysosome recruitment to phagosomes and phagosome acidification determines the capacity of airway epithelial cells to contain A. fumigatus growth. Overall, the capability of the airway epithelium to prevent A. fumigatus survival was higher in bronchial epithelial than alveolar epithelial cells. Certain A. fumigatus cell wall mutants influenced phagosome maturation in airway epithelial cells. Taken together, this live-cell 4D imaging approach allows observation and measurement of the very early processes of A. fumigatus interaction within live airway epithelial monolayers.
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16
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Dussouy C, Lalys PA, Cabanettes A, Lehot V, Deniaud D, Gillon E, Balloy V, Varrot A, Gouin SG. Hexavalent thiofucosides to probe the role of the Aspergillus fumigatus lectin FleA in fungal pathogenicity. Org Biomol Chem 2021; 19:3234-3240. [PMID: 33885578 DOI: 10.1039/d1ob00152c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a pathogenic fungus infecting the respiratory system and responsible for a variety of life-threatening lung diseases. A fucose-binding lectin named FleA which has a controversial role in A. fumigatus pathogenesis was recently identified. New chemical probes with high affinity and enzymatic stability are needed to explore the role of FleA in the infection process. In this study, we developed potent FleA antagonists based on optimized and non-hydrolysable thiofucoside ligands. We first synthesized a set of monovalent sugars showing micromolar affinity for FleA by isothermal titration calorimetry. The most potent derivative was co-crystallized with FleA to gain insights into the binding mode in operation. Its chemical multimerization on a cyclodextrin scaffold led to an hexavalent compound with a significantly enhanced binding affinity (Kd = 223 ± 21 nM) thanks to a chelate binding mode. The compound could probe the role of bronchial epithelial cells in a FleA-mediated response to tissue invasion.
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17
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Tavakoli M, Shokohi T, Lass Flörl C, Hedayati MT, Hoenigl M. Immunological response to COVID-19 and its role as a predisposing factor in invasive aspergillosis. Curr Med Mycol 2020; 6:75-79. [PMID: 34195465 PMCID: PMC8226042 DOI: 10.18502/cmm.6.4.5442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The world is involved with a pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The clinical manifestations of reported COVID-19-associated pulmonary impairments range from asymptomatic infections to a pneumonia-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome that requires mechanical ventilation. Fungal superinfections complicating the clinical course remain underexplored. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, the receptor for COVID-19 that is mainly expressed in airway epithelia and lung parenchyma, is considered an important regulator of innate immunity. With regard to the viral-cell interaction, imbalanced immune regulation between protective and altered responses caused by the exacerbation of inflammatory responses should be considered a major contributor to secondary pulmonary aspergillosis. In addition, the complex inherited factors, age-related changes, and lifestyle may also affect immune responses. The complication and persistence of invasive aspergillosis have been well described in patients with severe influenza or COVID-19. However, there is a scarcity of information about the immunological mechanisms predisposing patients with COVID-19 to fungal co-infections. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the aforementioned domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahin Tavakoli
- Invasive Fungi Center, Communicable Diseases Research Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Tahereh Shokohi
- Invasive Fungi Center, Communicable Diseases Research Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Cornelia Lass Flörl
- nstitute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Mohammad Taghi Hedayati
- Invasive Fungi Center, Communicable Diseases Research Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Martin Hoenigl
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Section of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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18
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Seidel C, Moreno-Velásquez SD, Ben-Ghazzi N, Gago S, Read ND, Bowyer P. Phagolysosomal Survival Enables Non-lytic Hyphal Escape and Ramification Through Lung Epithelium During Aspergillus fumigatus Infection. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1955. [PMID: 32973709 PMCID: PMC7468521 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is the most important mould pathogen in immunosuppressed patients. Suboptimal clearance of inhaled spores results in the colonisation of the lung airways by invasive hyphae. The first point of contact between A. fumigatus and the host is the lung epithelium. In vitro and ex vivo studies have characterised critical aspects of the interaction of invasive hyphae on the surface of epithelial cells. However, the cellular interplay between internalised A. fumigatus and the lung epithelium remains largely unexplored. Here, we use high-resolution live-cell confocal microscopy, 3D rendered imaging and transmission electron microscopy to define the development of A. fumigatus after lung epithelium internalisation in vitro. Germination, morphology and growth of A. fumigatus were significantly impaired upon internalisation by alveolar (A549) and bronchial (16HBE) lung epithelial cells compared to those growing on the host surface. Internalised spores and germlings were surrounded by the host phagolysosome membrane. Sixty per cent of the phagosomes containing germlings were not acidified at 24 h post infection allowing hyphal development. During escape, the phagolysosomal membrane was not ruptured but likely fused to host plasma membrane allowing hyphal exit from the intact host cell in an non-lytic Manner. Subsequently, escaping hyphae elongated between or through adjacent epithelial lung cells without penetration of the host cytoplasm. Hyphal tips penetrating new epithelial cells were surrounded by the recipient cell plasma membrane. Altogether, our results suggest cells of lung epithelium survive fungal penetration because the phagolysosomal and plasma membranes are never breached and that conversely, fungal spores survive due to phagosome maturation failure. Consequently, fungal hyphae can grow through the epithelial cell layer without directly damaging the host. These processes likely prevent the activation of downstream immune responses alongside limiting the access of professional phagocytes to the invading fungal hypha. Further research is needed to investigate if these events also occur during penetration of fungi in endothelial cells, fibroblasts and other cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanze Seidel
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Sergio D Moreno-Velásquez
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Nagwa Ben-Ghazzi
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Sara Gago
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Nick D Read
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Bowyer
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, United Kingdom
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19
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Scharf S, Bartels A, Kondakci M, Pfeffer K, Henrich B, Haas R. Introduction of a bead beating step improves fungal DNA extraction from selected patient specimens. Int J Med Microbiol 2020; 310:151443. [PMID: 32862838 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2020.151443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In immunocompromised patients a colonisation with fungi carries the risk to develop serious invasive fungal infection. An early detection is therefore important, but not optimal hitherto. Fortunately, molecular genetic methods have increased the sensitivity of fungal detection and limited the time, until results are available. However, their success depends on an efficient extraction of genomic DNA from the fungal cell in the given diagnostic specimen. To improve the routine DNA preparation method for yeasts and moulds, the impact of bead beating on fungal DNA release was evaluated. PBS, blood and respiratory rinse were spiked with Candida glabrata or Aspergillus fumigatus. DNA was extracted by mechanical bead beating in addition to the different steps of the DNA preparation protocol, which comprised liquid nitrogen treatment, proteinase K digestion and DNA isolation using the EZ1 DNA Tissue Kit and Workstation. In every method variant tested, treatment with liquid nitrogen did not improve the DNA release. Bead beating once followed by proteinase K digestion and EZ1-work-up led to the highest DNA release from fungus, spiked in PBS, and increased the extracted DNA amount of C. glabrata about 100-fold and of A. fumigatus about 10-fold in relation to sole EZ1-work-up. In fungus-spiked respiratory rinse and blood, highest increase in DNA release was measured after triple bead beating with simultaneous proteinase K digestion. Fungal DNA release of C. glabrata increased for >100-fold in respiratory rinse and for >1000-fold in blood and of A. fumigatus for >10-fold in respiratory rinse and about 5- to 10-fold in blood. The data of this study clearly demonstrate that preparation of fungal DNA from human specimens is optimized by introduction of a bead beating step to the conventional DNA-preparation method without the necessity of a liquid nitrogen step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Scharf
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, University of Duesseldorf, Germany; Department of Haematology, Oncology and Clinical Immunology, University of Duesseldorf, Medical Faculty, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Anna Bartels
- Department of Haematology, Oncology and Clinical Immunology, University of Duesseldorf, Medical Faculty, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Mustafa Kondakci
- Department of Haematology, Oncology and Clinical Immunology, University of Duesseldorf, Medical Faculty, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Klaus Pfeffer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, University of Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Birgit Henrich
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, University of Duesseldorf, Germany.
| | - Rainer Haas
- Department of Haematology, Oncology and Clinical Immunology, University of Duesseldorf, Medical Faculty, Duesseldorf, Germany
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20
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Zhang Z, Jiang Y, Chen J, Chen P, Kong Q, Lu L, Sang H. In vitro and in vivo characterization of two nonsporulating Aspergillus fumigatus clinical isolates from immunocompetent patients. Med Mycol 2020; 58:543-551. [PMID: 31290538 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myz076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a pathogenic fungus responsible for invasive aspergillosis (IA). Typically, it can produce abundant conidia to survive and spread. The infection by A. fumigatus usually occurs in immunocompromised patients due to failed clearance of inhaled conidia. However, the incidence of aspergillosis in immunocompetent hosts has been increasing, the pathogenesis of which is still unknown. Our team previously obtained two clinical nonsporulating A. fumigatus isolates from non-immunocompromised patients, which only have the form of hyphae. This present study demonstrated the in vitro and in vivo characteristics of the two nonsporulating A. fumigatus isolates and verified that their conidiation defects are associated to abolished expression of the sporulation-related central regulatory pathway brlA gene. In addition, we confirmed the mutation site of brlA gene (c.657_660delTCCT) contributes to the nonsporulating phenotype in one clinical isolate. Plate assay showed that the two nonsporulating isolates have a similar resistance to antifungal drugs, cell wall disturbing substances, and oxidative stress compared with the wild-type reference Af293. Most important of all, we employed an immunocompetent mouse model to mimic the pathogenesis of pulmonary aspergillosis in non-immunocompromised patients. It revealed that the hyphae of two nonsporulating isolates and Af293 have similar virulence in immunocompetent hosts. Interestingly, the hyphae fragments of Af293 but not conidia are able to induce invasive aspergillosis in immunocompetent mice. In conclusion, our study indicate that the form of hyphae may play a dominant causative role in pulmonary aspergillosis of immunocompetent hosts rather than conidia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuan Jiang
- Department of Dermatology, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Peiying Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qingtao Kong
- Department of Dermatology, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ling Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hong Sang
- Department of Dermatology, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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Sýkorová P, Novotná J, Demo G, Pompidor G, Dubská E, Komárek J, Fujdiarová E, Houser J, Hároníková L, Varrot A, Shilova N, Imberty A, Bovin N, Pokorná M, Wimmerová M. Characterization of novel lectins from Burkholderia pseudomallei and Chromobacterium violaceum with seven-bladed β-propeller fold. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 152:1113-1124. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.10.200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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22
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Bigot J, Guillot L, Guitard J, Ruffin M, Corvol H, Balloy V, Hennequin C. Bronchial Epithelial Cells on the Front Line to Fight Lung Infection-Causing Aspergillus fumigatus. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1041. [PMID: 32528481 PMCID: PMC7257779 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an environmental filamentous fungus that can be pathogenic for humans, wherein it is responsible for a large variety of clinical forms ranging from allergic diseases to life-threatening disseminated infections. The contamination occurs by inhalation of conidia present in the air, and the first encounter of this fungus in the human host is most likely with the bronchial epithelial cells. Although alveolar macrophages have been widely studied in the Aspergillus–lung interaction, increasing evidence suggests that bronchial epithelium plays a key role in responding to the fungus. This review focuses on the innate immune response of the bronchial epithelial cells against A. fumigatus, the predominant pathogenic species. We have also detailed the molecular interactants and the effects of the different modes of interaction between these cells and the fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne Bigot
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, AP-HP, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Paris, France
| | - Loïc Guillot
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, Paris, France
| | - Juliette Guitard
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, AP-HP, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Paris, France
| | - Manon Ruffin
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, Paris, France
| | - Harriet Corvol
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, AP-HP, Hôpital Trousseau, Service de Pneumologie Pédiatrique, Paris, France
| | - Viviane Balloy
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, Paris, France
| | - Christophe Hennequin
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, AP-HP, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Paris, France
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23
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Farrera-Soler L, Daguer JP, Raunft P, Barluenga S, Imberty A, Winssinger N. PNA-Based Dynamic Combinatorial Libraries (PDCL) and screening of lectins. Bioorg Med Chem 2020; 28:115458. [PMID: 32241620 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2020.115458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Selections from dynamic combinatorial libraries (DCL) benefit from the dynamic nature of the library that can change constitution upon addition of a selection pressure, such as ligands binding to a protein. This technology has been predominantly used with small molecules interacting with each other through reversible covalent interaction. However, application of this technology in biomedical research and drug discovery has been limited by the reversibility of covalent exchange and the analytical deconvolution of small molecule fragments. Here we report a supramolecular approach based on the use of a constant short PNA tag to direct the combinatorial pairing of fragment. This PNA tag yields fast exchange kinetics, while still delivering the benefits of cooperativity, and provides favourable properties for analytical deconvolution by MALDI. A selection from >6,000 assemblies of glycans (mono-, di-, tri-saccharides) targeting AFL, a lectin from pathogenic fungus, yielded a 95 nM assembly, nearly three orders of magnitude better in affinity than the corresponding glycan alone (41 µM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lluc Farrera-Soler
- Department of Organic Chemistry, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) in Chemical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Pierre Daguer
- Department of Organic Chemistry, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) in Chemical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Raunft
- Department of Organic Chemistry, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) in Chemical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sofia Barluenga
- Department of Organic Chemistry, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) in Chemical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anne Imberty
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Nicolas Winssinger
- Department of Organic Chemistry, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) in Chemical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
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Notova S, Bonnardel F, Lisacek F, Varrot A, Imberty A. Structure and engineering of tandem repeat lectins. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2019; 62:39-47. [PMID: 31841833 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Through their ability to bind complex glycoconjugates, lectins have unique specificity and potential for biomedical and biotechnological applications. In particular, lectins with short repeated peptides forming carbohydrate-binding domains are not only of high interest for understanding protein evolution but can also be used as scaffold for engineering novel receptors. Synthetic glycobiology now provides the tools for engineering the specificity of lectins as well as their structure, multivalency and topologies. This review focuses on the structure and diversity of two families of tandem-repeat lectins, that is, β-trefoils and β-propellers, demonstrated as the most promising scaffold for engineering novel lectins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Notova
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - François Bonnardel
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, 38000 Grenoble, France; SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, CH-1227 Geneva, Switzerland; Computer Science Department, UniGe, CH-1227 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Frédérique Lisacek
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, CH-1227 Geneva, Switzerland; Computer Science Department, UniGe, CH-1227 Geneva, Switzerland; Section of Biology, UniGe, CH-1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Anne Imberty
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, 38000 Grenoble, France.
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Antunes D, Cunha C, Carvalho A. Genetic Regulation of the Host-Fungus Interaction in the Pathogenesis of Aspergillosis. CURRENT FUNGAL INFECTION REPORTS 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s12281-019-00344-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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26
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Mackel JJ, Steele C. Host defense mechanisms against Aspergillus fumigatus lung colonization and invasion. Curr Opin Microbiol 2019; 52:14-19. [PMID: 31103956 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The human lung is continually exposed to airborne conidia of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus (AF) and related species. The innate immune system efficiently eliminates inhaled AF conidia from the lung in normal individuals, but immunocompromised patients are at risk for highly lethal invasive aspergillosis (IA). Some individuals not at risk for IA may still suffer from failed clearance of AF in the form of noninvasive colonization associated with conditions such as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Understanding of normal innate immune function against AF as well as failures of these functions will enable better treatment of these patient groups. In this review, we will focus on recent research that elucidates mechanisms of host defense and their failures resulting in colonization as well as tissue invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J Mackel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Chad Steele
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States.
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27
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Bonnardel F, Kumar A, Wimmerova M, Lahmann M, Perez S, Varrot A, Lisacek F, Imberty A. Architecture and Evolution of Blade Assembly in β-propeller Lectins. Structure 2019; 27:764-775.e3. [PMID: 30853410 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2019.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Lectins with a β-propeller fold bind glycans on the cell surface through multivalent binding sites and appropriate directionality. These proteins are formed by repeats of short domains, raising questions about evolutionary duplication. However, these repeats are difficult to detect in translated genomes and seldom correctly annotated in sequence databases. To address these issues, we defined the blade signature of the five types of β-propellers using 3D-structural data. With these templates, we predicted 3,887 β-propeller lectins in 1,889 species and organized this information in a searchable online database. The data reveal a widespread distribution of β-propeller lectins across species. Prediction also emphasizes multiple architectures and led to the discovery of a β-propeller assembly scenario. This was confirmed by producing and characterizing a predicted protein coded in the genome of Kordia zhangzhouensis. The crystal structure uncovers an intermediate in the evolution of β-propeller assembly and demonstrates the power of our tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Bonnardel
- University of Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, 38000 Grenoble, France; Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1227 Geneva, Switzerland; Computer Science Department, UniGe, 1227 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Atul Kumar
- University of Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, 38000 Grenoble, France; CEITEC, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Wimmerova
- CEITEC, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Lahmann
- School of Chemistry, University of Bangor, LL57 2UW Bangor, UK
| | - Serge Perez
- University of Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, DPM, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Annabelle Varrot
- University of Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Frédérique Lisacek
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1227 Geneva, Switzerland; Computer Science Department, UniGe, 1227 Geneva, Switzerland; Section of Biology, UniGe, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Anne Imberty
- University of Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CERMAV, 38000 Grenoble, France.
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Endocytic Markers Associated with the Internalization and Processing of Aspergillus fumigatus Conidia by BEAS-2B Cells. mSphere 2019; 4:4/1/e00663-18. [PMID: 30728282 PMCID: PMC6365614 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00663-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Conidia from the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus are notorious for their ability to stay airborne. This characteristic is believed to allow conidia to penetrate into the cleanest environments. Several hundred conidia are thought to be inhaled each day by a given individual and then expelled by mucociliary clearance. Given that airway epithelial cells make up a significant portion of the pulmonary-air interface, we set out to determine the percentage of conidia that are actually internalized after initial contact with airway epithelial cells. We determined this through an in vitro assay using an immortalized bronchial airway epithelial cell line known as BEAS-2B. Our results suggest a small fraction of conidia are internalized by BEAS-2B cells, while the majority stay adherent to the surface of cells or are washed away during sample processing. Internalization of conidia was observed at 6 h postchallenge and not prior. Our data also indicate conidia are rendered metabolically inactive within 3 h of challenge, suggesting BEAS-2B cells process a large number of conidia without internalization in this early time frame. We have also identified several host endocytosis markers that localize around internalized conidia as well as contribute to the processing of conidia. Understanding how these host endocytosis markers affect the processing of internal and/or external conidia may provide a novel avenue for therapeutic development. Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous mold that produces small airborne conidia capable of traversing deep into the respiratory system. Recognition, processing, and clearance of A. fumigatus conidia by bronchial airway epithelial cells are thought to be relevant to host defense and immune signaling. Using z-stack confocal microscopy, we observed that only 10 to 20% of adherent conidia from the AF293 clinical isolate are internalized by BEAS-2B cells 6 h postchallenge and not prior. Similar percentages of internalization were observed for the CEA10 clinical isolate. A large subset of both AF293 and CEA10 conidia are rendered metabolically inactive without internalization at 3 h postchallenge by BEAS-2B cells. A significantly larger percentage of CEA10 conidia are metabolically active at 9 and 12 h postchallenge in comparison to the AF293 isolate, demonstrating heterogeneity among clinical isolates. We identified 7 host markers (caveolin, flotillin-2, RAB5C, RAB8B, RAB7A, 2xFYVE, and FAPP1) that consistently localized around internalized conidia 9 h postchallenge. Transient gene silencing of RAB5C, PIK3C3, and flotillin-2 resulted in a larger population of metabolically active conidia. Our findings emphasize the abundance of both host phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI3P) and PI4P around internalized conidia, as well as the importance of class III PI3P kinase for conidial processing. Therapeutic development focused on RAB5C-, PIK3C3-, and flotillin-2-mediated pathways may provide novel opportunities to modulate conidial processing and internalization. Determination of how contacted, external conidia are processed by airway epithelial cells may also provide a novel avenue to generate host-targeted therapeutics. IMPORTANCE Conidia from the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus are notorious for their ability to stay airborne. This characteristic is believed to allow conidia to penetrate into the cleanest environments. Several hundred conidia are thought to be inhaled each day by a given individual and then expelled by mucociliary clearance. Given that airway epithelial cells make up a significant portion of the pulmonary-air interface, we set out to determine the percentage of conidia that are actually internalized after initial contact with airway epithelial cells. We determined this through an in vitro assay using an immortalized bronchial airway epithelial cell line known as BEAS-2B. Our results suggest a small fraction of conidia are internalized by BEAS-2B cells, while the majority stay adherent to the surface of cells or are washed away during sample processing. Internalization of conidia was observed at 6 h postchallenge and not prior. Our data also indicate conidia are rendered metabolically inactive within 3 h of challenge, suggesting BEAS-2B cells process a large number of conidia without internalization in this early time frame. We have also identified several host endocytosis markers that localize around internalized conidia as well as contribute to the processing of conidia. Understanding how these host endocytosis markers affect the processing of internal and/or external conidia may provide a novel avenue for therapeutic development.
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