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Baral B, Saini V, Kandpal M, Kundu P, Dixit AK, Parmar HS, Meena AK, Trivedi P, Jha HC. The interplay of co-infections in shaping COVID-19 severity: Expanding the scope beyond SARS-CoV-2. J Infect Public Health 2024; 17:102486. [PMID: 39002466 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2024.102486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024] Open
Abstract
High mortality has been reported in severe cases of COVID-19. Emerging reports suggested that the severity is not only due to SARS-CoV-2 infection, but also due to coinfections by other pathogens exhibiting symptoms like COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic, simultaneous respiratory coinfections with various viral (Retroviridae, Flaviviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, and Picoviridae) and bacterial (Mycobacteriaceae, Mycoplasmataceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Helicobacteraceae) families have been observed. These pathogens intensify disease severity by potentially augmenting SARSCoV-2 replication, inflammation, and modulation of signaling pathways. Coinfection emerges as a critical determinant of COVID-19 severity, principally instigated by heightened pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, as cytokine storm. Thereby, in co-infection scenario, the severity is also driven by the modulation of inflammatory signaling pathways by both pathogens possibly associated with interleukin, interferon, and cell death exacerbating the severity. In the current review, we attempt to understand the role of co- infections by other pathogens and their involvement in the severity of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Budhadev Baral
- Infection Bioengineering Group, Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Vaishali Saini
- Infection Bioengineering Group, Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Meenakshi Kandpal
- Infection Bioengineering Group, Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Pratik Kundu
- Infection Bioengineering Group, Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Amit Kumar Dixit
- Central Ayurveda Research Institute, 4-CN Block, Sector -V, Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700 091, India
| | - Hamendra Singh Parmar
- School of Biotechnology, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Takshashila Campus, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 452001, India
| | - Ajay Kumar Meena
- Regional Ayurveda Research Institute, Gwalior, Amkhoh, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh 474001, India
| | - Pankaj Trivedi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Hem Chandra Jha
- Infection Bioengineering Group, Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, Madhya Pradesh, India; Centre for Rural Development and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, Madhya Pradesh, India.
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Gu L, Lin J, Wang Q, Meng F, Niu G, Lin H, Chi M, Feng Z, Zheng H, Li D, Zhao G, Li C. Mesoporous zinc oxide-based drug delivery system offers an antifungal and immunoregulatory strategy for treating keratitis. J Control Release 2024; 368:483-497. [PMID: 38458571 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Fungal keratitis is a refractory eye disease that is prone to causing blindness. Fungal virulence and inflammatory responses are two major factors that accelerate the course of fungal keratitis. However, the current antifungal drugs used for treatment usually possess transient residence time on the ocular surface and low bioavailability deficiencies, which limit their therapeutic efficacy. In this work, natamycin (NATA)-loaded mesoporous zinc oxide (Meso-ZnO) was synthesized for treating Aspergillus fumigatus keratitis with excellent drug-loading and sustained drug release capacities. In addition to being a carrier for drug delivery, Meso-ZnO could restrict fungal growth in a concentration-dependent manner, and the transcriptome analysis of fungal hyphae indicated that it inhibited the mycotoxin biosynthesis, oxidoreductase activity and fungal cell wall formation. Meso-ZnO also promoted cell migration and exhibited anti-inflammatory role during fungal infection by promoting the activation of autophagy. In mouse models of fungal keratitis, Meso-ZnO/NATA greatly reduced corneal fungal survival, alleviated tissue inflammatory damage, and reduced neutrophils accumulation and cytokines expression. This study suggests that Meso-ZnO/NATA can be a novel and effective treatment strategy for fungal keratitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingwen Gu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, PR China
| | - Jing Lin
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, PR China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, PR China
| | - Fanyue Meng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, PR China
| | - Geng Niu
- School of Science, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, PR China
| | - Hao Lin
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, PR China
| | - Menghui Chi
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, PR China
| | - Zhuhui Feng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, PR China
| | - Hengrui Zheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, PR China
| | - Daohao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-fibers and Eco-textiles, Institute of Marine Biobased Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, PR China.
| | - Guiqiu Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, PR China.
| | - Cui Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, PR China.
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Hecel A, Garstka K, Kozłowski H, Rowińska-Żyrek M. -HH and -HAAAH motifs act as fishing nets for biologically relevant metal ions in metallopeptides. J Inorg Biochem 2024; 252:112456. [PMID: 38154408 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2023.112456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Histidine are one of the most common residues involved in transition metal ion binding in the active sites of metalloenzymes. In order to mimic enzymatic metal binding sites, it is crucial to understand the basic coordination modes of histidine residues, distributed at different positions in the peptide sequence. We show that: (i) the separation of two histidines has a large effect on complex stability - a sequence with adjusting histidine residues forms more stable complexes with Zn(II) than the one in which the residues are separated, while the contrary is observed for Cu(II) complexes, in which amide nitrogens participate in metal binding. No pronounced effect is observed for Ni(II) complexes, where the amides participate in binding at higher pH; (ii) non-coordinating amino acid residues (basic, acidic and aromatic ones) have a significant impact on complex stability; charged and aromatic residues may enhance Zn(II) binding, while the contrary is observed for the amide-binding Cu(II); (iii) cysteine containing sequences are much more effective Zn(II) and Ni(II) binding motifs at pH above 8, while histidine containing ligands are more suitable for effective Zn(II) and Ni(II) binding at lower pH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Hecel
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Kinga Garstka
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Henryk Kozłowski
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Opole, 68 Katowicka St., 45-060 Opole, Poland
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Garstka K, Potoczniak G, Kozłowski H, Rowińska-Żyrek M. Aspergillus fumigatus ZrfC Zn(II) transporter scavengers zincophore-bound Zn(II). Dalton Trans 2024; 53:2848-2858. [PMID: 38231010 DOI: 10.1039/d3dt04083f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic pathogen that is able to invade and grow in the lungs of immunosuppressed patients and cause invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. The concentration of free Zn(II) in living tissues is much lower than that required for optimal fungal growth; thus, to obtain Zn(II) from the host, Aspergillus fumigatus uses highly specified Zn(II) transporters: ZrfA, ZrfB and ZrfC. The ZrfC transporter plays the main role in Zn(II) acquisition from the host in neutral and mildly alkaline environment via interacting with the secreted Aspf2 zincophore. Understanding the Aspf2-ZrfC interactions is therefore necessary for explaining the process of Zn(II) acquisition by Aspergillus fumigatus, and identifying Zn(II) binding sites in its transporter and describing the thermodynamics of such binding are the fundamental steps to achieve this goal. We focus on two probable ZrfC Zn(II) binding sites and show that the Ac-MNCHFHAGVEHCIGAGESESGSSQ-NH2 region binds Zn(II) with higher affinity than the Ac-TGCHSHGS-NH2 one and that this binding is much stronger than the binding of Zn(II) to the Aspf2 zincophore, allowing efficient Zn(II) transport from the Aspf2 zincophore to the ZrfC transporter. The same ZrfC fragments also able to bind Ni(II), another metal ion essential for fungi that could also compete with Zn(II) binding, with comparable affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Garstka
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, F. Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Gabriela Potoczniak
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, F. Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Henryk Kozłowski
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, F. Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland.
- Institute of Health Sciences, University of Opole, Katowicka 68 St., 45-060 Opole, Poland
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Garstka K, Dzyhovskyi V, Wątły J, Stokowa-Sołtys K, Świątek-Kozłowska J, Kozłowski H, Barceló-Oliver M, Bellotti D, Rowińska-Żyrek M. CH vs. HC-Promiscuous Metal Sponges in Antimicrobial Peptides and Metallophores. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28103985. [PMID: 37241727 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28103985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Histidine and cysteine residues, with their imidazole and thiol moieties that deprotonate at approximately physiological pH values, are primary binding sites for Zn(II), Ni(II) and Fe(II) ions and are thus ubiquitous both in peptidic metallophores and in antimicrobial peptides that may use nutritional immunity as a way to limit pathogenicity during infection. We focus on metal complex solution equilibria of model sequences encompassing Cys-His and His-Cys motifs, showing that the position of histidine and cysteine residues in the sequence has a crucial impact on its coordination properties. CH and HC motifs occur as many as 411 times in the antimicrobial peptide database, while similar CC and HH regions are found 348 and 94 times, respectively. Complex stabilities increase in the series Fe(II) < Ni(II) < Zn(II), with Zn(II) complexes dominating at physiological pH, and Ni(II) ones-above pH 9. The stabilities of Zn(II) complexes with Ac-ACHA-NH2 and Ac-AHCA-NH2 are comparable, and a similar tendency is observed for Fe(II), while in the case of Ni(II), the order of Cys and His does matter-complexes in which the metal is anchored on the third Cys (Ac-AHCA-NH2) are thermodynamically stronger than those where Cys is in position two (Ac-ACHA-NH2) at basic pH, at which point amides start to take part in the binding. Cysteine residues are much better Zn(II)-anchoring sites than histidines; Zn(II) clearly prefers the Cys-Cys type of ligands to Cys-His and His-Cys ones. In the case of His- and Cys-containing peptides, non-binding residues may have an impact on the stability of Ni(II) complexes, most likely protecting the central Ni(II) atom from interacting with solvent molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Garstka
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, F. Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Valentyn Dzyhovskyi
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, F. Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Joanna Wątły
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, F. Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Kamila Stokowa-Sołtys
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, F. Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
| | | | - Henryk Kozłowski
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, F. Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Opole, 68 Katowicka St., 45-060 Opole, Poland
| | - Miquel Barceló-Oliver
- Department of Chemistry, University of Balearic Islands, Cra. de Valldemossa, km 7.5., 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Denise Bellotti
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wrocław, F. Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wrocław, Poland
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, I-44121 Ferrara, Italy
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Fungal Zinc Homeostasis and Its Potential as an Antifungal Target: A Focus on the Human Pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10122469. [PMID: 36557722 PMCID: PMC9785309 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10122469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic airborne fungus that causes severe invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients. Zinc is an essential micronutrient for the growth of A. fumigatus and even for all microorganisms. An increasing number of studies have reported that fungal zinc acquisition ability plays a key role in fungal survival in hosts with an extremely zinc-limited microenvironment. The ability to fight scarcity and excess of zinc are tightly related to fungal virulence and may be used as new potential targets. Because the regulation of zinc homeostasis is important, a thorough understanding of the functional genes involved in the regulatory network for zinc homeostasis is required for fungal pathogens. The current mini-review summarized potential zinc homeostasis regulators in A. fumigatus and classified these regulators according to localization and function, which were identified or predicted based on A. fumigatus or deduced from homologs in model yeasts. Future perspectives for zinc homeostasis regulators as potential antifungal targets to treat invasive aspergillosis are also discussed.
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