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Xiong EH, Zhang X, Yan H, Ward HN, Lin ZY, Wong CJ, Fu C, Gingras AC, Noble SM, Robbins N, Myers CL, Cowen LE. Functional genomic analysis of genes important for Candida albicans fitness in diverse environmental conditions. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114601. [PMID: 39126650 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114601] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Fungal pathogens such as Candida albicans pose a significant threat to human health with limited treatment options available. One strategy to expand the therapeutic target space is to identify genes important for pathogen growth in host-relevant environments. Here, we leverage a pooled functional genomic screening strategy to identify genes important for fitness of C. albicans in diverse conditions. We identify an essential gene with no known Saccharomyces cerevisiae homolog, C1_09670C, and demonstrate that it encodes subunit 3 of replication factor A (Rfa3). Furthermore, we apply computational analyses to identify functionally coherent gene clusters and predict gene function. Through this approach, we predict the cell-cycle-associated function of C3_06880W, a previously uncharacterized gene required for fitness specifically at elevated temperatures, and follow-up assays confirm that C3_06880W encodes Iml3, a component of the C. albicans kinetochore with roles in virulence in vivo. Overall, this work reveals insights into the vulnerabilities of C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily H Xiong
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Huijuan Yan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Henry N Ward
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Zhen-Yuan Lin
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Cassandra J Wong
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Ci Fu
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Anne-Claude Gingras
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Suzanne M Noble
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Nicole Robbins
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Chad L Myers
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Leah E Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
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2
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Shi D, Yang Z, Liao W, Liu C, Zhao L, Su H, Wang X, Mei H, Chen M, Song Y, de Hoog S, Deng S. Galleria mellonella in vitro model for chromoblastomycosis shows large differences in virulence between isolates. IMA Fungus 2024; 15:5. [PMID: 38454527 PMCID: PMC10921731 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-023-00134-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chromoblastomycosis is the World Health Organization (WHO)-recognized fungal implantation disease that eventually leads to severe mutilation. Cladophialophora carrionii (C. carrionii) is one of the agents. However, the pathogenesis of C. carrionii is not fully investigated yet. METHODS We investigated the pathogenic potential of the fungus in a Galleria mellonella (G. mellonella) larvae infection model. Six strains of C. carrionii, and three of its environmental relative C. yegresii were tested. The G. mellonella model was also applied to determine antifungal efficacy of amphotericin B, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, and terbinafine. RESULTS All strains were able to infect the larvae, but virulence potentials were strain-specific and showed no correlation with clinical background of the respective isolate. Survival of larvae also varied with infection dose, and with growth speed and melanization of the fungus. Posaconazole and voriconazole exhibited best activity against Cladophialophora, followed by itraconazole and terbinafine, while limited efficacy was seen for amphotericin B. CONCLUSION Infection behavior deviates significantly between strains. In vitro antifungal susceptibility of tested strains only partly explained the limited treatment efficacy in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Shi
- Department of Dermatology & Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Jining No. 1 People's Hospital, Shandong, China
- The Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Jining No. 1 People's Hospital, Shandong, China
| | - Zhiya Yang
- The Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Jining No. 1 People's Hospital, Shandong, China
| | - Wanqing Liao
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Liu
- The Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Jining No. 1 People's Hospital, Shandong, China
| | - Liang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education of Guizhou & Guizhou Talent Base for Microbiology and Human Health, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Huilin Su
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- Department of Dermatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Huan Mei
- Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Nanjing, China
| | - Min Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Yinggai Song
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, First Hospital in Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Sybren de Hoog
- Center of Expertise in Mycology of Radboud University Medical Center, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Department of Medical Microbiology, The People's Hospital of Suzhou New District, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Shuwen Deng
- Department of Medical Microbiology, The People's Hospital of Suzhou New District, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
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3
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Souza BMN, Miñán AG, Brambilla IR, Pinto JG, Garcia MT, Junqueira JC, Ferreira-Strixino J. Effects of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy with photodithazine® on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): Studies in biofilms and experimental model with Galleria mellonella. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY. B, BIOLOGY 2024; 252:112860. [PMID: 38330692 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2024.112860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus infections are a severe health problem due to the high mortality rate. Conventional treatment of these infections is via the administration of antibiotics. However, its indiscriminate use can select resistant microorganisms. Thus, it is necessary to develop alternatives for antibiotic therapy. Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy (aPDT), a therapeutic method that associates a photosensitizer (PS), a light source with adequate wavelength to the PS, interacts with molecular oxygen generating reactive oxygen species responsible for cell inactivation, is a viable alternative. This work aimed to analyze, in vitro and in vivo, the action of aPDT with PS Photodithazine® (PDZ) on the methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strain. In the in vitro method, the S. aureus biofilm was incubated with PDZ at 50 and 75 μg.mL-1 for 15 min, adopting the light dose of 25, 50, and 100 J/cm2. In addition, PS interaction, formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), bacterial metabolism, adhesion, bacterial viability, and biofilm structure were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Subsequently, the strain was inoculated into models of Galleria mellonella, and the survival curve, health scale, blood cell analysis, and CFU/mL of S. aureus in the hemolymph were analyzed after aPDT. In the in vitro results, bacterial reduction was observed in the different PDZ concentrations, highlighting the parameters of 75 μg.mL-1 of PDZ and 100 J/cm2. As for in vivo results, aPDT increased survival and stimulated the immune system of G. mellonella infected by S. aureus. aPDT proved effective in both models, demonstrating its potential as an alternative therapy in treating MRSA bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Müller N Souza
- Photobiology Applied to Health (PhotoBioS Lab), Universidade do Vale do Paraíba (UNIVAP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alejandro Guillermo Miñán
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata 1900, Argentina.
| | - Isabelle Ribeiro Brambilla
- Photobiology Applied to Health (PhotoBioS Lab), Universidade do Vale do Paraíba (UNIVAP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Juliana Guerra Pinto
- Photobiology Applied to Health (PhotoBioS Lab), Universidade do Vale do Paraíba (UNIVAP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Maíra Terra Garcia
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Institute of Science and Technology (ICT), São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Juliana Campos Junqueira
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Institute of Science and Technology (ICT), São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Juliana Ferreira-Strixino
- Photobiology Applied to Health (PhotoBioS Lab), Universidade do Vale do Paraíba (UNIVAP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Abramov VM, Kosarev IV, Machulin AV, Priputnevich TV, Deryusheva EI, Panin AN, Chikileva IO, Abashina TN, Melnikov VG, Suzina NE, Nikonov IN, Akhmetzyanova AA, Khlebnikov VS, Sakulin VK, Vasilenko RN, Samoilenko VA, Gordeev AB, Sukhikh GT, Uversky VN, Karlyshev AV. Protective Properties of S-layer Protein 2 from Lactobacillus crispatus 2029 against Candida albicans Infections. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1740. [PMID: 38136611 PMCID: PMC10741940 DOI: 10.3390/biom13121740] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Previously, the protective role of the S-layer protein 2 (Slp2) of the vaginal Lactobacillus crispatus 2029 (LC2029) strain against foodborne pathogens Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis, and Escherichia coli O157:H was demonstrated. We demonstrate the new roles of the Slp2-positive LC2029 strain and soluble Slp2 against C. albicans infections. We show that LC2029 bacteria can adhere to the surface of the cervical epithelial HeLa cells, prevent their contact with C. albicans, and block yeast transition to a pathogenic hyphal form. Surface-bound Slp2 provides the ability for LC2029 to co-aggregate with various C. albicans strains, including clinical isolates. C. albicans-induced necrotizing epithelial damage is reduced by colonization with the Slp2-positive LC2029 strain. Slp2 inhibits the adhesion of various strains of C. albicans to different human epithelial cells, blocks yeast transition to a pathogenic hyphal form, and prevents the colonization and pathogenic infiltration of mucosal barriers. Only Slp2 and LC2029 bacteria stimulate the production of protective human β-defensin 3 in various epithelial cells. These findings support the anti-Candida albicans potential of the probiotic LC2029 strain and Slp2 and form the basis for further research on their ability to prevent and manage invasive Candida infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vyacheslav M. Abramov
- Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) Federal State Budgetary Institution “The Russian State Center for Animal Feed and Drug Standardization and Quality” (FGBU VGNKI), 123022 Moscow, Russia (A.N.P.)
- Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Igor V. Kosarev
- Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) Federal State Budgetary Institution “The Russian State Center for Animal Feed and Drug Standardization and Quality” (FGBU VGNKI), 123022 Moscow, Russia (A.N.P.)
- Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey V. Machulin
- Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Federal Research Center “Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of Russian Academy of Science”, Russian Academy of Science, 142290 Pushchino, Russia
| | - Tatiana V. Priputnevich
- Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Evgenia I. Deryusheva
- Institute for Biological Instrumentation, Federal Research Center “Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of Russian Academy of Science”, Russian Academy of Science, 142290 Pushchino, Russia;
| | - Alexander N. Panin
- Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) Federal State Budgetary Institution “The Russian State Center for Animal Feed and Drug Standardization and Quality” (FGBU VGNKI), 123022 Moscow, Russia (A.N.P.)
| | - Irina O. Chikileva
- Laboratory of Cell Immunity, Blokhin National Research Center of Oncology, Ministry of Health RF, 115478 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Tatiana N. Abashina
- Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Federal Research Center “Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of Russian Academy of Science”, Russian Academy of Science, 142290 Pushchino, Russia
| | - Vyacheslav G. Melnikov
- Gabrichevsky Research Institute for Epidemiology and Microbiology, 125212 Moscow, Russia
| | - Nataliya E. Suzina
- Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Federal Research Center “Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of Russian Academy of Science”, Russian Academy of Science, 142290 Pushchino, Russia
| | - Ilia N. Nikonov
- Federal State Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology Named after K.I. Skryabin, 109472 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna A. Akhmetzyanova
- Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) Federal State Budgetary Institution “The Russian State Center for Animal Feed and Drug Standardization and Quality” (FGBU VGNKI), 123022 Moscow, Russia (A.N.P.)
| | | | - Vadim K. Sakulin
- Institute of Immunological Engineering, 142380 Lyubuchany, Russia (R.N.V.)
| | - Raisa N. Vasilenko
- Institute of Immunological Engineering, 142380 Lyubuchany, Russia (R.N.V.)
| | - Vladimir A. Samoilenko
- Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Federal Research Center “Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of Russian Academy of Science”, Russian Academy of Science, 142290 Pushchino, Russia
| | - Alexey B. Gordeev
- Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Gennady T. Sukhikh
- Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir N. Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA;
| | - Andrey V. Karlyshev
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education, Kingston University London, Kingston upon Thames KT1 2EE, UK;
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5
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Jenull S, Bauer T, Silbermayr K, Dreer M, Stark TD, Ehling-Schulz M. The toxicological spectrum of the Bacillus cereus toxin cereulide points towards niche-specific specialisation. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:2231-2249. [PMID: 37354053 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Most microbes share their environmental niches with very different forms of life thereby engaging in specialised relationships to enable their persistence. The bacterium Bacillus cereus occurs ubiquitously in the environment with certain strain backgrounds causing foodborne and opportunistic infections in humans. The emetic lineage of B. cereus is capable of producing the toxin cereulide, which evokes emetic illnesses. Although food products favouring the accumulation of cereulide are known, the ecological role of cereulide and the environmental niche of emetic B. cereus remain elusive. To better understand the ecology of cereulide-producing B. cereus, we systematically assayed the toxicological spectrum of cereulide on a variety of organisms belonging to different kingdoms. As cereulide is a potassium ionophore, we further tested the effect of environmental potassium levels on the action of cereulide. We found that adverse effects of cereulide exposure are species-specific, which can be exacerbated with increased environmental potassium. Additionally, we demonstrate that cereulide is produced within an insect cadaver indicating its potential ecological function for a saprophytic lifestyle. Collectively, distinct cereulide susceptibilities of other organisms may reflect its role in enabling competitive niche specialization of emetic B. cereus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Jenull
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tobias Bauer
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katja Silbermayr
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maximilian Dreer
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Unit, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Timo D Stark
- Food Chemistry and Molecular Sensory Science, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Monika Ehling-Schulz
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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6
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Ramage G, Borghi E, Rodrigues CF, Kean R, Williams C, Lopez-Ribot J. Our current clinical understanding of Candida biofilms: where are we two decades on? APMIS 2023; 131:636-653. [PMID: 36932821 DOI: 10.1111/apm.13310] [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: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
Clinically we have been aware of the concept of Candida biofilms for many decades, though perhaps without the formal designation. Just over 20 years ago the subject emerged on the back of progress made from the bacterial biofilms, and academic progress pace has continued to mirror the bacterial biofilm community, albeit at a decreased volume. It is apparent that Candida species have a considerable capacity to colonize surfaces and interfaces and form tenacious biofilm structures, either alone or in mixed species communities. From the oral cavity, to the respiratory and genitourinary tracts, wounds, or in and around a plethora of biomedical devices, the scope of these infections is vast. These are highly tolerant to antifungal therapies that has a measurable impact on clinical management. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overight of our current clinical understanding of where these biofilms cause infections, and we discuss existing and emerging antifungal therapies and strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon Ramage
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Study Group for Biofilms (ESGB), European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Elisa Borghi
- Study Group for Biofilms (ESGB), European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences, San Paolo Medical School, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Célia Fortuna Rodrigues
- Study Group for Biofilms (ESGB), European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Basel, Switzerland
- LEPABE-Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Cooperativa de Ensino Superior Politécnico e Universitário-CESPU, Gandra, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Cooperativa de Ensino Superior Politécnico e Universitário-CESPU, Gandra, Portugal
- TOXRUN-Toxicology Research Unit, Cooperativa de Ensino Superior Politécnico e Universitário-CESPU, Gandra, Portugal
| | - Ryan Kean
- Study Group for Biofilms (ESGB), European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biological Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK
| | - Craig Williams
- Study Group for Biofilms (ESGB), European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Basel, Switzerland
- Microbiology Department, Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, Lancaster, UK
| | - Jose Lopez-Ribot
- Department of Biology and the South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
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7
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Fusco-Almeida AM, de Matos Silva S, dos Santos KS, de Lima Gualque MW, Vaso CO, Carvalho AR, Medina-Alarcón KP, Pires ACMDS, Belizario JA, de Souza Fernandes L, Moroz A, Martinez LR, Ruiz OH, González Á, Mendes-Giannini MJS. Alternative Non-Mammalian Animal and Cellular Methods for the Study of Host-Fungal Interactions. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:943. [PMID: 37755051 PMCID: PMC10533014 DOI: 10.3390/jof9090943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In the study of fungal pathogenesis, alternative methods have gained prominence due to recent global legislation restricting the use of mammalian animals in research. The principle of the 3 Rs (replacement, reduction, and refinement) is integrated into regulations and guidelines governing animal experimentation in nearly all countries. This principle advocates substituting vertebrate animals with other invertebrate organisms, embryos, microorganisms, or cell cultures. This review addresses host-fungus interactions by employing three-dimensional (3D) cultures, which offer more faithful replication of the in vivo environment, and by utilizing alternative animal models to replace traditional mammals. Among these alternative models, species like Caenorhabditis elegans and Danio rerio share approximately 75% of their genes with humans. Furthermore, models such as Galleria mellonella and Tenebrio molitor demonstrate similarities in their innate immune systems as well as anatomical and physiological barriers, resembling those found in mammalian organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Marisa Fusco-Almeida
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Samanta de Matos Silva
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
- Basic and Applied Microbiology Group (MICROBA), School of Microbiology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin 050010, Colombia; (O.H.R.); (Á.G.)
| | - Kelvin Sousa dos Santos
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Marcos William de Lima Gualque
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Carolina Orlando Vaso
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Angélica Romão Carvalho
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Kaila Petrolina Medina-Alarcón
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Ana Carolina Moreira da Silva Pires
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Jenyffie Araújo Belizario
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Lígia de Souza Fernandes
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Andrei Moroz
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
| | - Luis R. Martinez
- Department of Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA;
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Center for Immunology and Transplantation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Orville Hernandez Ruiz
- Basic and Applied Microbiology Group (MICROBA), School of Microbiology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin 050010, Colombia; (O.H.R.); (Á.G.)
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Group University of Antioquia, Corporation for Biological Research, Medellin 050010, Colombia
| | - Ángel González
- Basic and Applied Microbiology Group (MICROBA), School of Microbiology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin 050010, Colombia; (O.H.R.); (Á.G.)
| | - Maria José Soares Mendes-Giannini
- Department of Clinical Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil; (A.M.F.-A.); (S.d.M.S.); (K.S.d.S.); (M.W.d.L.G.); (C.O.V.); (A.R.C.); (K.P.M.-A.); (A.C.M.d.S.P.); (J.A.B.); (L.d.S.F.); (A.M.)
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8
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Iwański B, Andrejko M. Changes in the apolipophorin III in Galleria mellonella larvae treated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 149:104536. [PMID: 37414244 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, we have demonstrated a correlation in time between changes in the amount of apolipophorin III (apoLp-III) in the fat body and hemocytes of Galleria mellonella larvae challenged with Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (exoA). An increase in the amount of apoLp-III was detected 1-8 h after the challenge; then, a temporary decrease was observed after 15 h followed by an increase in the level of apoLp-III, however to a different extent. The profile of apoLp-III forms in the hemolymph, hemocytes, and fat body of the exoA-challenged larvae was analyzed using two-dimensional electrophoresis (IEF/SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting with anti-apoLp-III antibodies. Two apoLp-III forms differing in isoelectric point values estimated at ∼ 6.5 and ∼ 6.1 in the hemolymph and ∼ 6.5 and ∼ 5.9 in the hemocytes as well as one isoform with pI ∼ 6.5 in the fat body with an additional apoLp-III-derived polypeptide with estimated pI ∼ 6.9 were detected in the control insects. The injection of exoA caused a significant decrease in the abundance of both apoLp-III isoforms in the insect hemolymph. In the hemocytes, a decrease in the amount of the pI ∼ 5.9 isoform was detected, while the major apoLp-III isoform (pI ∼ 6.5) remained unchanged. In addition, appearance of an additional apoLp-III-derived polypeptide with an estimated pI ∼ 5.2 was observed. Interestingly, there were no statistically significant differences in the amount of the main isoform in the fat body between the control and exoA-challenged insects, but the polypeptide with pI ∼ 6.9 disappeared completely. It should be noted that the decrease in the amount of apoLp-III and other proteins was especially noticeable at the time points when exoA was detected in the studied tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartłomiej Iwański
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland.
| | - Mariola Andrejko
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland
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9
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Serrano I, Verdial C, Tavares L, Oliveira M. The Virtuous Galleria mellonella Model for Scientific Experimentation. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:505. [PMID: 36978373 PMCID: PMC10044286 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12030505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The first research on the insect Galleria mellonella was published 85 years ago, and the larva is now widely used as a model to study infections caused by bacterial and fungal pathogens, for screening new antimicrobials, to study the adjacent immune response in co-infections or in host-pathogen interaction, as well as in a toxicity model. The immune system of the G. mellonella model shows remarkable similarities with mammals. Furthermore, results from G. mellonella correlate positively with mammalian models and with other invertebrate models. Unlike other invertebrate models, G. mellonella can withstand temperatures of 37 °C, and its handling and experimental procedures are simpler. Despite having some disadvantages, G. mellonella is a virtuous in vivo model to be used in preclinical studies, as an intermediate model between in vitro and mammalian in vivo studies, and is a great example on how to apply the bioethics principle of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement) in animal experimentation. This review aims to discuss the progress of the G. mellonella model, highlighting the key aspects of its use, including experimental design considerations and the necessity to standardize them. A different score in the "cocoon" category included in the G. mellonella Health Index Scoring System is also proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isa Serrano
- CIISA—Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Cláudia Verdial
- CIISA—Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Luís Tavares
- CIISA—Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Manuela Oliveira
- CIISA—Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
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10
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Spiramycin Disarms Pseudomonas aeruginosa without Inhibiting Growth. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12030499. [PMID: 36978366 PMCID: PMC10044227 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12030499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Spiramycin is a 16-membered macrolide antibiotic currently used in therapy to treat infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria responsible for respiratory tract infections, and it is also effective against some Gram-negative bacteria and against Toxoplasma spp. In contrast, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is one of the pathogens of most concern globally, is intrinsically resistant to spiramycin. In this study we show that spiramycin inhibits the expression of virulence determinants in P. aeruginosa in the absence of any significant effect on bacterial multiplication. In vitro experiments demonstrated that production of pyoverdine and pyocyanin by an environmental strain of P. aeruginosa was markedly reduced in the presence of spiramycin, as were biofilm formation, swarming motility, and rhamnolipid production. Moreover, treatment of P. aeruginosa with spiramycin sensitized the bacterium to H2O2 exposure. The ability of spiramycin to dampen the virulence of the P. aeruginosa strain was confirmed in a Galleria mellonella animal model. The results demonstrated that when G. mellonella larvae were infected with P. aeruginosa, the mortality after 24 h was >90%. In contrast, when the spiramycin was injected together with the bacterium, the mortality dropped to about 50%. Furthermore, marked reduction in transcript levels of the antimicrobial peptides gallerimycin, gloverin and moricin, and lysozyme was found in G. mellonella larvae infected with P. aeruginosa and treated with spiramycin, compared to the larvae infected without spiramycin treatment suggesting an immunomodulatory activity of spiramycin. These results lay the foundation for clinical studies to investigate the possibility of using the spiramycin as an anti-virulence and anti-inflammatory drug for a more effective treatment of P. aeruginosa infections, in combination with other antibiotics.
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11
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Milholland KL, AbdelKhalek A, Baker KM, Hoda S, DeMarco AG, Naughton NH, Koeberlein AN, Lorenz GR, Anandasothy K, Esperilla-Muñoz A, Narayanan SK, Correa-Bordes J, Briggs SD, Hall MC. Cdc14 phosphatase contributes to cell wall integrity and pathogenesis in Candida albicans. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1129155. [PMID: 36876065 PMCID: PMC9977832 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1129155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The Cdc14 phosphatase family is highly conserved in fungi. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Cdc14 is essential for down-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase activity at mitotic exit. However, this essential function is not broadly conserved and requires only a small fraction of normal Cdc14 activity. Here, we identified an invariant motif in the disordered C-terminal tail of fungal Cdc14 enzymes that is required for full enzyme activity. Mutation of this motif reduced Cdc14 catalytic rate and provided a tool for studying the biological significance of high Cdc14 activity. A S. cerevisiae strain expressing the reduced-activity hypomorphic mutant allele (cdc14hm ) as the sole source of Cdc14 proliferated like the wild-type parent strain but exhibited an unexpected sensitivity to cell wall stresses, including chitin-binding compounds and echinocandin antifungal drugs. Sensitivity to echinocandins was also observed in Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Candida albicans strains lacking CDC14, suggesting this phenotype reflects a novel and conserved function of Cdc14 orthologs in mediating fungal cell wall integrity. In C. albicans, the orthologous cdc14hm allele was sufficient to elicit echinocandin hypersensitivity and perturb cell wall integrity signaling. It also caused striking abnormalities in septum structure and the same cell separation and hyphal differentiation defects previously observed with cdc14 gene deletions. Since hyphal differentiation is important for C. albicans pathogenesis, we assessed the effect of reduced Cdc14 activity on virulence in Galleria mellonella and mouse models of invasive candidiasis. Partial reduction in Cdc14 activity via cdc14hm mutation severely impaired C. albicans virulence in both assays. Our results reveal that high Cdc14 activity is important for C. albicans cell wall integrity and pathogenesis and suggest that Cdc14 may be worth future exploration as an antifungal drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kedric L Milholland
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Ahmed AbdelKhalek
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Kortany M Baker
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Smriti Hoda
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Andrew G DeMarco
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Noelle H Naughton
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Angela N Koeberlein
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Gabrielle R Lorenz
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Kartikan Anandasothy
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | | | - Sanjeev K Narayanan
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Jaime Correa-Bordes
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Scott D Briggs
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.,Institute for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Mark C Hall
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.,Institute for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
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12
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Zhang B, Xu X, Song X, Wen Y, Zhu Z, Lv J, Xie X, Chen L, Tang YW, Du H. Emerging and re-emerging KPC-producing hypervirulent Pseudomonas aeruginosa ST697 and ST463 between 2010 and 2021. Emerg Microbes Infect 2022; 11:2735-2745. [DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2140609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Biying Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004 PR China
| | - Xun Xu
- Institute of Active Polymers and Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Kantstr.55, 14513 Teltow, Germany
| | - Xiaomei Song
- Department of Nursing, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004 PR China
| | - Yicheng Wen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004 PR China
| | - Zhichen Zhu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004 PR China
| | - Jingnan Lv
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004 PR China
| | - Xiaofang Xie
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004 PR China
| | - Liang Chen
- Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation, Nutley, NJ, USA
- Department of Medical Sciences, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
| | - Yi-Wei Tang
- Department of Medical Affairs, Danaher Diagnostic Platform/Cepheid (China), New York, NY, USA
| | - Hong Du
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004 PR China
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13
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Sasidharan S, Nishanth KS, Nair HJ. Ethanolic extract of Caesalpinia bonduc seeds triggers yeast metacaspase-dependent apoptotic pathway mediated by mitochondrial dysfunction through enhanced production of calcium and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Candida albicans. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:970688. [PMID: 36093184 PMCID: PMC9449877 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.970688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is a widespread disease-causing yeast affecting humankind, which leads to urinary tract, cutaneous and various lethal systemic infections. As this infection rate steadily increases, it is becoming a significant public health problem. Recently, Caesalpinia bonduc has received much attention from researchers due to its diverse pharmacological properties, including antimicrobial effects. Accordingly, we first planned to explore the in-vitro anticandidal potential of three extracts obtained from C. bonduc seeds against four Candida species. Initially, the anticandidal activity of the seed extracts was checked by the microdilution technique. Out of three seed extracts tested, ethanolic extract of C. bonduc seed (EECS) recorded the best activity against C. albicans. Hence, we next aimed to find out the anticandidal mechanism of EECS in C. albicans. The liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS) analysis showed that the major compounds present in the EECS were tocopherols, fucosterol, linoleic acid, β-amyrin, β-sitosterol, campesterol, cassane furanoditerpene, Norcassane furanoditerpene and other diterpenes. To evaluate the cell death mechanism in C. albicans, a series of parameters related to apoptosis, viz., reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, membrane permeability, mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c, DNA fragmentation, nuclear condensation, increased Ca2+ level in cytosolic and mitochondrial and activation of metacaspase, were analyzed. The results showed that EECS treatment resulted in the elevation of ROS, which leads to plasma membrane permeability in C. albicans. Annexin V staining further confirms the early stage of apoptosis through phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization. We further inspected the late apoptotic stage using DAPI and TUNEL staining assays. From the results, it can be concluded that EECS triggered mitochondrial dysfunction by releasing high levels of ROS, cytochrome c and Ca2+resulting in the activation of metacaspase mediated apoptosis, which is the central mechanism behind the cell death of C. albicans. Finally, a Galleria mellonella-C. albicans infection system was employed to assess the in-vivo potential of EECS. The outcomes displayed that the EECS considerably enhanced the recovery rate of G. mellonella larvae from infection after the treatment. Additionally, EECS also recorded low hemolytic activity. This study thus spotlights the anticandidal potential and mechanism of action of EECS against C. albicans and thus delivers a promising treatment approach to manage C. albicans infection in the future.
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14
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Stevenson EM, Gaze WH, Gow NAR, Hart A, Schmidt W, Usher J, Warris A, Wilkinson H, Murray AK. Antifungal Exposure and Resistance Development: Defining Minimal Selective Antifungal Concentrations and Testing Methodologies. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2022; 3:918717. [PMID: 37746188 PMCID: PMC10512330 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2022.918717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
This scoping review aims to summarise the current understanding of selection for antifungal resistance (AFR) and to compare and contrast this with selection for antibacterial resistance, which has received more research attention. AFR is an emerging global threat to human health, associated with high mortality rates, absence of effective surveillance systems and with few alternative treatment options available. Clinical AFR is well documented, with additional settings increasingly being recognised to play a role in the evolution and spread of AFR. The environment, for example, harbours diverse fungal communities that are regularly exposed to antifungal micropollutants, potentially increasing AFR selection risk. The direct application of effect concentrations of azole fungicides to agricultural crops and the incomplete removal of pharmaceutical antifungals in wastewater treatment systems are of particular concern. Currently, environmental risk assessment (ERA) guidelines do not require assessment of antifungal agents in terms of their ability to drive AFR development, and there are no established experimental tools to determine antifungal selective concentrations. Without data to interpret the selective risk of antifungals, our ability to effectively inform safe environmental thresholds is severely limited. In this review, potential methods to generate antifungal selective concentration data are proposed, informed by approaches used to determine antibacterial minimal selective concentrations. Such data can be considered in the development of regulatory guidelines that aim to reduce selection for AFR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M. Stevenson
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Cornwall, United Kingdom
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter Medical School, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - William H. Gaze
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Cornwall, United Kingdom
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter Medical School, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Neil A. R. Gow
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Alwyn Hart
- Chief Scientist’s Group, Environment Agency, Horizon House, Bristol, England, United Kingdom
| | - Wiebke Schmidt
- Chief Scientist’s Group, Environment Agency, Horizon House, Bristol, England, United Kingdom
| | - Jane Usher
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Adilia Warris
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Wilkinson
- Chief Scientist’s Group, Environment Agency, Horizon House, Bristol, England, United Kingdom
| | - Aimee K. Murray
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Cornwall, United Kingdom
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter Medical School, Cornwall, United Kingdom
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15
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Paquette AR, Payne SR, McKay GA, Brazeau-Henrie JT, Darnowski MG, Kammili A, Bernal F, Mah TF, Gruenheid S, Nguyen D, Boddy CN. RpoN-Based stapled peptides with improved DNA binding suppress Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence. RSC Med Chem 2022; 13:445-455. [PMID: 35647551 PMCID: PMC9020619 DOI: 10.1039/d1md00371b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Stapled peptides have the ability to mimic α-helices involved in protein binding and have proved to be effective pharmacological agents for disrupting protein-protein interactions. DNA-binding proteins such as transcription factors bind their cognate DNA sequences via an α-helix interacting with the major groove of DNA. We previously developed a stapled peptide based on the bacterial alternative sigma factor RpoN capable of binding the RpoN DNA promoter sequence and inhibiting RpoN-mediated expression in Escherichia coli. We have elucidated a structure-activity relationship for DNA binding by this stapled peptide, improving DNA binding affinity constants in the high nM range. Lead peptides were shown to have low toxicity as determined by their low hemolytic activity at 100 μM and were shown to have anti-virulence activity in a Galleria mellonella model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. These findings support further preclinical development of stapled peptides as antivirulence agents targeting P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- André R. Paquette
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of OttawaOttawaONK1N 6N5 Canada
| | - Sterling R. Payne
- Laboratory of Protein Dynamics and Signaling, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthFrederickMD 21702USA
| | - Geoffrey A. McKay
- Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Research Institute of the McGill University Health CentreMontrealQuebec H4A 3J1Canada
| | | | - Micheal G. Darnowski
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of OttawaOttawaONK1N 6N5 Canada
| | - Anitha Kammili
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa Ottawa ON K1N 6N5 Canada
| | - Federico Bernal
- Laboratory of Protein Dynamics and Signaling, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthFrederickMD 21702USA
| | - Thien-Fah Mah
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of OttawaOttawaONK1H 8M5Canada
| | | | - Dao Nguyen
- Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Research Institute of the McGill University Health CentreMontrealQuebec H4A 3J1Canada,Department of Medicine, McGill UniversityMontrealQuebec H4A 3J1Canada
| | - Christopher N. Boddy
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of OttawaOttawaONK1N 6N5 Canada
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16
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Selective Metal Chelation by a Thiosemicarbazone Derivative Interferes with Mitochondrial Respiration and Ribosome Biogenesis in Candida albicans. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0195121. [PMID: 35412374 PMCID: PMC9241695 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01951-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Metal chelation is generally considered as a promising antifungal approach but its specific mechanisms are unclear. Here, we identify 13 thiosemicarbazone derivatives that exert broad-spectrum antifungal activity with potency comparable or superior to that of fluconazole in vitro by screening a small compound library comprising 89 thiosemicarbazone derivatives as iron chelators. Among the hits, 19ak exhibits minimal cytotoxicity and potent activity against either azole-sensitive or azole-resistant fungal pathogens. Mechanism investigations reveal that 19ak inhibits mitochondrial respiration mainly by retarding mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I activity through iron chelation, and further reduces mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP synthesis in Candida albicans. In addition, 19ak inhibits fungal ribosome biogenesis mainly by disrupting intracellular zinc homeostasis. 19ak also stimulates the activities of antioxidant enzymes and decreases reactive oxygen species formation in C. albicans, resulting in an increase in detrimental intracellular reductive stress. However, 19ak has minor effects on mammalian cells in depleting intracellular iron and zinc. Moreover, 19ak exhibits low capacity to induce drug resistance and in vivo efficacy in a Galleria mellonella infection model. These findings uncover retarded fungal mitochondrial respiration and ribosome biogenesis as downstream effects of disruption of iron and zinc homeostasis in C. albicans and provide a basis for the thiosemicarbazone 19ak in antifungal application. IMPORTANCE The increasing incidence of fungal infections and resistance to existing antifungals call for the development of broad-spectrum antifungals with novel mechanisms of action. In this study, we demonstrate that a thiosemicarbazone derivative 19ak selectively inhibits mitochondrial respiration mainly by retarding mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I activity through iron chelation and inhibits ribosome biogenesis mainly by disrupting intracellular zinc homeostasis in C. albicans. In addition, 19ak exhibits low capacity to induce fungal resistance, minimal cytotoxicity, and in vivo antifungal efficacy. This study provides the basis of thiosemicarbazone derivative 19ak as a metal chelator for the treatment of fungal infections.
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17
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Hamed A, Pullinger G, Stevens M, Farveen F, Freestone P. Characterisation of the E. coli and Salmonella qseC and qseE mutants reveals a metabolic rather than adrenergic receptor role. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2022; 369:6524176. [PMID: 35137015 PMCID: PMC8897314 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnac012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Catecholamine stress hormones (norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine) are signals that have been shown to be used as environmental cues, which affect the growth and virulence of normal microbiota as well as pathogenic bacteria. It has been reported that Escherichia coli and Salmonella use the two-component system proteins QseC and QseE to recognise catecholamines and so act as bacterial adrenergic receptors. In this study, we mutated the E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium genes encoding QseC and QseE and found that this did not block stress hormone responsiveness in either species. Motility, biofilm formation, and analysis of virulence of the mutants using two infection models were similar to the wild-type strains. The main differences in phenotypes of the qseC and qseE mutants were responses to changes in temperature and growth in different media particularly with respect to salt, carbon, and nitrogen salt sources. In this physiological respect, it was also found that the phenotypes of the qseC and qseE mutants differed between E. coli and Salmonella. These findings collectively suggest that QseC and QseE are not essential for E. coli and Salmonella to respond to stress hormones and that the proteins may be playing a role in regulating metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdalla Hamed
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zawia, Zawiya QP7X+536, Libya
| | - Gillian Pullinger
- Division of Microbiology, Institute for Animal Health, Compton, Newbury RG20 7NN, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Stevens
- The Roslin Institute & Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian EH25 9RG, United Kingdom
| | - Fathima Farveen
- Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Primrose Freestone
- Corresponding author: Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0)116 2525656; Fax: +44 (0)116 2525030; E-mail:
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18
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Kaskatepe B, Aslan Erdem S, Ozturk S, Safi Oz Z, Subasi E, Koyuncu M, Vlainić J, Kosalec I. Antifungal and Anti-Virulent Activity of Origanum majorana L. Essential Oil on Candida albicans and In Vivo Toxicity in the Galleria mellonella Larval Model. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27030663. [PMID: 35163928 PMCID: PMC8838586 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27030663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate and compare in detail both the antifungal activity in vitro (with planktonic and biofilm-forming cells) and the essential oil composition (EOs) of naturally growing (OMN) and cultivated (OMC) samples of Origanum majorana L. (marjoram). The essential oil composition was analyzed using GC-MS. The major constituent of both EOs was carvacrol: 75.3% and 84%, respectively. Both essential oils showed high antifungal activity against clinically relevant Candida spp. with IC50 and IC90 less than or equal to 0.5 µg mL−1 and inhibition of biofilm with a concentration of 3.5 µg mL−1 or less. Cultivated marjoram oil showed higher anti-biofilm activity against C. albicans. In addition, OMC showed greater inhibition of germ-tube formation (inhibition by 83% in Spider media), the major virulence factor of C. albicans at a concentration of 0.125 µg mL−1. Both EOs modulated cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), but OMN proved to be more active with a CSH% up to 58.41%. The efficacy of O. majorana EOs was also investigated using Galleria mellonella larvae as a model. It was observed that while the larvae of the control group infected with C. albicans (6.0 × 108 cells) and not receiving treatment died in the controls carried out after 24 h, all larvae in the infected treatment group survived at the end of the 96th hour. When the treatment group and the infected group were evaluated in terms of vital activities, it was found that the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The infection of larvae with C. albicans and the effects of O. majorana EOs on the hemocytes of the model organism and the blastospores of C. albicans were evaluated by light microscopy on slides stained with Giemsa. Cytological examination in the treatment group revealed that C. albicans blastospores were phagocytosed and morphological changes occurred in hemocytes. Our results indicated that the essential oil of both samples showed strong antifungal activities against planktonic and biofilm-forming C. albicans cells and also had an influence on putative virulence factors (germ-tube formation and its length and on CSH).
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Affiliation(s)
- Banu Kaskatepe
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ankara University, Ankara 06560, Turkey;
| | - Sinem Aslan Erdem
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ankara University, Ankara 06560, Turkey;
| | - Sukran Ozturk
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak 67100, Turkey;
| | - Zehra Safi Oz
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak 67100, Turkey;
| | - Eldan Subasi
- Microbiology Laboratory of Application and Research Hospital, Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak 67100, Turkey;
| | - Mehmet Koyuncu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cyprus International University, Lefkosa 99258, Turkey;
| | | | - Ivan Kosalec
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Institute for Microbiology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +385-1639-4492
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19
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Dijokaite A, Humbert MV, Borkowski E, La Ragione RM, Christodoulides M. Establishing an invertebrate Galleria mellonella greater wax moth larval model of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection. Virulence 2021; 12:1900-1920. [PMID: 34304706 PMCID: PMC8312596 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1950269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonococcus) causes the human sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea. Studying gonococcal pathogenesis and developing new vaccines and therapies to combat the increasing prevalence of multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria has made use of many ex vivo models based on human cells and tissues, and in vivo vertebrate models, for example, rodent, pig and human. The focus of the current study was to examine the utility of the invertebrate greater wax moth Galleria mellonella as an in vivo model of gonococcal infection. We observed that a threshold of ~106 - 107 gonococci/larva was required to kill >50% of larvae (P < 0.05), and increased toxicity correlated with reduced health index scores and pronounced histopathological changes such as increases in the total lesion grade, melanized nodules, hemocyte reaction, and multifocal adipose body degeneration. Larval death was independent of the expression of pilus or Opa protein or LOS sialylation within a single gonococcal species studied, but the model could demonstrate relative toxicity of different isolates. N. meningitidis, N. lacatamica and gonococci all killed larvae equally, but were significantly less toxic (P > 0.05) than Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Larvae primed with nontoxic doses of gonococci were more susceptible to subsequent challenge with homologous and heterologous bacteria, and larval survival was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in infected larvae after depletion of their hemocytes with clodronate-liposomes. The model was used to test the anti-gonococcal properties of antibiotics and novel antimicrobials. Ceftriaxone (P < 0.05) protected larvae from infection with different gonococcal isolates, but not azithromycin or monocaprin or ligand-coated silver nanoclusters (P > 0.05).
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiste Dijokaite
- Neisseria Research Group, Molecular Microbiology, Academic School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
| | - Maria Victoria Humbert
- Neisseria Research Group, Molecular Microbiology, Academic School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
| | - Emma Borkowski
- Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Roberto M La Ragione
- Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Myron Christodoulides
- Neisseria Research Group, Molecular Microbiology, Academic School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
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20
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Ochoa S, Fernández F, Devotto L, France Iglesias A, Collado L. Virulence assessment of enterohepatic Helicobacter species carried by dogs using the wax moth larvae Galleria mellonella as infection model. Helicobacter 2021; 26:e12808. [PMID: 33884706 DOI: 10.1111/hel.12808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Enterohepatic species of the genus Helicobacter (EHH) are emerging pathogens that have been associated with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary diseases in humans. However, studies on their pathogenicity are scarce. Galleria mellonella is a recently proposed model for the study of virulence in different pathogens, such as Campylobacter spp. and Helicobacter pylori. Despite this, its usefulness in EHH has not yet been evaluated. Therefore, we determined the pathogenic potential of different EHH species isolated from dogs in this infection model. MATERIALS AND METHODS Four species of EHH (H. bilis, H. canicola, H. canis, and 'H. winghamensis') isolated from fecal samples from domestic dogs were evaluated. Three strains of each species were inoculated in cohorts of G. mellonella at a concentration of 1 × 107 CFU/mL. Survival curves were determined by the Kaplan-Meier method. In addition, the quantification of melanin, bacterial load in hemolymph, and histopathology were evaluated daily post-infection (pi). RESULTS G. mellonella larvae are susceptible to EHH infection, exhibiting intra- and inter-species variability. Melanin production became evident from 4 h pi and increased throughout the assay. All species were recovered from the hemolymph after 20 min pi; however, only H. canis could be recovered up to 48 h pi. Histopathology revealed cellular and humoral immune response, evidencing accumulation of hemocytes, nodulation, and melanin deposition in different tissues. CONCLUSION EHH species carried by dogs have considerable pathogenic potential, being H. canicola the species with the highest degree of virulence. Thus, G. mellonella is a useful model to assess virulence in these emerging pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofía Ochoa
- Institute of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,ANID-Millennium Science Initiative Program-Millennium Nucleus in the Biology of the Intestinal Microbiota, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fabiola Fernández
- Institute of Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Luis Devotto
- Institute of Agricultural Research, Ministry of Agriculture, Chillán, Chile
| | | | - Luis Collado
- Institute of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,ANID-Millennium Science Initiative Program-Millennium Nucleus in the Biology of the Intestinal Microbiota, Santiago, Chile
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21
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Lyons N, Softley I, Balfour A, Williamson C, O'Brien HE, Shetty AC, Bruno VM, Diezmann S. Tobacco Hornworm ( Manduca sexta) caterpillars as a novel host model for the study of fungal virulence and drug efficacy. Virulence 2021; 11:1075-1089. [PMID: 32842847 PMCID: PMC7549948 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2020.1806665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The two leading yeast pathogens of humans, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans, cause systemic infections in >1.4 million patients worldwide with mortality rates approaching 75%. It is thus imperative to study fungal virulence mechanisms, efficacy of antifungal drugs, and host response pathways. While this is commonly done in mammalian models, which are afflicted by ethical and practical concerns, invertebrate models, such as wax moth larvae and nematodes have been introduced over the last two decades. To complement existing invertebrate host models, we developed fifth instar caterpillars of the Tobacco Hornworm moth Manduca sexta as a novel host model. These caterpillars can be maintained at 37°C, are suitable for injections with defined amounts of yeast cells, and are susceptible to the most threatening yeast pathogens, including C. albicans, C. neoformans, C. auris, and C. glabrata. Importantly, fungal burden can be assessed daily throughout the course of infection in a single caterpillar’s feces and hemolymph. Infected caterpillars can be rescued by treatment with antifungal drugs. Notably, these animals are large enough for weight to provide a reliable and reproducible measure of fungal disease and to facilitate host tissue-specific expression analyses. M. sexta caterpillars combine a suite of parameters that make them suitable for the study of fungal virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Lyons
- School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv, Israel.,Department of Biology & Biochemistry, University of Bath , Bath, UK
| | - Isabel Softley
- Department of Biology & Biochemistry, University of Bath , Bath, UK
| | - Andrew Balfour
- Department of Biology & Biochemistry, University of Bath , Bath, UK
| | | | - Heath E O'Brien
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics & Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine & Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University , Cardiff, UK
| | - Amol C Shetty
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine , Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Vincent M Bruno
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine , Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephanie Diezmann
- Department of Biology & Biochemistry, University of Bath , Bath, UK.,School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol , Bristol, UK
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22
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Virulence related traits in yeast species associated with food; Debaryomyces hansenii, Kluyveromyces marxianus, and Wickerhamomyces anomalus. Food Control 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2021.107901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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23
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Andrejko M, Mak P, Siemińska-Kuczer A, Iwański B, Wojda I, Suder P, Kuleta P, Regucka K, Cytryńska M. A comparison of the production of antimicrobial peptides and proteins by Galleria mellonella larvae in response to infection with two Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains differing in the profile of secreted proteases. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 131:104239. [PMID: 33845095 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The work presents identification of antimicrobial peptides and proteins (AMPs) in the hemolymph of Galleria mellonella larvae infected with two Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains (ATCC 27,853 and PA18), differing in the profile of secreted proteases. The insects were immunized with bacteria cultivated in rich (LB) and minimal (M9) media, which resulted in appearance of a similar broad set of AMPs in the hemolymph. Among them, 13 peptides and proteins were identified, i.e. proline-rich peptides 1 and 2, lebocin-like anionic peptide 1 and anionic peptide 2, defensin/galiomicin, cecropin, cecropin D-like peptide, apolipophoricin, gallerimycin, moricin-like peptide B, lysozyme, apolipophorin III, and superoxide dismutase. Bacterial strain- and/or medium-dependent changes in the level of proline-rich peptide 1, anionic peptide 1 and 2, moricin-like peptide B, cecropin D-like and gallerimycin were observed. The analysis of the expression of genes encoding cecropin, gallerimycin, and galiomicin indicated that they were differently affected by the bacterial strain but mainly by the medium used for bacterial culture. The highest expression was found for the LB medium. In addition to the antibacterial and antifungal activity, proteolytic activity was detected in the hemolymph of the P. aeruginosa-infected insects. Based on these results and those presented in our previous reports, it can be postulated that the appearance of AMPs in G. mellonella hemolymph can be triggered not only by P. aeruginosa pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) but also by bacterial extracellular proteases secreted during infection. However, although there were no qualitative differences in the set of AMPs depending on the P. aeruginosa strain and medium, differences in the level of particular AMPs synthesized in response to the bacteria used were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariola Andrejko
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland.
| | - Paweł Mak
- Department of Analytical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7 St., 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Anna Siemińska-Kuczer
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Bartłomiej Iwański
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Iwona Wojda
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Piotr Suder
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Materials Sciences and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30 Ave., 30-059 Krakow, Poland
| | - Paula Kuleta
- Department of Analytical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7 St., 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Karolina Regucka
- Department of Analytical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7 St., 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Cytryńska
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland
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24
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Mroczyńska M, Brillowska-Dąbrowska A. Virulence of Clinical Candida Isolates. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10040466. [PMID: 33921490 PMCID: PMC8070227 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10040466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The factors enabling Candida spp. infections are secretion of hydrolytic enzymes, adherence to surfaces, biofilm formation or morphological transition, and fitness attributes. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between known extracellular virulence factors and survival of Galleria mellonella larvae infected with clinical Candida. The 25 isolates were tested and the activity of proteinases among 24/24, phospholipases among 7/22, esterases among 14/23, hemolysins among 18/24, and biofilm formation ability among 18/25 isolates was confirmed. Pathogenicity investigation using G. mellonella larvae as host model demonstrated that C. albicans isolates and C. glabrata isolate were the most virulent and C. krusei isolates were avirulent. C. parapsilosis virulence was identified as varied, C. inconspicua were moderately virulent, and one C. palmioleophila isolate was of low virulence and the remaining isolates of this species were moderately virulent. According to our study, virulence of Candida isolates is related to the expression of proteases, hemolysins, and esterases.
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25
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Hesketh-Best PJ, Mouritzen MV, Shandley-Edwards K, Billington RA, Upton M. Galleria mellonella larvae exhibit a weight-dependent lethal median dose when infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Pathog Dis 2021; 79:6121426. [PMID: 33503238 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftab003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Galleria mellonella is a recognised model to study antimicrobial efficacy; however, standardisation across the scientific field and investigations of methodological components are needed. Here, we investigate the impact of weight on mortality following infection with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Larvae were separated into six weight groups (180-300 mg at 20 mg intervals) and infected with a range of doses of MRSA to determine the 50% lethal dose (LD50), and the 'lipid weight' of larvae post-infection was quantified. A model of LD50 values correlated with weight was developed. The LD50 values, as estimated by our model, were further tested in vivo to prove our model. We establish a weight-dependent LD50 in larvae against MRSA and demonstrate that G. mellonella is a stable model within 180-260 mg. We present multiple linear models correlating weight with: LD50, lipid weight, and larval length. We demonstrate that the lipid weight is reduced as a result of MRSA infection, identifying a potentially new measure in which to understand the immune response. Finally, we demonstrate that larval length can be a reasonable proxy for weight. Refining the methodologies in which to handle and design experiments involving G. mellonella, we can improve the reliability of this powerful model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poppy J Hesketh-Best
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Michelle V Mouritzen
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Plymouth, Derriford Research Facility, Plymouth Science Park, Plymouth, PL6 8BT, UK
| | - Kayleigh Shandley-Edwards
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Richard A Billington
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Mathew Upton
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Plymouth, Derriford Research Facility, Plymouth Science Park, Plymouth, PL6 8BT, UK
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26
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Rodríguez-Leguizamón G, Ceballos-Garzón A, Suárez CF, Patarroyo MA, Parra-Giraldo CM. Robust, Comprehensive Molecular, and Phenotypical Characterisation of Atypical Candida albicans Clinical Isolates From Bogotá, Colombia. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:571147. [PMID: 33344263 PMCID: PMC7738613 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.571147] [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] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is commensal in human microbiota and is known to be the commonest opportunistic pathogen, having variable clinical outcomes that can lead to up to 60% mortality. Such wide clinical behaviour can be attributed to its phenotypical plasticity and high genetic diversity. This study characterised 10 Colombian clinical isolates which had already been identified as C. albicans by molecular tests; however, previous bioinformatics analysis of protein mass spectra and phenotypical characteristics has shown that this group of isolates has atypical behaviour, sharing characteristics of both C. africana and C. albicans. This study was aimed at evaluating atypical isolates' pathogenic capability in the Galleria mellonella model; susceptibility profiles were determined and MLST was used for molecular characterisation. Cluster analysis, enabling unbiased bootstrap to classify the isolates and establish their cluster membership and e-BURST, was used for establishing clonal complexes (CC). Both approaches involved using representative MLST data from the 18 traditional C. albicans clades, as well as C. albicans-associated and minor species. Ten atypical isolates were distributed as follows: 6/10 (B71, B41, B60, R6, R41, and R282) were grouped into a statistically well-supported atypical cluster (AC) and constituted a differentiated CC 6; 2/10 of the isolates were clearly grouped in clade 1 and were concurrent in CC 4 (B80, B44). Another 2/10 atypical isolates were grouped in clade 10 and concurred in CC 7 (R425, R111); most atypical isolates were related to geographically distant isolates and some represented new ST. Isolates B41 and R41 in the AC had greater virulence. Isolate B44 was fluconazole-resistant and was grouped in clade 1. The atypical nature of the isolates studied here was demonstrated by the contrast between phenotypical traits (C. africana-like), molecular markers (C. albicans-like), virulence, and antifungal resistance, highlighting the widely described genetic plasticity for this genus. Our results showed that the atypical isolates forming well-differentiated groups belonged to C. albicans. Our findings could contribute towards developing molecular epidemiology approaches for managing hospital-acquired infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Rodríguez-Leguizamón
- Hospital Universitario Mayor Méderi-Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia.,School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Andrés Ceballos-Garzón
- Unidad de Proteómica y Micosis Humanas, Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carlos F Suárez
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia.,Biomathematics Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Manuel A Patarroyo
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia.,Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Claudia M Parra-Giraldo
- Unidad de Proteómica y Micosis Humanas, Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
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27
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Lv QZ, Ni TJH, Li LP, Li T, Zhang DZ, Jiang YY. A New Antifungal Agent (4-phenyl-1, 3-thiazol-2-yl) Hydrazine Induces Oxidative Damage in Candida albicans. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:578956. [PMID: 33117733 PMCID: PMC7575736 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.578956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A gradual rise in immunocompromised patients over past years has led to the increasing incidence of invasive fungal infections. Development of effective fungicides can not only provide new means for clinical treatment, but also reduce the occurrence of fungal resistance. We identified a new antifungal agent (4-phenyl-1, 3-thiazol-2-yl), hydrazine (numbered as 31C) which showed high-efficiency, broad-spectrum and specific activities. The minimum inhibitory concentration of 31C against pathogenic fungi was between 0.0625-4 μg/ml in vitro, while 31C had no obvious cytotoxicity to human umbilical vein endothelial cells with the concentration of 4 μg/ml. In addition, 31C of 0.5 μg/ml could exhibit significant fungicidal activity and inhibit the biofilm formation of C. albicans. In vivo fungal infection model showed that 31C of 10 mg/kg significantly increased the survival rate of Galleria mellonella. Further study revealed that 31C-treatment increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) in C. albicans and elevated the expression of some genes related to anti-oxidative stress response, including CAP1, CTA1, TRR1, and SODs. Consistently, 31C-induced high levels of intracellular ROS resulted in considerable DNA damage, which played a critical role in antifungal-induced cellular death. The addition of ROS scavengers, such as glutathione (GSH), N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) or oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC), dramatically reduced the antifungal activities of 31C and rescued the 31C-induced filamentation defect. Collectively, these results showed that 31C exhibited strong antifungal activity and induced obvious oxidative damage, which indicated that compounds with a structure similar to 31C may provide new sight for antifungal drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan-Zhen Lv
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ting-Jun-Hong Ni
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Li-Ping Li
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Tian Li
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Da-Zhi Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuan-Ying Jiang
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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28
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Torres M, de Cock H, Celis Ramírez AM. In Vitro or In Vivo Models, the Next Frontier for Unraveling Interactions between Malassezia spp. and Hosts. How Much Do We Know? J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:jof6030155. [PMID: 32872112 PMCID: PMC7558575 DOI: 10.3390/jof6030155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Malassezia is a lipid-dependent genus of yeasts known for being an important part of the skin mycobiota. These yeasts have been associated with the development of skin disorders and cataloged as a causal agent of systemic infections under specific conditions, making them opportunistic pathogens. Little is known about the host-microbe interactions of Malassezia spp., and unraveling this implies the implementation of infection models. In this mini review, we present different models that have been implemented in fungal infections studies with greater attention to Malassezia spp. infections. These models range from in vitro (cell cultures and ex vivo tissue), to in vivo (murine models, rabbits, guinea pigs, insects, nematodes, and amoebas). We additionally highlight the alternative models that reduce the use of mammals as model organisms, which have been gaining importance in the study of fungal host-microbe interactions. This is due to the fact that these systems have been shown to have reliable results, which correlate with those obtained from mammalian models. Examples of alternative models are Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, Tenebrio molitor, and Galleria mellonella. These are invertebrates that have been implemented in the study of Malassezia spp. infections in order to identify differences in virulence between Malassezia species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maritza Torres
- Grupo de Investigación Celular y Molecular de Microorganismos Patógenos (CeMoP), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1 N° 18A—12, Bogotá, Bogotá D.C. 11711, Colombia;
| | - Hans de Cock
- Microbiology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - Adriana Marcela Celis Ramírez
- Grupo de Investigación Celular y Molecular de Microorganismos Patógenos (CeMoP), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1 N° 18A—12, Bogotá, Bogotá D.C. 11711, Colombia;
- Correspondence:
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Fredericks LR, Lee MD, Roslund CR, Crabtree AM, Allen PB, Rowley PA. The design and implementation of restraint devices for the injection of pathogenic microorganisms into Galleria mellonella. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230767. [PMID: 32730254 PMCID: PMC7392296 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The injection of laboratory animals with pathogenic microorganisms poses a significant safety risk because of the potential for injury by accidental needlestick. This is especially true for researchers using invertebrate models of disease due to the required precision and accuracy of the injection. The restraint of the greater wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella) is often achieved by grasping a larva firmly between finger and thumb. Needle resistant gloves or forceps can be used to reduce the risk of a needlestick but can result in animal injury, a loss of throughput, and inconsistencies in experimental data. Restraint devices are commonly used for the manipulation of small mammals, and in this manuscript, we describe the construction of two devices that can be used to entrap and restrain G. mellonella larvae prior to injection with pathogenic microbes. These devices reduce the manual handling of larvae and provide an engineering control to protect against accidental needlestick injury while maintaining a high rate of injection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lance R. Fredericks
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States of America
| | - Mark D. Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States of America
| | - Cooper R. Roslund
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States of America
| | - Angela M. Crabtree
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States of America
| | - Peter B. Allen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States of America
| | - Paul A. Rowley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Rasheed M, Battu A, Kaur R. Host-pathogen interaction in Candida glabrata infection: current knowledge and implications for antifungal therapy. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2020; 18:1093-1103. [PMID: 32668993 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2020.1792773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida glabrata poses a clinical challenge in the successful treatment of invasive Candida infections, owing to its low inherent susceptibility toward azole antifungals and the recent acquisition of coresistance toward azole and echinocandin drugs. Compared to other prevalent Candida bloodstream pathogens, C. glabrata neither exhibits secreted proteolytic activity nor invokes a strong immune response in a variety of host cells and is less virulent. It also does not form true hyphae, and the success of C. glabrata, therefore, as a prevalent human fungal pathogen, appears to be built upon a distinct set of virulence attributes. AREAS COVERED The focus of this review is to outline, in brief, the interaction of C. glabrata with the host, deduced from the knowledge gained from different in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo model systems. In addition, we briefly discuss the current antifungals, antifungal resistance mechanisms, and the development of new antifungal therapies, along with the available information on the host response. EXPERT OPINION A detailed understanding of stresses, selection pressures and differential immune responses in the presence and absence of antifungals that C. glabrata encounters in varied niches of the host, is required to design effective antifungal therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mubashshir Rasheed
- Laboratory of Fungal Pathogenesis, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics , Hyderabad, India
| | - Anamika Battu
- Laboratory of Fungal Pathogenesis, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics , Hyderabad, India.,Graduate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education , Manipal, India
| | - Rupinder Kaur
- Laboratory of Fungal Pathogenesis, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics , Hyderabad, India
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Antoran A, Aparicio-Fernandez L, Pellon A, Buldain I, Martin-Souto L, Rementeria A, Ghannoum MA, Fuchs BB, Mylonakis E, Hernando FL, Ramirez-Garcia A. The monoclonal antibody Ca37, developed against Candida albicans alcohol dehydrogenase, inhibits the yeast in vitro and in vivo. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9206. [PMID: 32514067 PMCID: PMC7280234 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65859-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is a commensal yeast able to cause life threatening invasive infections particularly in immunocompromised patients. Despite the availability of antifungal treatments, mortality rates are still unacceptably high and drug resistance is increasing. We, therefore, generated the Ca37 monoclonal antibody against the C. albicans alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh) 1. Our data showed that Ca37 was able to detect C. albicans cells, and it bound to Adh1 in yeast and Adh2 in hyphae among the cell wall-associated proteins. Moreover, Ca37 was able to inhibit candidal growth following 18 h incubation time and reduced the minimal inhibitory concentration of amphotericin B or fluconazole when used in combination with those antifungals. In addition, the antibody prolonged the survival of C. albicans infected-Galleria mellonella larvae, when C. albicans was exposed to antibody prior to inoculating G. mellonella or by direct application as a therapeutic agent on infected larvae. In conclusion, the Ca37 monoclonal antibody proved to be effective against C. albicans, both in vitro and in vivo, and to act together with antifungal drugs, suggesting Adh proteins could be interesting therapeutic targets against this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aitziber Antoran
- Fungal and Bacterial Biomics Research Group. Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology. Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Leire Aparicio-Fernandez
- Fungal and Bacterial Biomics Research Group. Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology. Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Aize Pellon
- Fungal and Bacterial Biomics Research Group. Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology. Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
- Aize Pellon, Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Mucosal and Salivary Biology Division, King's College London Dental Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Idoia Buldain
- Fungal and Bacterial Biomics Research Group. Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology. Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Leire Martin-Souto
- Fungal and Bacterial Biomics Research Group. Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology. Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Aitor Rementeria
- Fungal and Bacterial Biomics Research Group. Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology. Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Mahmoud A Ghannoum
- Department of Dermatology and Center for Medical Mycology, Case Western Reserve University, and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Beth Burgwyn Fuchs
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Eleftherios Mylonakis
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Fernando L Hernando
- Fungal and Bacterial Biomics Research Group. Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology. Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain.
| | - Andoni Ramirez-Garcia
- Fungal and Bacterial Biomics Research Group. Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology. Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
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Malavia D, Gow NAR, Usher J. Advances in Molecular Tools and In Vivo Models for the Study of Human Fungal Pathogenesis. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E803. [PMID: 32466582 PMCID: PMC7356103 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8060803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic fungi represent an increasing infectious disease threat to humans, especially with an increasing challenge of antifungal drug resistance. Over the decades, numerous tools have been developed to expedite the study of pathogenicity, initiation of disease, drug resistance and host-pathogen interactions. In this review, we highlight advances that have been made in the use of molecular tools using CRISPR technologies, RNA interference and transposon targeted mutagenesis. We also discuss the use of animal models in modelling disease of human fungal pathogens, focusing on zebrafish, the silkworm, Galleria mellonella and the murine model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jane Usher
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK; (D.M.); (N.A.R.G.)
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33
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Sheehan G, Konings M, Lim W, Fahal A, Kavanagh K, van de Sande WWJ. Proteomic analysis of the processes leading to Madurella mycetomatis grain formation in Galleria mellonella larvae. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008190. [PMID: 32267851 PMCID: PMC7141616 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycetoma is a neglected chronic and granulomatous infection primarily associated with the fungal pathogen Madurella mycetomatis. Characteristic of this infection is the formation of grains. However, the processes leading to grain formation are not known. In this study, we employed a proteomic approach to characterise M. mycetomatis grain formation in Galleria mellonella larvae and map the processes leading to grain formation over time. For this, at 1 day, 3 days and 7 days post-inoculation, proteins from grains and hemolymph were extracted and analysed by label-free mass spectrometry. A total of 87, 51 and 48 M. mycetomatis proteins and 713, 997, 18 G. mellonella proteins were found in grains on day 1, 3 and 7 post-inoculation respectively. M. mycetomatis proteins were mainly involved in cellular metabolic processes and numerous enzymes were encountered. G. mellonella proteins were primarily involved in the nodulation process. The proteins identified were linked to nodulation and grain formation and four steps of grain formation were identified. The results of this proteomic approach could in the future be used to design novel strategies to interfere with mycetoma grain formation and to combat this difficult to treat infection. Although grain formation is the hallmark of mycetoma, so far the pathways leading to grain formation were not studied. Since our hypothesis is that both host and pathogen play a role in this process, we aimed to study this process in a model system. Grains can be formed in the invertebrate Galleria mellonella and different stages of grain formation can be noted within the larvae. We therefore infected G. mellonella with the mycetoma causative agent Madurella mycetomatis, and monitored grain formation over time. At day 1, day 3 and day 7 post-inoculation, grains and hemolymph were obtained from infected larvae. Proteins were isolated and identified by label-free mass spectrometry. By analyzing the proteins found in both host and pathogen on the different time points, we were able to develop a grain model over time. This grain model can in the future be used to identify novel treatments for this difficult to treat infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Sheehan
- Medical Mycology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Mickey Konings
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wilson Lim
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Kevin Kavanagh
- Medical Mycology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Wendy W. J. van de Sande
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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Gandra RM, McCarron P, Viganor L, Fernandes MF, Kavanagh K, McCann M, Branquinha MH, Santos ALS, Howe O, Devereux M. In vivo Activity of Copper(II), Manganese(II), and Silver(I) 1,10-Phenanthroline Chelates Against Candida haemulonii Using the Galleria mellonella Model. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:470. [PMID: 32265890 PMCID: PMC7105610 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida haemulonii is an emerging opportunistic pathogen resistant to most antifungal drugs currently used in clinical arena. Metal complexes containing 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) chelating ligands have well-established anti-Candida activity against different medically relevant species. This study utilized larvae of Galleria mellonella, a widely used model of in vivo infection, to examine C. haemulonii infection characteristics in response to different copper(II), manganese(II), and silver(I) chelates containing phen, which had demonstrated potent anti-C. haemulonii activity in a previous study. The results showed that C. haemulonii virulence was influenced by inoculum size and incubation temperature, and the host G. mellonella immune response was triggered in an inoculum-dependent manner reflected by the number of circulating immune cells (hemocytes) and observance of larval melanization process. All test chelates were non-toxic to the host in concentrations up to 10 μg/larva. The complexes also affected the G. mellonella immune system, affecting the hemocyte number and the expression of genes encoding antifungal and immune-related peptides (e.g., inducible metalloproteinase inhibitor protein, transferrin, galiomycin, and gallerimycin). Except for [Ag2(3,6,9-tdda)(phen)4].EtOH (3,6,9-tddaH2 = 3,6,9-trioxoundecanedioic acid), all chelates were capable of affecting the fungal burden of infected larvae and the virulence of C. haemulonii in a dose-dependent manner. This work shows that copper(II), manganese(II), and silver(I) chelates containing phen with anti-C. haemulonii activity are capable of (i) inhibiting fungal proliferation during in vivo infection, (ii) priming an immune response in the G. mellonella host and (iii) affecting C. haemulonii virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael M Gandra
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto de Química, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Centre for Biomimetic and Therapeutic Research, Focas Research Institute, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Pauraic McCarron
- Centre for Biomimetic and Therapeutic Research, Focas Research Institute, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Livia Viganor
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Centre for Biomimetic and Therapeutic Research, Focas Research Institute, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Mariana Farias Fernandes
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Kevin Kavanagh
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland
| | - Malachy McCann
- Department of Chemistry, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland
| | - Marta H Branquinha
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - André L S Santos
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto de Química, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Orla Howe
- Centre for Biomimetic and Therapeutic Research, Focas Research Institute, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,School of Biological & Health Sciences, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael Devereux
- Centre for Biomimetic and Therapeutic Research, Focas Research Institute, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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35
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Li X, Wu X, Gao Y, Hao L. Synergistic Effects and Mechanisms of Combined Treatment With Harmine Hydrochloride and Azoles for Resistant Candida albicans. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2295. [PMID: 31749766 PMCID: PMC6843067 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies have demonstrated the significant antiviral, antimicrobial, antiplasmodial, antioxidative, antifungal, antimutagenic, and antitumor properties of harmine hydrochloride (HMH). The main objective of the present study was to investigate the antifungal effects and underlying mechanisms of HMH when combined with azoles to determine whether such combinations act in a synergistic manner. As a result, we found that HMH exhibits synergistic antifungal effects in combination with azoles against resistant Candida albicans (C. albicans) planktonic cells, as well as resistant C. albicans biofilm in the early stage. Antifungal potential of HMH with fluconazole was also explored in vivo using an invertebrate model. Our results suggest that HMH combined with azoles is synergistic against resistant C. albicans in vitro and in vivo. No synergy is seen with azole sensitive C. albicans strains nor with other Candida species. Such synergistic mechanisms on resistance C. albicans are involved in increasing intracellular azoles, inhibiting hyphal growth, disturbing cytosolic calcium concentration, and inducing apoptosis of resistant C. albicans cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuyun Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Qilu Children's Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xuexin Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, Qilu Children's Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yan Gao
- Department of Pharmacy, Qilu Children's Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Lina Hao
- Department of Pharmacy, Qilu Children's Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
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36
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Rossoni RD, de Barros PP, Lopes LADC, Ribeiro FC, Nakatsuka T, Kasaba H, Junqueira JC. Effects of surface pre-reacted glass-ionomer (S-PRG) eluate on Candida spp.: antifungal activity, anti-biofilm properties, and protective effects on Galleria mellonella against C. albicans infection. BIOFOULING 2019; 35:997-1006. [PMID: 31710252 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2019.1686485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Surface pre-reacted glass-ionomer (S-PRG) is a bioactive filler produced by PRG technology, which is applied to various dental materials. The inhibitory effects of S-PRG eluate against Candida, the most common fungal oral pathogen, were investigated. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and anti-biofilm activities were tested against Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, and Candida tropicalis. For the in vivo study, Galleria mellonella was used as a model to evaluate the effects of S-PRG on toxicity, hemocyte counts and candidiasis. The MIC of S-PRG ranged from 5 to 40% (v/v). S-PRG eluate exhibited anti-biofilm activity for all the Candida species tested. Furthermore, injection of S-PRG eluate into G. mellonella was not toxic to the larvae and protected G. mellonella against experimental candidiasis. In addition, S-PRG eluate inhibited biofilm formation by C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. krusei, and C. tropicalis and exerted protective effects on G. mellonella against experimental candidiasis in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodnei Dennis Rossoni
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Pimentel de Barros
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil
| | - Lucas Alexandre das Chagas Lopes
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil
| | - Felipe Camargo Ribeiro
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil
| | | | | | - Juliana Campos Junqueira
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil
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Staniszewska M, Gizińska M, Kazek M, de Jesús González-Hernández R, Ochal Z, Mora-Montes HM. New antifungal 4-chloro-3-nitrophenyldifluoroiodomethyl sulfone reduces the Candida albicans pathogenicity in the Galleria mellonella model organism. Braz J Microbiol 2019; 51:5-14. [PMID: 31486049 PMCID: PMC7058776 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-019-00140-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans represents an interesting microorganism to study complex host-pathogen interactions and for the development of effective antifungals. Our goal was to assess the efficacy of 4-chloro-3-nitrophenyldifluoroiodomethyl sulfone (named Sulfone) against the C. albicans infections in the Galleria mellonella host model. We assessed invasiveness of CAI4 parental strain and mutants: kex2Δ/KEX2 and kex2Δ/kex2Δ in G. mellonella treated with Sulfone. We determined that KEX2 expression was altered following Sulfone treatment in G. mellonella-C. albicans infection model. Infection with kex2Δ/kex2Δ induced decreased inflammation and minimal fault in fitness of larvae vs CAI4. Fifty percent of larvae died within 4–5 days (P value < 0.0001) when infected with CAI4 and kex2Δ/KEX2 at 109 CFU/mL; survival reached 100% in those injected with kex2Δ/kex2Δ. Larvae treated with Sulfone at 0.01 mg/kg 30 min before infection with all C. albicans tested survived infection at 90–100% vs C. albicans infected-PBS-treated larvae. Hypersensitive to Sulfone, kex2Δ/kex2Δ reduced virulence in survival. KEX2 was down-regulated when larvae were treated with Sulfone: 30 min before and 2 h post-SC5314-wild-type infection respectively. kex2Δ/kex2Δ was able to infect larvae, but failed to kill host when treated with Sulfone. Sulfone can be used to prevent or treat candidiasis. G. mellonella facilitates studding of host-pathogen interactions, i.e., testing host vs panel of C. albicans mutants when antifungal is dosed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Staniszewska
- Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Noakowskiego 3, 00-664, Warsaw, Poland.
| | | | - Michalina Kazek
- Laboratory of Physiology, The Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Science, Twarda 51/55, 00-818, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Roberto de Jesús González-Hernández
- Departamento de Biologia, Division de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Campus Guanajuato, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, col. Noria Alta, C.P. 36050, Guanajuato, Gto., Mexico
| | - Zbigniew Ochal
- Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Noakowskiego 3, 00-664, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Héctor M Mora-Montes
- Departamento de Biologia, Division de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Campus Guanajuato, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, col. Noria Alta, C.P. 36050, Guanajuato, Gto., Mexico
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38
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Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC)-Phenomena in Candida albicans and Their Impact on the Diagnosis of Antifungal Resistance. J Fungi (Basel) 2019; 5:jof5030083. [PMID: 31487830 PMCID: PMC6787722 DOI: 10.3390/jof5030083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST) of clinical isolates is a tool in routine diagnostics to facilitate decision making on optimal antifungal therapy. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC)-phenomena (trailing and paradoxical effects (PXE)) observed in AFST complicate the unambiguous and reproducible determination of MICs and the impact of these phenomena on in vivo outcome are not fully understood. We aimed to link the MIC-phenomena with in vivo treatment response using the alternative infection model Galleria mellonella. We found that Candida albicans strains exhibiting PXE for caspofungin (CAS) had variable treatment outcomes in the Galleria model. In contrast, C. albicans strains showing trailing for voriconazole failed to respond in vivo. Caspofungin- and voriconazole-susceptible C. albicans strains responded to the respective antifungal therapy in vivo. In conclusion, MIC data and subsequent susceptibility interpretation of strains exhibiting PXE and/or trailing should be carried out with caution, as both effects are linked to drug adaptation and treatment response is uncertain to predict.
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39
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Suay-García B, Alemán-López PA, Bueso-Bordils JI, Falcó A, Antón-Fos G, Pérez-Gracia MT. New solvent options for in vivo assays in the Galleria mellonella larvae model. Virulence 2019; 10:776-782. [PMID: 31451073 PMCID: PMC6735471 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2019.1659663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Experimentation in mammals is a long and expensive process in which ethical aspects must be considered, which has led the scientific community to develop alternative models such as that of Galleria mellonella. This model is a cost and time effective option to act as a filter in the drug discovery process. The main limitation of this model is the lack of variety in the solvents used to administer compounds, which limits the compounds that can be studied using this model. Five aqueous (DMSO, MeOH, acetic acid, HCl and NaOH) and four non-aqueous (olive oil, isopropyl myristate, benzyl benzoate and ethyl oleate) solvents was assessed to be used as vehicles for toxicity and antimicrobial activity in vivo assays. All the tested solvents were innocuous at the tested concentrations except for NaOH, which can be used at a maximum concentration of 0.5 M. The toxicity of two additional compounds, 5-aminosalicylic acid and DDT, was also assessed. The results obtained allow for the testing of a broader range of compounds using wax moth larvae. This model appears as an alternative to mammal models, by acting as a filter in the drug development process and reducing costs and time invested in new drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Suay-García
- Departamento de Farmacia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU , Valencia , España
| | - Pedro A Alemán-López
- Departamento de Farmacia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU , Valencia , España
| | - José Ignacio Bueso-Bordils
- Departamento de Farmacia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU , Valencia , España
| | - Antonio Falcó
- ESI International Chair@CEU-UCH. Departamento de Matemáticas, Física y Ciencias Tecnológicas. Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU , Valencia , España
| | - Gerardo Antón-Fos
- Departamento de Farmacia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU , Valencia , España
| | - María Teresa Pérez-Gracia
- Departamento de Farmacia, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU , Valencia , España
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40
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de Jong AW, Hagen F. Attack, Defend and Persist: How the Fungal Pathogen Candida auris was Able to Emerge Globally in Healthcare Environments. Mycopathologia 2019; 184:353-365. [PMID: 31209693 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-019-00351-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Within a decade after its first description, the multidrug-resistant yeast Candida auris has emerged globally as a nosocomial pathogen causing difficult to control outbreaks. This, together with the alarmingly high mortality rate of up to 66% associated with C. auris candidemia, calls for a better understanding of its virulence traits and routes of transmission. Unlike other clinically relevant Candida species, C. auris seems to have the unique ability to be easily transmitted between patients. Although initially thought to express fewer virulence traits than Candida albicans, recent genomic insights suggest C. auris to possess these traits to a much more similar extent. This review highlights the virulence traits C. auris expresses to attack the host, defend itself against antimicrobial agents and to persist within the healthcare environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Auke W de Jong
- Department of Medical Mycology, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ferry Hagen
- Department of Medical Mycology, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Jining No. 1 People's Hospital, Jining, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
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41
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Castillo Pedraza MC, Rosalen PL, de Castilho ARF, Freires IDA, de Sales Leite L, Faustoferri RC, Quivey RG, Klein MI. Inactivation of Streptococcus mutans genes lytST and dltAD impairs its pathogenicity in vivo. J Oral Microbiol 2019; 11:1607505. [PMID: 31143407 PMCID: PMC6522913 DOI: 10.1080/20002297.2019.1607505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Streptococcus mutans orchestrates the development of a biofilm that causes dental caries in the presence of dietary sucrose, and, in the bloodstream, S. mutans can cause systemic infections. The development of a cariogenic biofilm is dependent on the formation of an extracellular matrix rich in exopolysaccharides, which contains extracellular DNA (eDNA) and lipoteichoic acids (LTAs). While the exopolysaccharides are virulence markers, the involvement of genes linked to eDNA and LTAs metabolism in the pathogenicity of S. mutans remains unclear. Objective and Design: In this study, a parental strain S. mutans UA159 and derivative strains carrying single gene deletions were used to investigate the role of eDNA (ΔlytS and ΔlytT), LTA (ΔdltA and ΔdltD), and insoluble exopolysaccharides (ΔgtfB) in virulence in a rodent model of dental caries (rats) and a systemic infection model (Galleria mellonella larvae). Results: Fewer carious lesions were observed on smooth and sulcal surfaces of enamel and dentin of the rats infected with ∆lytS, ∆dltD, and ΔgtfB (vs. the parental strain). Moreover, strains carrying gene deletions prevented the killing of larvae (vs. the parental strain). Conclusions: Altogether, these findings indicate that inactivation of lytST and dltAD impaired S. mutans cariogenicity and virulence in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Midian C Castillo Pedraza
- Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics, Sao Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Dentistry, Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Pedro L Rosalen
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Aline Rogéria Freire de Castilho
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Piracicaba, Brazil.,Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Irlan de Almeida Freires
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Luana de Sales Leite
- Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics, Sao Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Dentistry, Araraquara, Brazil
| | | | - Robert G Quivey
- Center for Oral Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Marlise I Klein
- Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics, Sao Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Dentistry, Araraquara, Brazil
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42
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Silva LN, Campos-Silva R, Ramos LS, Trentin DS, Macedo AJ, Branquinha MH, Santos ALS. Virulence of Candida haemulonii complex in Galleria mellonella and efficacy of classical antifungal drugs: a comparative study with other clinically relevant non-albicans Candida species. FEMS Yeast Res 2019; 18:5059575. [PMID: 30052907 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foy082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida haemulonii complex has emerged as notorious yeasts causing invasive infections with high rates of treatment failures. Since there is a particular interest in the development of non-mammalian host models to study microbial virulence, with the aim to evade the ethical impact of animal tests, herein we compared the virulence of C. haemulonii, C. duobushaemulonii and C. haemulonii var. vulnera with non-albicans Candida species (C. tropicalis, C. krusei and C. lusitaniae) on Galleria mellonella and the efficacy of antifungal drugs. All these fungi induced a dose-dependent effect on larvae killing, a decrease in hemocyte density and fungi were phagocytozed by hemocytes in equal proportions. Fungal inoculation caused early larvae melanization after some minutes of injection, followed by an augmented pigmentation after 24 h. Differences among species virulence can be explained, in part, by differences in growth rate and production of hydrolytic enzymes. First-line antifungals were tested with equivalent therapeutic doses and MIC profile in vitro was correlated with in vivo antifungal efficacy. Additionally, fungal burden increased in infected larvae along time and only caspofungin reduced the number of CFUs of C. haemulonii species complex. So, G. mellonella offers a simple and feasible model to study C. haemulonii complex virulence and drug efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Silva
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil.,Laboratório de Biofilmes e Diversidade Microbiana, Centro de Biotecnologia e Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Campos-Silva
- Laboratório de Biofilmes e Diversidade Microbiana, Centro de Biotecnologia e Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Lívia S Ramos
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Danielle S Trentin
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências, Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Alexandre J Macedo
- Laboratório de Biofilmes e Diversidade Microbiana, Centro de Biotecnologia e Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Marta H Branquinha
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - André L S Santos
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21431-909, Brazil
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43
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Rossoni RD, Ribeiro FDC, dos Santos HFS, dos Santos JD, Oliveira NDS, Dutra MTDS, de Lapena SAB, Junqueira JC. Galleria mellonella as an experimental model to study human oral pathogens. Arch Oral Biol 2019; 101:13-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2019.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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44
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Singkum P, Suwanmanee S, Pumeesat P, Luplertlop N. A powerful in vivo alternative model in scientific research: Galleria mellonella. Acta Microbiol Immunol Hung 2019; 66:31-55. [PMID: 30816806 DOI: 10.1556/030.66.2019.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Murine models are suggested as the gold standard for scientific research, but they have many limitations of ethical and logistical concern. Then, the alternative host models have been developed to use in many aspects especially in invertebrate animals. These models are selected for many areas of research including genetics, physiology, biochemistry, evolution, disease, neurobiology, and behavior. During the past decade, Galleria mellonella has been used for several medical and scientific researches focusing on human pathogens. This model commonly used their larvae stage due to their easy to use, non-essential special tools or special technique, inexpensive, short life span, and no specific ethical requirement. Moreover, their innate immune response close similarly to mammals, which correlate with murine immunity. In this review, not only the current knowledge of characteristics and immune response of G. mellonella, and the practical use of these larvae in medical mycology research have been presented, but also the better understanding of their limitations has been provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pantira Singkum
- 1 Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyMahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - San Suwanmanee
- 1 Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyMahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Potjaman Pumeesat
- 1 Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyMahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- 2 Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Medical TechnologyBansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Natthanej Luplertlop
- 1 Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyMahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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45
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Sheehan G, Kavanagh K. Proteomic Analysis of the Responses of Candida albicans during Infection of Galleria mellonella Larvae. J Fungi (Basel) 2019; 5:jof5010007. [PMID: 30641883 PMCID: PMC6463115 DOI: 10.3390/jof5010007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
This study assessed the development of disseminated candidiasis within Galleria mellonella larvae and characterized the proteomic responses of Candida albicans to larval hemolymph. Infection of larvae with an inoculum of 1 × 10⁶ yeast cells reduced larval viability 24 (53.33 ± 3.33%), 48 (33.33 ± 3.33%) and 72 (6.66 ± 3.33%) h post infection. C. albicans infection quickly disseminated from the site of inoculation and the presence of yeast and hyphal forms were found in nodules extracted from infected larvae at 6 and 24 h. A range of proteins secreted during infection of G. mellonella by C. albicans were detected in larval hemolymph and these were enriched for biological processes such as interaction with host and pathogenesis. The candicidal activity of hemolymph after immediate incubation of yeast cells resulted in a decrease in yeast cell viability (0.23 ± 0.03 × 10⁶ yeast cells/mL), p < 0.05) as compared to control (0.99 ± 0.01 × 10⁶ yeast cells/mL). C. albicans responded to incubation in hemolymph ex vivo by the induction of an oxidative stress response, a decrease in proteins associated with protein synthesis and an increase in glycolytic proteins. The results presented here indicate that C. albicans can overcome the fungicidal activity of hemolymph by altering protein synthesis and cellular respiration, and commence invasion and dissemination throughout the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Sheehan
- Medical Mycology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, W23F2H6 Co. Kildare, Ireland.
| | - Kevin Kavanagh
- Medical Mycology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, W23F2H6 Co. Kildare, Ireland.
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46
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Kamal F, Peters DL, McCutcheon JG, Dunphy GB, Dennis JJ. Use of Greater Wax Moth Larvae (Galleria mellonella) as an Alternative Animal Infection Model for Analysis of Bacterial Pathogenesis. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1898:163-171. [PMID: 30570731 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8940-9_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Alternative infection models of bacterial pathogenesis are useful because they reproduce some of the disease characteristics observed in higher animals. Insect models are especially useful for modeling bacterial infections, as they are inexpensive, generally less labor-intensive, and more ethically acceptable than experimentation on higher organisms. Similar to animals, insects have been shown to possess innate immune systems that respond to pathogenic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Kamal
- Faculty of Science, Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Danielle L Peters
- Faculty of Science, Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jaclyn G McCutcheon
- Faculty of Science, Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Gary B Dunphy
- Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jonathan J Dennis
- Faculty of Science, Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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47
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Immune Response of Galleria mellonella against Human Fungal Pathogens. J Fungi (Basel) 2018; 5:jof5010003. [PMID: 30587801 PMCID: PMC6463112 DOI: 10.3390/jof5010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
In many aspects, the immune response against pathogens in insects is similar to the innate immunity in mammals. This has caused a strong interest in the scientific community for the use of this model in research of host⁻pathogen interactions. In recent years, the use of Galleria mellonella larvae, an insect belonging to the Lepidoptera order, has emerged as an excellent model to study the virulence of human pathogens. It is a model that offers many advantages; for example, it is easy to handle and establish in every laboratory, the larvae have a low cost, and they tolerate a wide range of temperatures, including human temperature 37 °C. The immune response of G. mellonella is innate and is divided into a cellular component (hemocytes) and humoral component (antimicrobial peptides, lytic enzymes, and peptides and melanin) that work together against different intruders. It has been shown that the immune response of this insect has a great specificity and has the ability to distinguish between different classes of microorganisms. In this review, we delve into the different components of the innate immune response of Galleria mellonella, and how these components manifest in the infection of fungal pathogens including Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Histoplasma capsulatum.
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48
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Rossato L, Colombo AL. Candida auris: What Have We Learned About Its Mechanisms of Pathogenicity? Front Microbiol 2018; 9:3081. [PMID: 30631313 PMCID: PMC6315175 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida auris has emerged globally as a multidrug-resistant (MDR) medical care-associated fungal pathogen. Recent reports have demonstrated that C. auris usually expresses fewer virulence factors than does Candida albicans. However, the tendency of C. auris transmission within and between healthcare facilities is unique among Candida spp. and is possibly promoted by virulence and pathogenicity factors that facilitate skin colonization and environmental persistence. To understand the ability of this yeast to cause disease, we herein discuss several virulence and pathogenicity aspects of C. auris.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luana Rossato
- Special Mycology Laboratory, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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49
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Pereira TC, de Barros PP, Fugisaki LRDO, Rossoni RD, Ribeiro FDC, de Menezes RT, Junqueira JC, Scorzoni L. Recent Advances in the Use of Galleria mellonella Model to Study Immune Responses against Human Pathogens. J Fungi (Basel) 2018; 4:jof4040128. [PMID: 30486393 PMCID: PMC6308929 DOI: 10.3390/jof4040128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of invertebrates for in vivo studies in microbiology is well established in the scientific community. Larvae of Galleria mellonella are a widely used model for studying pathogenesis, the efficacy of new antimicrobial compounds, and immune responses. The immune system of G. mellonella larvae is structurally and functionally similar to the innate immune response of mammals, which makes this model suitable for such studies. In this review, cellular responses (hemocytes activity: phagocytosis, nodulation, and encapsulation) and humoral responses (reactions or soluble molecules released in the hemolymph as antimicrobial peptides, melanization, clotting, free radical production, and primary immunization) are discussed, highlighting the use of G. mellonella as a model of immune response to different human pathogenic microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thais Cristine Pereira
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Patrícia Pimentel de Barros
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Luciana Ruano de Oliveira Fugisaki
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Rodnei Dennis Rossoni
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Felipe de Camargo Ribeiro
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Raquel Teles de Menezes
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Juliana Campos Junqueira
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Liliana Scorzoni
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, São Paulo 12245-000, Brazil.
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50
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Singulani JL, Scorzoni L, de Oliveira HC, Marcos CM, Assato PA, Fusco-Almeida AM, Mendes-Giannini MJS. Applications of Invertebrate Animal Models to Dimorphic Fungal Infections. J Fungi (Basel) 2018; 4:jof4040118. [PMID: 30347646 PMCID: PMC6308930 DOI: 10.3390/jof4040118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Dimorphic fungi can be found in the yeast form during infection and as hyphae in the environment and are responsible for a large number of infections worldwide. Invertebrate animals have been shown to be convenient models in the study of fungal infections. These models have the advantages of being low cost, have no ethical issues, and an ease of experimentation, time-efficiency, and the possibility of using a large number of animals per experiment compared to mammalian models. Invertebrate animal models such as Galleria mellonella, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Acanthamoebacastellanii have been used to study dimorphic fungal infections in the context of virulence, innate immune response, and the efficacy and toxicity of antifungal agents. In this review, we first summarize the features of these models. In this aspect, the growth temperature, genome sequence, availability of different strains, and body characteristics should be considered in the model choice. Finally, we discuss the contribution and advances of these models, with respect to dimorphic fungi Paracoccidioides spp., Histoplasma capsulatum, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Sporothrix spp., and Talaromyces marneffei (Penicillium marneffei).
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Affiliation(s)
- Junya L Singulani
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo 14800-903, Brazil.
| | - Liliana Scorzoni
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo 14800-903, Brazil.
| | - Haroldo C de Oliveira
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo 14800-903, Brazil.
| | - Caroline M Marcos
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo 14800-903, Brazil.
| | - Patricia A Assato
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo 14800-903, Brazil.
| | - Ana Marisa Fusco-Almeida
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo 14800-903, Brazil.
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