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Del Río MV, Radicioni MB, Cutine AM, Mariño KV, Mora-Montes HM, Cagnoni AJ, Regente MC. The sunflower jacalin Helja: biological and structural insights of its antifungal activity against Candida albicans. Glycobiology 2024; 34:cwae058. [PMID: 39088584 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwae058] [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: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The limited availability of efficient treatments for Candida infections and the increased emergence of antifungal-resistant strains stimulates the search for new antifungal agents. We have previously isolated a sunflower mannose-binding lectin (Helja) with antifungal activity against Candida albicans, capable of binding mannose-bearing oligosaccharides exposed on the cell surface. This work aimed to investigate the biological and biophysical basis of Helja's binding to C. albicans cell wall mannans and its influence on the fungicidal activity of the lectin. We evaluated the interaction of Helja with the cell wall mannans extracted from the isogenic parental strain (WT) and a glycosylation-defective C. albicans with altered cell wall phosphomannosylation (mnn4∆ null mutants) and investigated its antifungal effect. Helja exhibited stronger antifungal activity on the mutant strain, showing greater inhibition of fungal growth, loss of cell viability, morphological alteration, and formation of clusters with agglutinated cells. This differential biological activity of Helja was correlated with the biophysical parameters determined by solid phase assays and isothermal titration calorimetry, which demonstrated that the lectin established stronger interactions with the cell wall mannans of the mnn4∆ null mutant than with the WT strain. In conclusion, our results provide new evidence on the nature of the Helja molecular interactions with cell wall components, i.e. phosphomannan, and its impact on the antifungal activity. This study highlights the relevance of plant lectins in the design of effective antifungal therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianela V Del Río
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Funes 3250, Mar del Plata 7600, Argentina
| | - Melisa B Radicioni
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Funes 3250, Mar del Plata 7600, Argentina
| | - Anabela M Cutine
- Laboratorio de Glicómica Funcional y Molecular, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Karina V Mariño
- Laboratorio de Glicómica Funcional y Molecular, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Héctor M Mora-Montes
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, col. Noria Alta, Guanajuato, Gto, C.P. 36050, México
| | - Alejandro J Cagnoni
- Laboratorio de Glicómica Funcional y Molecular, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, C1428ADN, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariana C Regente
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Funes 3250, Mar del Plata 7600, Argentina
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2
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López-Marmolejo AL, Hernández-Chávez MJ, Gutiérrez-Escobedo G, Selene Herrera-Basurto M, Mora-Montes HM, De Las Peñas A, Castaño I. Microevolution of Candida glabrata (Nakaseomyces glabrata) during an infection. Fungal Genet Biol 2024; 172:103891. [PMID: 38621582 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2024.103891] [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: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Candida glabrata (Nakaseomyces glabrata) is an emergent and opportunistic fungal pathogen that colonizes and persists in different niches within its human host. In this work, we studied five clinical isolates from one patient (P7), that have a clonal origin, and all of which come from blood cultures except one, P7-3, obtained from a urine culture. We found phenotypic variation such as sensitivity to high temperature, oxidative stress, susceptibility to two classes of antifungal agents, and cell wall porosity. Only isolate P7-3 is highly resistant to the echinocandin caspofungin while the other four isolates from P7 are sensitive. However, this same isolate P7-3, is the only one that displays susceptibility to fluconazole (FLC), while the rest of the isolates are resistant to this antifungal. We sequenced the PDR1 gene which encodes a transcription factor required to induce the expression of several genes involved in the resistance to FLC and found that all the isolates encode for the same Pdr1 amino acid sequence except for the last isolate P7-5, which contains a single amino acid change, G1099C in the putative Pdr1 transactivation domain. Consistent with the resistance to FLC, we found that the CDR1 gene, encoding the main drug efflux pump in C. glabrata, is highly overexpressed in the FLC-resistant isolates, but not in the FLC-sensitive P7-3. In addition, the resistance to FLC observed in these isolates is dependent on the PDR1 gene. Additionally, we found that all P7 isolates have a different proportion of cell wall carbohydrates compared to our standard strains CBS138 and BG14. In P7 isolates, mannan is the most abundant cell wall component, whereas β-glucan is the most abundant component in our standard strains. Consistently, all P7 isolates have a relatively low cell wall porosity compared to our standard strains. These data show phenotypic and genotypic variability between clonal isolates from different niches within a single host, suggesting microevolution of C. glabrata during an infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana L López-Marmolejo
- IPICYT, División de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, Camino a la Presa San José No. 2055, Col. Lomas 4a Sección, San Luis Potosí CP 78216, Mexico
| | - Marco J Hernández-Chávez
- IPICYT, División de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, Camino a la Presa San José No. 2055, Col. Lomas 4a Sección, San Luis Potosí CP 78216, Mexico
| | - Guadalupe Gutiérrez-Escobedo
- IPICYT, División de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, Camino a la Presa San José No. 2055, Col. Lomas 4a Sección, San Luis Potosí CP 78216, Mexico
| | - M Selene Herrera-Basurto
- IPICYT, División de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, Camino a la Presa San José No. 2055, Col. Lomas 4a Sección, San Luis Potosí CP 78216, Mexico
| | - Héctor M Mora-Montes
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n Col. Noria Alta, Guanajuato, Gto CP36050, Mexico
| | - Alejandro De Las Peñas
- IPICYT, División de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, Camino a la Presa San José No. 2055, Col. Lomas 4a Sección, San Luis Potosí CP 78216, Mexico
| | - Irene Castaño
- IPICYT, División de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, Camino a la Presa San José No. 2055, Col. Lomas 4a Sección, San Luis Potosí CP 78216, Mexico
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3
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Zaongo SD, Ouyang J, Isnard S, Zhou X, Harypursat V, Cui H, Routy JP, Chen Y. Candida albicans can foster gut dysbiosis and systemic inflammation during HIV infection. Gut Microbes 2023; 15:2167171. [PMID: 36722096 PMCID: PMC9897780 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2023.2167171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans (C. albicans) is a ubiquitous fungal commensal component of the human microbiota, and under certain circumstances, such as during an immunocompromised state, it may initiate different types of infection. Moreover, C. albicans continuously and reciprocally interacts with the host immune system as well as with other elements of the gut microbiota, thus contributing significantly to both gut homeostasis and host immunity. People living with HIV (PLWH), including those receiving antiretroviral therapy, are characterized by a depletion of CD4 + T-cells and dysbiosis in their gut. C. albicans colonization is frequent in PLWH, causing both a high prevalence and high morbidity. Gut barrier damage and elevated levels of microbial translocation are also fairly common in this population. Herein, we take a closer look at the reciprocity among C. albicans, gut microbiota, HIV, and the host immune system, thus throwing some light on this complex interplay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvere D Zaongo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China,Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Ouyang
- Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Stéphane Isnard
- Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program, Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada,Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada,Canadian HIV Trials Network, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Xin Zhou
- Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China,Cancer Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Vijay Harypursat
- Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- Cancer Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jean-Pierre Routy
- Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program, Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada,Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada,Division of Hematology, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Yaokai Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China,Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China,CONTACT Yaokai Chen Department of Infectious Diseases, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China
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4
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Hall RA, Wallace EW. Post-transcriptional control of fungal cell wall synthesis. Cell Surf 2022; 8:100074. [PMID: 35097244 PMCID: PMC8783092 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcsw.2022.100074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic fungi hide from their hosts by camouflage, obscuring immunogenic cell wall components such as beta-glucan with innocuous coverings such as mannoproteins and alpha-glucan that are less readily recognised by the host. Attempts to understand how such processes are regulated have met with varying success. Typically studies focus on understanding the transcriptional response of fungi to either their reservoir environment or the host. However, such approaches do not fully address this research question, due to the layers of post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation that occur within a cell. Although in animals the impact of post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation has been well characterised, our knowledge of these processes in the fungal kingdom is more limited. Mutations in RNA-binding proteins, like Ssd1 and Candida albicans Slr1, affect cell wall composition and fungal virulence indicating that post-transcriptional regulation plays a key role in these processes. Here, we review the current state of knowledge of fungal post-transcriptional regulation, and link this to potential mechanisms of immune evasion by drawing on studies from model yeast and plant pathogenic fungi. We highlight several RNA-binding proteins that regulate cell wall synthesis and could be involved in local translation of cell wall components. Expanding our knowledge on post-transcriptional regulation in human fungal pathogens is essential to fully comprehend fungal virulence strategies and for the design of novel antifungal therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A. Hall
- Kent Fungal Group, Division of Natural Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, United Kingdom
| | - Edward W.J. Wallace
- Institute for Cell Biology and SynthSys, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, United Kingdom
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5
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Zhang J, Yang F, Sun Z, Fang Y, Zhu H, Zhang D, Zeng X, Liu W, Liu T, Liu Y, Chi W, Wang S, Ding L, Wu Y, Zhang Y, Zhao H. Rapid and precise identification of bloodstream infections using a pre-treatment protocol combined with high-throughput multiplex genetic detection system. BMC Infect Dis 2022; 22:823. [DOI: 10.1186/s12879-022-07793-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Bloodstream infection (BSI) is a life-threatening condition with high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Early diagnosis of BSI is critical to avoid the unnecessary application of antimicrobial agents and for proper treatment. However, the current standard methods based on blood culture are time-consuming, thus failing to provide a timely etiological diagnosis of BSI, and common PCR-based detection might be inhibited by matrix components.
Methods
The current study explored an integrated pre-analytical treatment protocol for whole blood samples, wherein pathogens are enriched and purified by incubation and concentration, and inhibitors are inactivated and removed. Further, this study developed and evaluated a novel high-throughput multiplex genetic detection system (HMGS) to detect 24 of the most clinically prevalent BSI pathogens in blood culture samples and pre-treated whole blood samples. The specificity and sensitivity were evaluated using related reference strains and quantified bacterial/fungal suspensions. The clinical utility of BSI-HMGS combined with the pre-analytical treatment protocol was verified using blood cultures and whole blood samples.
Results
The combined pre-treatment protocol and BSI-HMGS was highly specific for target pathogens and possessed a low detection limit for clinical whole blood samples. The pre-treatment protocol could deplete the PCR inhibitors effectively. For blood culture samples, the current method showed 100.0% negative percent agreements and > 87.5% positive percent agreements compared to the reference results based on blood culture findings. For whole blood samples, the current method showed 100.0% negative percent agreements and > 80.0% positive percent agreements compared to the reference results for most pathogens. The turnaround time was ≤ 8 h, and all the procedures could be conducted in a general clinical laboratory.
Conclusion
The BSI-HMGS combined with the pre-treatment protocol was a practical and promising method for early and precise detection of BSIs, especially for areas without access to advanced medical facilities.
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Pokhrel S, Boonmee N, Tulyaprawat O, Pharkjaksu S, Thaipisutikul I, Chairatana P, Ngamskulrungroj P, Mitrpant C. Assessment of Biofilm Formation by Candida albicans Strains Isolated from Hemocultures and Their Role in Pathogenesis in the Zebrafish Model. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8101014. [PMID: 36294579 PMCID: PMC9605499 DOI: 10.3390/jof8101014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans, an opportunistic pathogen, has the ability to form biofilms in the host or within medical devices in the body. Biofilms have been associated with disseminated/invasive disease with increased severity of infection by disrupting the host immune response and prolonging antifungal treatment. In this study, the in vivo virulence of three strains with different biofilm formation strengths, that is, non-, weak-, and strong biofilm formers, was evaluated using the zebrafish model. The survival assay and fungal tissue burden were measured. Biofilm-related gene expressions were also investigated. The survival of zebrafish, inoculated with strong biofilms forming C. albicans,, was significantly shorter than strains without biofilms forming C. albicans. However, there were no statistical differences in the burden of viable colonogenic cell number between the groups of the three strains tested. We observed that the stronger the biofilm formation, the higher up-regulation of biofilm-associated genes. The biofilm-forming strain (140 and 57), injected into zebrafish larvae, possessed a higher level of expression of genes associated with adhesion, attachment, filamentation, and cell proliferation, including eap1, als3, hwp1, bcr1, and mkc1 at 8 h. The results suggested that, despite the difference in genetic background, biofilm formation is an important virulence factor for the pathogenesis of C. albicans. However, the association between biofilm formation strength and in vivo virulence is controversial and needs to be further studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabi Pokhrel
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Nawarat Boonmee
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Orawan Tulyaprawat
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Sujiraphong Pharkjaksu
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Iyarit Thaipisutikul
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Phoom Chairatana
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Popchai Ngamskulrungroj
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Chalermchai Mitrpant
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
- Correspondence:
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Transcriptomics and Phenotyping Define Genetic Signatures Associated with Echinocandin Resistance in Candida auris. mBio 2022; 13:e0079922. [PMID: 35968956 PMCID: PMC9426441 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00799-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida auris emerged as a human fungal pathogen only during the past decade. Remarkably, C. auris displays high degrees of genomic diversity and phenotypic plasticity, with four major clades causing hospital outbreaks with high mortality and morbidity rates. C. auris can show clinical resistance to all classes of antifungal drugs, including echinocandins that are usually recommended as first-line therapies for invasive candidiasis. Here, we exploit transcriptomics coupled with phenotypic profiling to characterize a set of clinical C. auris isolates displaying pronounced echinocandin resistance (ECN-R). A hot spot mutation in the echinocandin FKS1 target gene is present in all resistant isolates. Moreover, ECN-R strains share a core signature set of 362 genes differentially expressed in ECN-R isolates. Among others, mitochondrial gene expression and genes affecting cell wall function appear to be the most prominent, with the latter correlating well with enhanced adhesive traits, increased cell wall mannan content, and altered sensitivity to cell wall stress of ECN-R isolates. Moreover, ECN-R phenotypic signatures were also linked to pathogen recognition and interaction with immune cells. Hence, transcriptomics paired with phenotyping is a suitable tool to predict resistance and fitness traits as well as treatment outcomes in pathogen populations with complex phenotypic diversity. IMPORTANCE The surge in antimicrobial drug resistance in some bacterial and fungal pathogens constitutes a significant challenge to health care facilities. The emerging human fungal pathogen Candida auris has been particularly concerning, as isolates can display pan-antifungal resistance traits against all drugs, including echinocandins. However, the mechanisms underlying this phenotypic diversity remain poorly understood. We identify transcriptomic signatures in C. auris isolates resistant to otherwise fungicidal echinocandins. We identify a set of differentially expressed genes shared by resistant strains compared to unrelated susceptible isolates. Moreover, phenotyping demonstrates that resistant strains show distinct behaviors, with implications for host-pathogen interactions. Hence, this work provides a solid basis to identify the mechanistic links between antifungal multidrug resistance and fitness costs that affect the interaction of C. auris with host immune defenses.
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8
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β-Glucan-Functionalized Nanoparticles Down-Modulate the Proinflammatory Response of Mononuclear Phagocytes Challenged with Candida albicans. NANOMATERIALS 2022; 12:nano12142475. [PMID: 35889700 PMCID: PMC9317568 DOI: 10.3390/nano12142475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Systemic fungal infections are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and Candida albicans is the most common causative agent. Recognition of yeast cells by immune cell surface receptors can trigger phagocytosis of fungal pathogens and a pro-inflammatory response that may contribute to fungal elimination. Nevertheless, the elicited inflammatory response may be deleterious to the host by causing excessive tissue damage. We developed a nanoparticle-based approach to modulate the host deleterious inflammatory consequences of fungal infection by using β1,3-glucan-functionalized polystyrene (β-Glc-PS) nanoparticles. β-Glc-PS nanoparticles decreased the levels of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and IL-12p40 detected in in vitro culture supernatants of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells and macrophage challenged with C. albicans cells. Moreover, β-Glc-PS nanoparticles impaired the production of reactive oxygen species by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells incubated with C. albicans. This immunomodulatory effect was dependent on the nanoparticle size. Overall, β-Glc-PS nanoparticles reduced the proinflammatory response elicited by fungal cells in mononuclear phagocytes, setting the basis for a targeted therapy aimed at protecting the host by lowering the inflammatory cost of infection.
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9
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Godoy P, Darlington PJ, Whiteway M. Genetic Screening of Candida albicans Inactivation Mutants Identifies New Genes Involved in Macrophage-Fungal Cell Interactions. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:833655. [PMID: 35450285 PMCID: PMC9016338 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.833655] [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: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans, an important fungal pathogen of humans, displays different morphologies, such as yeast, pseudo-hyphae and hyphae, which are recognized unequally by phagocytic cells of the innate immune response. Once C. albicans cells invade host tissues, immune cells such as macrophages are attracted to the site of infection and activated to recognize, engulf and kill the pathogen. We have investigated this fungal cell-macrophage interface by using high-throughput screening of the C. albicans GRACE library to identify genes that can influence this interaction and modify the kinetics of engulfment. Compared with the wild-type (WT) strain, we identified generally faster rates of engulfment for those fungal strains with constitutive pseudo-hyphal and hyphal phenotypes, whereas yeast-form-locked strains showed a reduced and delayed recognition and internalization by macrophages. We identified a number of GRACE strains that showed normal morphological development but exhibited different recognition and engulfment kinetics by cultured macrophages and characterized two mutants that modified interactions with the murine and human-derived macrophages. One mutant inactivated an uncharacterized C. albicans open reading frame that is the ortholog of S. cerevisiae OPY1, the other inactivated CaKRE1. The modified interaction was monitored during a 4 h co-culture. Early in the interaction, both opy1 and kre1 mutant strains showed reduced recognition and engulfment rates by macrophages when compared with WT cells. At fungal germ tube initiation, the engulfment kinetics increased for both mutants and WT cells, however the WT cells still showed a higher internalization by macrophages up to 2 h of interaction. Subsequently, between 2 and 4 h of the interaction, when most macrophages contain engulfed fungal cells, the engulfment kinetics increased for the opy1 mutant and further decreased for the kre1 mutant compared with Ca-WT. It appears that fungal morphology influences macrophage association with C. albicans cells and that both OPY1 and KRE1 play roles in the interaction of the fungal cells with phagocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Godoy
- Centre of Structural and Functional Genomics, Biology Department, Concordia University - Loyola Campus, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Peter John Darlington
- Perform Centre, Department of Health, Kinesiology and Applied Physiology, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Malcolm Whiteway
- Centre of Structural and Functional Genomics, Biology Department, Concordia University - Loyola Campus, Montreal, QC, Canada
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10
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Kumwenda P, Cottier F, Hendry AC, Kneafsey D, Keevan B, Gallagher H, Tsai HJ, Hall RA. Estrogen promotes innate immune evasion of Candida albicans through inactivation of the alternative complement system. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110183. [PMID: 34986357 PMCID: PMC8755443 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is a commensal of the urogenital tract and the predominant cause of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). Factors that increase circulatory estrogen levels such as pregnancy, the use of oral contraceptives, and hormone replacement therapy predispose women to VVC, but the reasons for this are largely unknown. Here, we investigate how adaptation of C. albicans to estrogen impacts the fungal host-pathogen interaction. Estrogen promotes fungal virulence by enabling C. albicans to avoid the actions of the innate immune system. Estrogen-induced innate immune evasion is mediated via inhibition of opsonophagocytosis through enhanced acquisition of the human complement regulatory protein, Factor H, on the fungal cell surface. Estrogen-induced accumulation of Factor H is dependent on the fungal cell surface protein Gpd2. The discovery of this hormone-sensing pathway might pave the way in explaining gender biases associated with fungal infections and may provide an alternative approach to improving women's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pizga Kumwenda
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Fabien Cottier
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Alexandra C Hendry
- Kent Fungal Group, Division of Natural Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Davey Kneafsey
- Kent Fungal Group, Division of Natural Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Ben Keevan
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Hannah Gallagher
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Hung-Ji Tsai
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Rebecca A Hall
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; Kent Fungal Group, Division of Natural Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, UK.
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11
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Bojang E, Drummond RA, Hall RA. Molecular and Microscopic Methods of Quantifying Candida albicans Cell Wall PAMP Exposure. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2542:309-321. [PMID: 36008675 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2549-1_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The cell wall of Candida albicans is a multilayered structure consisting of polysaccharides and proteins. The inner cell wall layer is comprised of chitin and β1-3 and β1-6-glucan which contribute to the overall shape and structure of the cell, while the outer layer of highly glycosylated mannoproteins provides key functional traits such as cell adhesion required for virulence. However, the cell wall is not a static structure but is constantly being remodeled in response to the external environment. Given that all of the cell wall components act as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) that are recognized by a variety of receptors on the surface of innate immune cells, remodeling of the cell wall can have a dramatic impact on the host-pathogen interaction. For example, during growth in standard media, C. albicans shields its major cell wall PAMPs from the innate immune system, but during growth in acidic environments as encountered during colonization of the female reproductive tract, key PAMPs become exposed on the fungal cell surface initiating a strong pro-inflammatory innate immune response. The impact of environmental adaptation on fungal cell wall remodeling, and the subsequent impact this has on the host-pathogen interaction, has been the subject of much research. In this chapter, we outline techniques to assess cell wall components in both resting and environmentally adapted C. albicans cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebrima Bojang
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Rebecca A Drummond
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College and Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Rebecca A Hall
- Division of Natural Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
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12
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Ichikawa Y, Bruno VM, Woolford CA, Kim H, Do E, Brewer GC, Mitchell AP. Environmentally contingent control of Candida albicans cell wall integrity by transcriptional regulator Cup9. Genetics 2021; 218:iyab075. [PMID: 33989396 PMCID: PMC8864738 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The fungal pathogen Candida albicans is surrounded by a cell wall that is the target of caspofungin and other echinocandin antifungals. Candida albicans can grow in several morphological forms, notably budding yeast and hyphae. Yeast and hyphal forms differ in cell wall composition, leading us to hypothesize that there may be distinct genes required for yeast and hyphal responses to caspofungin. Mutants in 27 genes reported previously to be caspofungin hypersensitive under yeast growth conditions were all caspofungin hypersensitive under hyphal growth conditions as well. However, a screen of mutants defective in transcription factor genes revealed that Cup9 is required for normal caspofungin tolerance under hyphal and not yeast growth conditions. In a hyphal-defective efg1Δ/Δ background, Cup9 is still required for normal caspofungin tolerance. This result argues that Cup9 function is related to growth conditions rather than cell morphology. RNA-seq conducted under hyphal growth conditions indicated that 361 genes were up-regulated and 145 genes were down-regulated in response to caspofungin treatment. Both classes of caspofungin-responsive genes were enriched for cell wall-related proteins, as expected for a response to disruption of cell wall integrity and biosynthesis. The cup9Δ/Δ mutant, treated with caspofungin, had reduced RNA levels of 40 caspofungin up-regulated genes, and had increased RNA levels of 8 caspofungin down-regulated genes, an indication that Cup9 has a narrow rather than global role in the cell wall integrity response. Five Cup9-activated surface-protein genes have roles in cell wall integrity, based on mutant analysis published previously (PGA31 and IFF11) or shown here (ORF19.3499, ORF19.851, or PGA28), and therefore may explain the hypersensitivity of the cup9Δ/Δmutant to caspofungin. Our findings define Cup9 as a new determinant of caspofungin susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Ichikawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Division of Cancer Biology, The Cancer Institute of JFCR, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8550, Japan
| | - Vincent M Bruno
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Institute of Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Carol A Woolford
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Hannah Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Eunsoo Do
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Grace C Brewer
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Aaron P Mitchell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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13
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Mottola A, Ramírez-Zavala B, Hünniger K, Kurzai O, Morschhäuser J. The zinc cluster transcription factor Czf1 regulates cell wall architecture and integrity in Candida albicans. Mol Microbiol 2021; 116:483-497. [PMID: 33860578 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The fungal cell wall is essential for the maintenance of cellular integrity and mediates interactions of the cells with the environment. It is a highly flexible organelle whose composition and organization is modulated in response to changing growth conditions. In the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans, a network of signaling pathways regulates the structure of the cell wall, and mutants with defects in these pathways are hypersensitive to cell wall stress. By harnessing a library of genetically activated forms of all C. albicans zinc cluster transcription factors, we found that a hyperactive Czf1 rescued the hypersensitivity to cell wall stress of different protein kinase deletion mutants. The hyperactive Czf1 induced the expression of many genes with cell wall-related functions and caused visible changes in the cell wall structure. C. albicans czf1Δ mutants were hypersensitive to the antifungal drug caspofungin, which inhibits cell wall biosynthesis. The changes in cell wall architecture caused by hyperactivity or absence of Czf1 resulted in an increased recognition of C. albicans by human neutrophils. Our results show that Czf1, which is known as a regulator of filamentous growth and white-opaque switching, controls the expression of cell wall genes and modulates the architecture of the cell wall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin Mottola
- Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Kerstin Hünniger
- Research Group Fungal Septomics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany.,Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Kurzai
- Research Group Fungal Septomics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany.,Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,National Reference Center for Invasive Fungal Infections, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Joachim Morschhäuser
- Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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14
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Bojang E, Ghuman H, Kumwenda P, Hall RA. Immune Sensing of Candida albicans. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7020119. [PMID: 33562068 PMCID: PMC7914548 DOI: 10.3390/jof7020119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans infections range from superficial to systemic and are one of the leading causes of fungus-associated nosocomial infections. The innate immune responses during these various infection types differ, suggesting that the host environment plays a key role in modulating the host–pathogen interaction. In addition, C. albicans is able to remodel its cell wall in response to environmental conditions to evade host clearance mechanisms and establish infection in niches, such as the oral and vaginal mucosa. Phagocytes play a key role in clearing C. albicans, which is primarily mediated by Pathogen Associated Molecular Pattern (PAMP)–Pattern Recognition Receptor (PRR) interactions. PRRs such as Dectin-1, DC-SIGN, and TLR2 and TLR4 interact with PAMPs such as β-glucans, N-mannan and O-mannan, respectively, to trigger the activation of innate immune cells. Innate immune cells exhibit distinct yet overlapping repertoires of PAMPs, resulting in the preferential recognition of particular Candida morphotypes by them. The role of phagocytes in the context of individual infection types also differs, with neutrophils playing a prominent role in kidney infections, and dendritic cells playing a prominent role in skin infections. In this review, we provide an overview of the key receptors involved in the detection of C. albicans and discuss the differential innate immune responses to C. albicans seen in different infection types such as vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and oral candidiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebrima Bojang
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (E.B.); (H.G.); (P.K.)
| | - Harlene Ghuman
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (E.B.); (H.G.); (P.K.)
| | - Pizga Kumwenda
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (E.B.); (H.G.); (P.K.)
| | - Rebecca A. Hall
- Kent Fungal Group, Division of Natural Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, UK
- Correspondence:
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15
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Sun S, Gresham D. Cellular quiescence in budding yeast. Yeast 2021; 38:12-29. [PMID: 33350503 DOI: 10.1002/yea.3545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular quiescence, the temporary and reversible exit from proliferative growth, is the predominant state of all cells. However, our understanding of the biological processes and molecular mechanisms that underlie cell quiescence remains incomplete. As with the mitotic cell cycle, budding and fission yeast are preeminent model systems for studying cellular quiescence owing to their rich experimental toolboxes and the evolutionary conservation across eukaryotes of pathways and processes that control quiescence. Here, we review current knowledge of cell quiescence in budding yeast and how it pertains to cellular quiescence in other organisms, including multicellular animals. Quiescence entails large-scale remodeling of virtually every cellular process, organelle, gene expression, and metabolic state that is executed dynamically as cells undergo the initiation, maintenance, and exit from quiescence. We review these major transitions, our current understanding of their molecular bases, and highlight unresolved questions. We summarize the primary methods employed for quiescence studies in yeast and discuss their relative merits. Understanding cell quiescence has important consequences for human disease as quiescent single-celled microbes are notoriously difficult to kill and quiescent human cells play important roles in diseases such as cancer. We argue that research on cellular quiescence will be accelerated through the adoption of common criteria, and methods, for defining cell quiescence. An integrated approach to studying cell quiescence, and a focus on the behavior of individual cells, will yield new insights into the pathways and processes that underlie cell quiescence leading to a more complete understanding of the life cycle of cells. TAKE AWAY: Quiescent cells are viable cells that have reversibly exited the cell cycle Quiescence is induced in response to a variety of nutrient starvation signals Quiescence is executed dynamically through three phases: initiation, maintenance, and exit Quiescence entails large-scale remodeling of gene expression, organelles, and metabolism Single-cell approaches are required to address heterogeneity among quiescent cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Sun
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA.,Department of Biology, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA
| | - David Gresham
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA.,Department of Biology, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA
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16
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Talapko J, Juzbašić M, Matijević T, Pustijanac E, Bekić S, Kotris I, Škrlec I. Candida albicans-The Virulence Factors and Clinical Manifestations of Infection. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:79. [PMID: 33499276 PMCID: PMC7912069 DOI: 10.3390/jof7020079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is a common commensal fungus that colonizes the oropharyngeal cavity, gastrointestinal and vaginal tract, and healthy individuals' skin. In 50% of the population, C. albicans is part of the normal flora of the microbiota. The various clinical manifestations of Candida species range from localized, superficial mucocutaneous disorders to invasive diseases that involve multiple organ systems and are life-threatening. From systemic and local to hereditary and environmental, diverse factors lead to disturbances in Candida's normal homeostasis, resulting in a transition from normal flora to pathogenic and opportunistic infections. The transition in the pathophysiology of the onset and progression of infection is also influenced by Candida's virulence traits that lead to the development of candidiasis. Oral candidiasis has a wide range of clinical manifestations, divided into primary and secondary candidiasis. The main supply of C. albicans in the body is located in the gastrointestinal tract, and the development of infections occurs due to dysbiosis of the residential microbiota, immune dysfunction, and damage to the muco-intestinal barrier. The presence of C. albicans in the blood is associated with candidemia-invasive Candida infections. The commensal relationship exists as long as there is a balance between the host immune system and the virulence factors of C. albicans. This paper presents the virulence traits of Candida albicans and clinical manifestations of specific candidiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasminka Talapko
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia; (J.T.); (M.J.)
| | - Martina Juzbašić
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia; (J.T.); (M.J.)
| | - Tatjana Matijević
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Clinical Hospital Center Osijek, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia;
| | - Emina Pustijanac
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, HR-52100 Pula, Croatia;
| | - Sanja Bekić
- Family Medicine Practice, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia;
- Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Ivan Kotris
- Department of Internal Medicine, General County Hospital Vukovar, HR-3200 Vukovar, Croatia;
| | - Ivana Škrlec
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia; (J.T.); (M.J.)
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17
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Liu W, Yuan L, Wang S. Recent Progress in the Discovery of Antifungal Agents Targeting the Cell Wall. J Med Chem 2020; 63:12429-12459. [PMID: 32692166 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Due to the limit of available treatments and the emergence of drug resistance in the clinic, invasive fungal infections are an intractable problem with high morbidity and mortality. The cell wall, as a fungi-specific structure, is an appealing target for the discovery and development of novel and low-toxic antifungal agents. In an attempt to accelerate the discovery of novel cell wall targeted drugs, this Perspective will provide a comprehensive review of the progress made to date on the development of fungal cell wall inhibitors. Specifically, this review will focus on the targets, discovery process, chemical structures, antifungal activities, and structure-activity relationships. Although two types of cell wall antifungal agents are clinically available or in clinical trials, it is still a long way for the other cell wall targeted inhibitors to be translated into clinical applications. Future efforts should be focused on the identification of inhibitors against novel conserved cell wall targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Faculty of Pharmacy, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xuefu Middle Road, Xi'an 710021, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Yuan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xuefu Middle Road, Xi'an 710021, People's Republic of China
| | - Shengzheng Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, 169 Changle West Road, Xi'an 710032, People's Republic of China
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18
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Differences in fungal immune recognition by monocytes and macrophages: N-mannan can be a shield or activator of immune recognition. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 6:100042. [PMID: 33364531 PMCID: PMC7750734 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcsw.2020.100042] [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: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Cytokine response to N-mannan mutants was dependent on the immune cell type used. N-mannan mutants stimulated less cytokines from monocytes but more from macrophages. N-mannan can therefore act as both an immune agonist or an immune shield.
We designed experiments to assess whether fungal cell wall mannans function as an immune shield or an immune agonist. Fungal cell wall β-(1,3)-glucan normally plays a major and dominant role in immune activation. The outer mannan layer has been variously described as an immune shield, because it has the potential to mask the underlying β-(1,3)-glucan, or an immune activator, as it also has the potential to engage with a wide range of mannose detecting PRRs. To resolve this conundrum we examined species-specific differences in host immune recognition in the och1Δ N-mannosylation-deficient mutant background in four species of yeast-like fungi. Irrespective of the fungal species, the cytokine response (TNFα and IL-6) induced by the och1Δ mutants in human monocytes was reduced compared to that of the wild type. In contrast, TNFα production induced by och1Δ was increased, relative to wild type, due to increased β-glucan exposure, when mouse or human macrophages were used. These observations suggest that N-mannan is not a major PAMP for macrophages and that in these cells mannan does shield the fungus from recognition of the inner cell wall β-glucan. However, N-mannan is a significant inducer of cytokine for monocytes. Therefore the metaphor of the fungal “mannan shield” can only be applied to some, but not all, myeloid cells used in immune profiling experiments of fungal species.
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19
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Inhibition of Respiration of Candida albicans by Small Molecules Increases Phagocytosis Efficacy by Macrophages. mSphere 2020; 5:5/2/e00016-20. [PMID: 32295866 PMCID: PMC7160677 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00016-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans adapts to various conditions in different body niches by regulating gene expression, protein synthesis, and metabolic pathways. These adaptive reactions not only allow survival but also influence the interaction with host cells, which is governed by the composition and structure of the fungal cell wall. Numerous studies had shown linkages between mitochondrial functionality, cell wall integrity and structure, and pathogenicity. Thus, we decided to inhibit single complexes of the respiratory chain of C. albicans and to analyze the resultant interaction with macrophages via their phagocytic activity. Remarkably, inhibition of the fungal bc1 complex by antimycin A increased phagocytosis, which correlated with an increased accessibility of β-glucans. To contribute to mechanistic insights, we performed metabolic studies, which highlighted significant changes in the abundance of constituents of the plasma membrane. Collectively, our results reinforce the strong linkage between fungal energy metabolism and other components of fungal physiology, which also determine the vulnerability to immune defense reactions.IMPORTANCE The yeast Candida albicans is one of the major fungal human pathogens, for which new therapeutic approaches are required. We aimed at enhancements of the phagocytosis efficacy of macrophages by targeting the cell wall structure of C. albicans, as the coverage of the β-glucan layer by mannans is one of the immune escape mechanisms of the fungus. We unambiguously show that inhibition of the fungal bc1 complex correlates with increased accessibilities of β-glucans and improved phagocytosis efficiency. Metabolic studies proved not only the known direct effects on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and fermentative pathways but also the clear downregulation of the ergosterol pathway and upregulation of unsaturated fatty acids. The changed composition of the plasma membrane could also influence the interaction with the overlying cell wall. Thus, our work highlights the far-reaching relevance of energy metabolism, indirectly also for host-pathogen interactions, without affecting viability.
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20
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Fakhruddin KS, Egusa H, Ngo HC, Panduwawala C, Pesee S, Venkatachalam T, Samaranayake LP. Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) used in childhood caries management has potent antifungal activity against oral Candida species. BMC Microbiol 2020; 20:95. [PMID: 32295517 PMCID: PMC7161255 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-020-01776-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The microbiome of Severe-Early Childhood Caries (S-ECC), is characterized by an ecosystem comprising bacterial and fungal species, with a predominance of Candida species. Hence, an anti-cariogen effective against both bacteria and fungi would be valuable in the management of S-ECC. Here we evaluate the antifungal effect of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) against 35-clinical yeast isolates (Ten-each of C. albicans, C. krusei, C. tropicalis and five C. glabrata strains) from dentinal caries-lesions from S-ECC. Results Disc-diffusion and time-kill assays as well as MIC50 and MIC90 evaluations against therapeutic concentrations confirmed the broad-spectrum anti-candidal potency of SDF. Ultrastructural images revealed morphologic aberrations of yeast-cell walls on exposure to SDF. All C. krusei and C. glabrata isolates were significantly more sensitive to SDF, relative to the standard antifungal fluconazole. Further, SDF appears to effectively abrogate filamentation of C. albicans even at very low concentrations. Conclusions Our data, for the first time, elucidate the antifungal potency of SDF, in addition to its known antibacterial activity, in the management of S-ECC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kausar Sadia Fakhruddin
- Department of Preventive and Restorative Dentistry, University City- Sharjah, University of Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates.,Division of Molecular and Regenerative Prosthodontics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, 4-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai-city, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Egusa
- Division of Molecular and Regenerative Prosthodontics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, 4-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai-city, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan.
| | - Hien Chi Ngo
- Department of Preventive and Restorative Dentistry, University City- Sharjah, University of Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Chamila Panduwawala
- Department of Preventive and Restorative Dentistry, University City- Sharjah, University of Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Siripen Pesee
- Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral Diagnostic Science, Faculty of Dentistry, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Thenmozhi Venkatachalam
- Sharjah Institute of Medical Research, University City- Sharjah, University of Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Lakshman Perera Samaranayake
- Department of Preventive and Restorative Dentistry, University City- Sharjah, University of Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates. .,The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, China.
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21
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Barbosa A, Araújo D, Ribeiro E, Henriques M, Silva S. Candida albicans Adaptation on Simulated Human Body Fluids under Different pH. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8040511. [PMID: 32260085 PMCID: PMC7232421 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8040511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans remains the most problematic of all Candida species, causing severe infections. Adaptation to different human body niches, such oral and urinary tracts, has been shown to be essential for survival and critical for virulence of C. albicans. Thus, the present work aimed to study the behaviour of C. albicans on simulated human body fluids (artificial saliva and urine) at different values of pH (pH 5.8 and 7) by determining its ability to develop two of the most important virulence factors: biofilms and filamentous forms. Under this study, it was demonstrated that C. albicans was able to grow as free cells and to develop biofilm communities composed of multiple cell types (yeast and elongated hyphal cells) on both simulated human body fluids and under different pH. It was interesting to note that the pH had little impact on C. albicans planktonic and biofilm growth, despite influencing the development of filamentous shapes in artificial saliva and urine. So, it was possible to infer that C. albicans presents a high plasticity and adaptability to different human body fluids, namely saliva and urine. These can be the justification for the high number of oral and urinary candidiasis in the whole world.
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22
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Suchodolski J, Derkacz D, Muraszko J, Panek JJ, Jezierska A, Łukaszewicz M, Krasowska A. Fluconazole and Lipopeptide Surfactin Interplay During Candida albicans Plasma Membrane and Cell Wall Remodeling Increases Fungal Immune System Exposure. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:pharmaceutics12040314. [PMID: 32244775 PMCID: PMC7238018 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12040314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recognizing the β-glucan component of the Candida albicans cell wall is a necessary step involved in host immune system recognition. Compounds that result in exposed β-glucan recognizable to the immune system could be valuable antifungal drugs. Antifungal development is especially important because fungi are becoming increasingly drug resistant. This study demonstrates that lipopeptide, surfactin, unmasks β-glucan when the C. albicans cells lack ergosterol. This observation also holds when ergosterol is depleted by fluconazole. Surfactin does not enhance the effects of local chitin accumulation in the presence of fluconazole. Expression of the CHS3 gene, encoding a gene product resulting in 80% of cellular chitin, is downregulated. C. albicans exposure to fluconazole changes the composition and structure of the fungal plasma membrane. At the same time, the fungal cell wall is altered and remodeled in a way that makes the fungi susceptible to surfactin. In silico studies show that surfactin can form a complex with β-glucan. Surfactin forms a less stable complex with chitin, which in combination with lowering chitin synthesis, could be a second anti-fungal mechanism of action of this lipopeptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Suchodolski
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland; (J.S.); (D.D.); (J.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Daria Derkacz
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland; (J.S.); (D.D.); (J.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Jakub Muraszko
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland; (J.S.); (D.D.); (J.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Jarosław J. Panek
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland; (J.J.P.); (A.J.)
| | - Aneta Jezierska
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland; (J.J.P.); (A.J.)
| | - Marcin Łukaszewicz
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland; (J.S.); (D.D.); (J.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Anna Krasowska
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland; (J.S.); (D.D.); (J.M.); (M.L.)
- Correspondence:
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23
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Remasking of Candida albicans β-Glucan in Response to Environmental pH Is Regulated by Quorum Sensing. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.02347-19. [PMID: 31615961 PMCID: PMC6794483 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02347-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is part of the microbiota of the skin and gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts of humans and has coevolved with us for millennia. During that period, C. albicans has developed strategies to modulate the host’s innate immune responses, by regulating the exposure of key epitopes on the fungal cell surface. Here, we report that exposing C. albicans to an acidic environment, similar to the one of the stomach or vagina, increases the detection of the yeast by macrophages. However, this effect is transitory, as C. albicans is able to remask these epitopes (glucan and chitin). We found that glucan remasking is controlled by the production of farnesol, a molecule secreted by C. albicans in response to high cell densities. However, chitin-remasking mechanisms remain to be identified. By understanding the relationship between environmental sensing and modulation of the host-pathogen interaction, new opportunities for the development of innovative antifungal strategies are possible. Candida albicans is a commensal yeast of the human gut which is tolerated by the immune system but has the potential to become an opportunistic pathogen. One way in which C. albicans achieves this duality is through concealing or exposing cell wall pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) in response to host-derived environment cues (pH, hypoxia, and lactate). This cell wall remodeling allows C. albicans to evade or hyperactivate the host’s innate immune responses, leading to disease. Previously, we showed that adaptation of C. albicans to acidic environments, conditions encountered during colonization of the female reproductive tract, induces significant cell wall remodeling resulting in the exposure of two key fungal PAMPs (β-glucan and chitin). Here, we report that this pH-dependent cell wall remodeling is time dependent, with the initial change in pH driving cell wall unmasking, which is then remasked at later time points. Remasking of β-glucan was mediated via the cell density-dependent fungal quorum sensing molecule farnesol, while chitin remasking was mediated via a small, heat-stable, nonproteinaceous secreted molecule(s). Transcript profiling identified a core set of 42 genes significantly regulated by pH over time and identified the transcription factor Efg1 as a regulator of chitin exposure through regulation of CHT2. This dynamic cell wall remodeling influenced innate immune recognition of C. albicans, suggesting that during infection, C. albicans can manipulate the host innate immune responses.
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Karkowska-Kuleta J, Satala D, Bochenska O, Rapala-Kozik M, Kozik A. Moonlighting proteins are variably exposed at the cell surfaces of Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis and Candida tropicalis under certain growth conditions. BMC Microbiol 2019; 19:149. [PMID: 31269895 PMCID: PMC6609379 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-019-1524-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adaptability to different environmental conditions is an essential characteristic of pathogenic microorganisms as it facilitates their invasion of host organisms. The most external component of pathogenic yeast-like fungi from the Candida genus is the multilayered cell wall. This structure is composed mainly of complex polysaccharides and proteins that can undergo dynamic changes to adapt to the environmental conditions of colonized niches. RESULTS We utilized cell surface shaving with trypsin and a shotgun proteomic approach to reveal the surface-exposed proteins of three important non-albicans Candida species-C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis. These proteinaceous components were identified after the growth of the fungal cells in various culture media, including artificial saliva, artificial urine and vagina-simulative medium under aerobic conditions and anaerobically in rich YPD medium. Several known proteins involved in cell wall maintenance and fungal pathogenesis were identified at the cell surface as were a number of atypical cell wall components-pyruvate decarboxylase (Pdc11), enolase (Eno1) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (Tdh3) which are so-called 'moonlighting' proteins. Notably, many of these proteins showed significant upregulation at the cell surface in growth media mimicking the conditions of infection compared to defined synthetic medium. CONCLUSIONS Moonlighting proteins are expressed under diverse conditions at the cell walls of the C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis fungal pathogens. This indicates a possible universal surface-associated role of these factors in the physiology of these fungi and in the pathology of the infections they cause.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Karkowska-Kuleta
- Department of Comparative Biochemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Dorota Satala
- Department of Analytical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387, Kraków, Poland
| | - Oliwia Bochenska
- Department of Analytical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387, Kraków, Poland
| | - Maria Rapala-Kozik
- Department of Comparative Biochemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387, Krakow, Poland
| | - Andrzej Kozik
- Department of Analytical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387, Kraków, Poland
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25
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Allonsius CN, Vandenheuvel D, Oerlemans EFM, Petrova MI, Donders GGG, Cos P, Delputte P, Lebeer S. Inhibition of Candida albicans morphogenesis by chitinase from Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2900. [PMID: 30814593 PMCID: PMC6393446 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39625-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Lactobacilli have been evaluated as probiotics against Candida infections in several clinical trials, but with variable results. Predicting and understanding the clinical efficacy of Lactobacillus strains is hampered by an overall lack of insights into their modes of action. In this study, we aimed to unravel molecular mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effects of lactobacilli on hyphal morphogenesis, which is a crucial step in C. albicans virulence. Based on a screening of different Lactobacillus strains, we found that the closely related taxa L. rhamnosus, L. casei and L. paracasei showed stronger activity against Candida hyphae formation compared to other Lactobacillus species tested. By exploring the activity of purified compounds and mutants of the model strain L. rhamnosus GG, the major peptidoglycan hydrolase Msp1, conserved in the three closely related taxa, was identified as a key effector molecule. We could show that this activity of Msp1 was due to its ability to break down chitin, the main polymer in the hyphal cell wall of C. albicans. This identification of a Lactobacillus-specific protein with chitinase activity having anti-hyphal activity will assist in better strain selection and improved application in future clinical trials for Lactobacillus-based Candida-management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Nina Allonsius
- University of Antwerp, Department of Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Environmental Ecology and Applied Microbiology, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Dieter Vandenheuvel
- University of Antwerp, Department of Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Environmental Ecology and Applied Microbiology, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Eline F M Oerlemans
- University of Antwerp, Department of Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Environmental Ecology and Applied Microbiology, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Mariya I Petrova
- University of Antwerp, Department of Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Environmental Ecology and Applied Microbiology, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Gilbert G G Donders
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium.,Femicare Clinical Research for Women, Tienen, Belgium
| | - Paul Cos
- University of Antwerp, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Peter Delputte
- University of Antwerp, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Sarah Lebeer
- University of Antwerp, Department of Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Environmental Ecology and Applied Microbiology, Antwerp, Belgium.
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26
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Childers DS, Avelar GM, Bain JM, Larcombe DE, Pradhan A, Budge S, Heaney H, Brown AJP. Impact of the Environment upon the Candida albicans Cell Wall and Resultant Effects upon Immune Surveillance. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2019; 425:297-330. [PMID: 31781866 DOI: 10.1007/82_2019_182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The fungal cell wall is an essential organelle that maintains cellular morphology and protects the fungus from environmental insults. For fungal pathogens such as Candida albicans, it provides a degree of protection against attack by host immune defences. However, the cell wall also presents key epitopes that trigger host immunity and attractive targets for antifungal drugs. Rather than being a rigid shield, it has become clear that the fungal cell wall is an elastic organelle that permits rapid changes in cell volume and the transit of large liposomal particles such as extracellular vesicles. The fungal cell wall is also flexible in that it adapts to local environmental inputs, thereby enhancing the fitness of the fungus in these microenvironments. Recent evidence indicates that this cell wall adaptation affects host-fungus interactions by altering the exposure of major cell wall epitopes that are recognised by innate immune cells. Therefore, we discuss the impact of environmental adaptation upon fungal cell wall structure, and how this affects immune recognition, focussing on C. albicans and drawing parallels with other fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delma S Childers
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Gabriela M Avelar
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Judith M Bain
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Daniel E Larcombe
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Arnab Pradhan
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Susan Budge
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Helen Heaney
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Alistair J P Brown
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK.
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK.
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27
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Brejová B, Lichancová H, Brázdovič F, Hegedűsová E, Forgáčová Jakúbková M, Hodorová V, Džugasová V, Baláž A, Zeiselová L, Cillingová A, Neboháčová M, Raclavský V, Tomáška Ľ, Lang BF, Vinař T, Nosek J. Genome sequence of the opportunistic human pathogen Magnusiomyces capitatus. Curr Genet 2018; 65:539-560. [PMID: 30456648 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-018-0904-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The yeast Magnusiomyces capitatus is an opportunistic human pathogen causing rare yet severe infections, especially in patients with hematological malignancies. Here, we report the 20.2 megabase genome sequence of an environmental strain of this species as well as the genome sequences of eight additional isolates from human and animal sources providing an insight into intraspecies variation. The distribution of single-nucleotide variants is indicative of genetic recombination events, supporting evidence for sexual reproduction in this heterothallic yeast. Using RNAseq-aided annotation, we identified genes for 6518 proteins including several expanded families such as kexin proteases and Hsp70 molecular chaperones. Several of these families are potentially associated with the ability of M. capitatus to infect and colonize humans. For the purpose of comparative analysis, we also determined the genome sequence of a closely related yeast, Magnusiomyces ingens. The genome sequences of M. capitatus and M. ingens exhibit many distinct features and represent a basis for further comparative and functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronislava Brejová
- Faculty of Mathematics, Physics, and Informatics, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Hana Lichancová
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Filip Brázdovič
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Eva Hegedűsová
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | | | - Viktória Hodorová
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Vladimíra Džugasová
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Andrej Baláž
- Faculty of Mathematics, Physics, and Informatics, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lucia Zeiselová
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Andrea Cillingová
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Martina Neboháčová
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Vladislav Raclavský
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Ľubomír Tomáška
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - B Franz Lang
- Robert Cedergren Centre for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Tomáš Vinař
- Faculty of Mathematics, Physics, and Informatics, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jozef Nosek
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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28
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High-Throughput Screening Identifies Genes Required for Candida albicans Induction of Macrophage Pyroptosis. mBio 2018; 9:mBio.01581-18. [PMID: 30131363 PMCID: PMC6106084 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01581-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The innate immune system is the first line of defense against invasive fungal infections. As a consequence, many successful fungal pathogens have evolved elegant strategies to interact with host immune cells. For example, Candida albicans undergoes a morphogenetic switch coupled to cell wall remodeling upon phagocytosis by macrophages and then induces macrophage pyroptosis, an inflammatory cell death program. To elucidate the genetic circuitry through which C. albicans orchestrates this host response, we performed the first large-scale analysis of C. albicans interactions with mammalian immune cells. We identified 98 C. albicans genes that enable macrophage pyroptosis without influencing fungal cell morphology in the macrophage, including specific determinants of cell wall biogenesis and the Hog1 signaling cascade. Using these mutated genes, we discovered that defects in the activation of pyroptosis affect immune cell recruitment during infection. Examining host circuitry required for pyroptosis in response to C. albicans infection, we discovered that inflammasome priming and activation can be decoupled. Finally, we observed that apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC) oligomerization can occur prior to phagolysosomal rupture by C. albicans hyphae, demonstrating that phagolysosomal rupture is not the inflammasome activating signal. Taking the data together, this work defines genes that enable fungal cell wall remodeling and activation of macrophage pyroptosis independently of effects on morphogenesis and identifies macrophage signaling components that are required for pyroptosis in response to C. albicans infection. Candida albicans is a natural member of the human mucosal microbiota that can also cause superficial infections and life-threatening systemic infections, both of which are characterized by inflammation. Host defense relies mainly on the ingestion and destruction of C. albicans by innate immune cells, such as macrophages and neutrophils. Although some C. albicans cells are killed by macrophages, most undergo a morphological change and escape by inducing macrophage pyroptosis. Here, we investigated the C. albicans genes and host factors that promote macrophage pyroptosis in response to intracellular fungi. This work provides a foundation for understanding how host immune cells interact with C. albicans and may lead to effective strategies to modulate inflammation induced by fungal infections.
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29
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van de Groep K, Bos MP, Savelkoul PHM, Rubenjan A, Gazenbeek C, Melchers WJG, van der Poll T, Juffermans NP, Ong DSY, Bonten MJM, Cremer OL. Development and first evaluation of a novel multiplex real-time PCR on whole blood samples for rapid pathogen identification in critically ill patients with sepsis. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2018; 37:1333-1344. [PMID: 29700761 PMCID: PMC6015113 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-018-3255-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Molecular tests may enable early adjustment of antimicrobial therapy and be complementary to blood culture (BC) which has imperfect sensitivity in critically ill patients. We evaluated a novel multiplex real-time PCR assay to diagnose bloodstream pathogens directly in whole blood samples (BSI-PCR). BSI-PCR included 11 species- and four genus-specific PCRs, a molecular Gram-stain PCR, and two antibiotic resistance markers. We collected 5 mL blood from critically ill patients simultaneously with clinically indicated BC. Microbial DNA was isolated using the Polaris method followed by automated DNA extraction. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated using BC as reference. BSI-PCR was evaluated in 347 BC-positive samples (representing up to 50 instances of each pathogen covered by the test) and 200 BC-negative samples. Bacterial species-specific PCR sensitivities ranged from 65 to 100%. Sensitivity was 26% for the Gram-positive PCR, 32% for the Gram-negative PCR, and ranged 0 to 7% for yeast PCRs. Yeast detection was improved to 40% in a smaller set-up. There was no overall association between BSI-PCR sensitivity and time-to-positivity of BC (which was highly variable), yet Ct-values were lower for true-positive versus false-positive PCR results. False-positive results were observed in 84 (4%) of the 2200 species-specific PCRs in 200 culture-negative samples, and ranged from 0 to 6% for generic PCRs. Sensitivity of BSI-PCR was promising for individual bacterial pathogens, but still insufficient for yeasts and generic PCRs. Further development of BSI-PCR will focus on improving sensitivity by increasing input volumes and on subsequent implementation as a bedside test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten van de Groep
- Department of Epidemiology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands. .,Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Room F06.149, P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | | | - Paul H M Savelkoul
- Microbiome, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Medical Microbiology & Infection Control, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Medical Microbiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Willem J G Melchers
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Tom van der Poll
- Center of Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Nicole P Juffermans
- Department of Intensive Care, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - David S Y Ong
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Room F06.149, P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marc J M Bonten
- Department of Epidemiology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.,Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Olaf L Cremer
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Room F06.149, P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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30
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Jiang L, Xu D, Hameed A, Fang T, Bakr Ahmad Fazili A, Asghar F. The plasma membrane protein Rch1 and the Golgi/ER calcium pump Pmr1 have an additive effect on filamentation in Candida albicans. Fungal Genet Biol 2018; 115:1-8. [PMID: 29621626 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2018.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2017] [Revised: 03/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Pmr1 is the Golgi/ER calcium pump, while Rch1 is a newly identified negative regulator of calcium influx in the plasma membrane of yeast cells. We show here that CaRch1 plays a dominant role over CaPmr1 in response of Candida albicans to SDS and tunicamycin stresses, while CaPmr1 has a major role in cell wall stress. Deletion of CaRCH1 increases the calcium/calcineurin signaling level in cells lacking CaPMR1. Calcineurin function is required for the role of CaRch1 in SDS stresses, while it is required for the function of CaPmr1 under all conditions examined. Disruption of CaRCH1 alone does not reduce the cell wall chitin, mannan or β-glucan content, but lack of CaRCH1 slightly decreases the chitin content of cells lacking CaPMR1. Furthermore, CaRch1 and CaPmr1 have an additive effect on filamentation of C. albicans cells in vitro. Cells lacking both CaRCH1 and CaPMR1 and cells lacking CaPMR1 alone show a similar degree of virulence attenuation, being much more attenuated than cells lacking CaRCH1 alone. Therefore, CaRch1 genetically interacts with CaPmr1 in the regulation of in vitro filamentation in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linghuo Jiang
- Laboratory for Yeast Molecular and Cell Biology, The Research Center of Fermentation Technology, School of Agricultural Engineering and Food Science, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, Shandong, China.
| | - Dayong Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei 235000, Anhui, China
| | - Ahsan Hameed
- Laboratory for Yeast Molecular and Cell Biology, The Research Center of Fermentation Technology, School of Agricultural Engineering and Food Science, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, Shandong, China
| | - Tianshu Fang
- Laboratory for Yeast Molecular and Cell Biology, The Research Center of Fermentation Technology, School of Agricultural Engineering and Food Science, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, Shandong, China
| | - Abu Bakr Ahmad Fazili
- Laboratory for Yeast Molecular and Cell Biology, The Research Center of Fermentation Technology, School of Agricultural Engineering and Food Science, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, Shandong, China
| | - Faiza Asghar
- Laboratory for Yeast Molecular and Cell Biology, The Research Center of Fermentation Technology, School of Agricultural Engineering and Food Science, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, Shandong, China
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31
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Granger BL. Accessibility and contribution to glucan masking of natural and genetically tagged versions of yeast wall protein 1 of Candida albicans. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191194. [PMID: 29329339 PMCID: PMC5766240 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 12/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Yeast wall protein 1 (Ywp1) is an abundant glycoprotein of the cell wall of the yeast form of Candida albicans, the most prevalent fungal pathogen of humans. Antibodies that bind to the polypeptide backbone of isolated Ywp1 show little binding to intact yeast cells, presumably because the Ywp1 epitopes are masked by the polysaccharides of the mannoproteins that form the outer layer of the cell wall. Rare cells do exhibit much greater anti-Ywp1 binding, however, and one of these was isolated and characterized. No differences were seen in its Ywp1, but it exhibited greater adhesiveness, sensitivity to wall perturbing agents, and exposure of its underlying β-1,3-glucan layer to external antibodies. The molecular basis for this greater epitope accessibility has not been determined, but has facilitated exploration of how these properties change as a function of cell growth and morphology. In addition, previously engineered strains with reduced quantities of Ywp1 in their cell walls were also found to have greater β-1,3-glucan exposure, indicating that Ywp1 itself contributes to the masking of wall epitopes, which may be important for understanding the anti-adhesive effect of Ywp1. Ectopic production of Ywp1 by hyphae, which reduces the adhesivity of these filamentous forms of C. albicans, was similarly found to reduce exposure of the β-1,3-glucan in their walls. To monitor Ywp1 in the cell wall irrespective of its accessibility, green fluorescent protein (Gfp) was genetically inserted into wall-anchored Ywp1 using a bifunctional cassette that also allowed production from a single transfection of a soluble, anchor-free version. The wall-anchored Ywp1-Gfp-Ywp1 accumulated in the wall of the yeast forms but not hyphae, and appeared to have properties similar to native Ywp1, including its adhesion-inhibiting effect. Some pseudohyphal walls also detectably accumulated this probe. Strains of C. albicans with tandem hemagglutinin (HA) epitopes inserted into wall-anchored Ywp1 were previously created by others, and were further explored here. As above, rare cells with much greater accessibility of the HA epitopes were isolated, and also found to exhibit greater exposure of Ywp1 and β-1,3-glucan. The placement of the HA cassette inhibited the normal N-glycosylation and propeptide cleavage of Ywp1, but the wall-anchored Ywp1-HA-Ywp1 still accumulated in the cell wall of yeast forms. Bifunctional transformation cassettes were used to additionally tag these molecules with Gfp, generating soluble Ywp1-HA-Gfp and wall-anchored Ywp1-HA-Gfp-Ywp1 molecules. The former revealed unexpected electrophoretic properties caused by the HA insertion, while the latter further highlighted differences between the presence of a tagged Ywp1 molecule (as revealed by Gfp fluorescence) and its accessibility in the cell wall to externally applied antibodies specific for HA, Gfp and Ywp1, with accessibility being greatest in the rapidly expanding walls of budding daughter cells. These strains and results increase our understanding of cell wall properties and how C. albicans masks itself from recognition by the human immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce L. Granger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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32
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Hall RA. Adapting to change: interactions of Candida albicans with its environment. Future Microbiol 2017; 12:931-934. [DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2017-0130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A Hall
- Institute for Microbiology & Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
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33
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Trujillo-Esquivel E, Martínez-Álvarez JA, Clavijo-Giraldo DM, Hernández NV, Flores-Martínez A, Ponce-Noyola P, Mora-Montes HM. The Sporothrix schenckii Gene Encoding for the Ribosomal Protein L6 Has Constitutive and Stable Expression and Works as an Endogenous Control in Gene Expression Analysis. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1676. [PMID: 28919888 PMCID: PMC5585144 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Sporothrix schenckii is one of the causative agents of sporotrichosis, a worldwide-distributed mycosis that affects humans and other mammals. The interest in basic and clinical features of this organism has significantly increased in the last years, yet little progress in molecular aspects has been reported. Gene expression analysis is a set of powerful tools that helps to assess the cell response to changes in the extracellular environment, the genetic networks controlling metabolic pathways, and the adaptation to different growth conditions. Most of the quantitative methodologies used nowadays require data normalization, and this is achieved measuring the expression of endogenous control genes. Reference genes, whose expression is assumed to suffer minimal changes regardless the cell morphology, the stage of the cell cycle or the presence of harsh extracellular conditions are commonly used as controls in Northern blotting assays, microarrays, and semi-quantitative or quantitative RT-PCR. Since the biology of the organisms is usually species specific, it is difficult to find a reliable group of universal genes that can be used as controls for data normalization in experiments addressing the gene expression, regardless the taxonomic classification of the organism under study. Here, we compared the transcriptional stability of the genes encoding for elongation factor 1A, Tfc1, a protein involved in transcription initiation on Pol III promoters, ribosomal protein L6, histone H2A, β-actin, β-tubulin, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, UAF30, the upstream activating factor 30, and the transcription initiation factor TFIID subunit 10, during the fungal growth in different culture media and cell morphologies. Our results indicated that only the gene encoding for the ribosomal protein L6 showed a stable and constant expression. Furthermore, it displayed not transcriptional changes when S. schenckii infected larvae of Galleria mellonella or interacted with immune cells. Therefore, this gene could be used as control for data normalization in expression assays. As a proof of concept, this gene was used to assess the expression of genes encoding for glycosidases involved in the protein N-linked glycosylation pathway, a histidine kinase whose expression is regulated during the fungal dimorphism, and a glycosidase that participates in sucrose assimilation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elías Trujillo-Esquivel
- División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de GuanajuatoGuanajuato, Mexico
| | - José A Martínez-Álvarez
- División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de GuanajuatoGuanajuato, Mexico
| | - Diana M Clavijo-Giraldo
- División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de GuanajuatoGuanajuato, Mexico
| | - Nahúm V Hernández
- División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de GuanajuatoGuanajuato, Mexico
| | - Alberto Flores-Martínez
- División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de GuanajuatoGuanajuato, Mexico
| | - Patricia Ponce-Noyola
- División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de GuanajuatoGuanajuato, Mexico
| | - Héctor M Mora-Montes
- División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de GuanajuatoGuanajuato, Mexico
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Lacerda Pigosso L, Baeza LC, Vieira Tomazett M, Batista Rodrigues Faleiro M, Brianezi Dignani de Moura VM, Melo Bailão A, Borges CL, Alves Parente Rocha J, Rocha Fernandes G, Gauthier GM, Soares CMDA. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis presents metabolic reprogramming and secretes a serine proteinase during murine infection. Virulence 2017; 8:1417-1434. [PMID: 28704618 PMCID: PMC5711425 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2017.1355660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Paracoccidoides brasiliensis and Paracoccidioides lutzii, the etiologic agents of paracoccidioidomycosis, cause disease in healthy and immunocompromised persons in Latin America. We developed a method for harvesting P. brasiliensis yeast cells from infected murine lung to facilitate in vivo transcriptional and proteomic profiling. P. brasiliensis harvested at 6 h post-infection were analyzed using RNAseq and LC-MSE. In vivo yeast cells had 594 differentially expressed transcripts and 350 differentially expressed proteins. Integration of transcriptional and proteomic data indicated that early in infection (6 h), P. brasiliensis yeast cells underwent a shift in metabolism from glycolysis to β-oxidation, upregulated detoxifying enzymes to defend against oxidative stress, and repressed cell wall biosynthesis. Bioinformatics and functional analyses also demonstrated that a serine proteinase was upregulated and secreted in vivo. To our knowledge this is the first study depicting transcriptional and proteomic data of P. brasiliensis yeast cells upon 6 h post-infection of mouse lung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurine Lacerda Pigosso
- a Laboratório de Biologia Molecular , Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás , Campus Samambaia s/n, Goiânia , Goiás , Brazil
| | - Lilian Cristiane Baeza
- a Laboratório de Biologia Molecular , Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás , Campus Samambaia s/n, Goiânia , Goiás , Brazil
| | - Mariana Vieira Tomazett
- a Laboratório de Biologia Molecular , Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás , Campus Samambaia s/n, Goiânia , Goiás , Brazil
| | - Mariana Batista Rodrigues Faleiro
- b Laboratório de Patologia , Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás , Campus Samambaia s/n, Goiânia , Goiás , Brazil
| | | | - Alexandre Melo Bailão
- a Laboratório de Biologia Molecular , Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás , Campus Samambaia s/n, Goiânia , Goiás , Brazil
| | - Clayton Luiz Borges
- a Laboratório de Biologia Molecular , Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás , Campus Samambaia s/n, Goiânia , Goiás , Brazil
| | - Juliana Alves Parente Rocha
- a Laboratório de Biologia Molecular , Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás , Campus Samambaia s/n, Goiânia , Goiás , Brazil
| | | | | | - Celia Maria de Almeida Soares
- a Laboratório de Biologia Molecular , Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás , Campus Samambaia s/n, Goiânia , Goiás , Brazil
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Farinha I, Freitas F, Reis MA. Implementation of a repeated fed-batch process for the production of chitin-glucan complex by Komagataella pastoris. N Biotechnol 2017; 37:123-128. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2016.06.1460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Revised: 05/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Adaptation of Candida albicans to environmental pH induces cell wall remodelling and enhances innate immune recognition. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006403. [PMID: 28542528 PMCID: PMC5456412 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Revised: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is able to proliferate in environments that vary dramatically in ambient pH, a trait required for colonising niches such as the stomach, vaginal mucosal and the GI tract. Here we show that growth in acidic environments involves cell wall remodelling which results in enhanced chitin and β-glucan exposure at the cell wall periphery. Unmasking of the underlying immuno-stimulatory β-glucan in acidic environments enhanced innate immune recognition of C. albicans by macrophages and neutrophils, and induced a stronger proinflammatory cytokine response, driven through the C-type lectin-like receptor, Dectin-1. This enhanced inflammatory response resulted in significant recruitment of neutrophils in an intraperitoneal model of infection, a hallmark of symptomatic vaginal colonisation. Enhanced chitin exposure resulted from reduced expression of the cell wall chitinase Cht2, via a Bcr1-Rim101 dependent signalling cascade, while increased β-glucan exposure was regulated via a non-canonical signalling pathway. We propose that this "unmasking" of the cell wall may induce non-protective hyper activation of the immune system during growth in acidic niches, and may attribute to symptomatic vaginal infection.
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Staniszewska M, Bondaryk M, Kazek M, Gliniewicz A, Braunsdorf C, Schaller M, Mora-Montes HM, Ochal Z. Effect of serine protease KEX2 on Candida albicans virulence under halogenated methyl sulfones. Future Microbiol 2017; 12:285-306. [DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2016-0141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: The effect of KEX2 mutations on C. albicans virulence and resistance to halogenated methyl sulfones was assessed. Materials & methods: The mechanism of action of sulfones was studied using flow cytometry and microscopy. Expression of KEX2 and SAP5 was assessed using quantitative Real-Time-PCR. 2,3-Bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide and lactate dehydrogenase assays were elaborated to study, respectively, metabolism of Candida treated with sulfones and their cytotoxicity against tissues. Inflammatory response was detected by ELISA. Results: Lysosome permeabilization and dose-dependent programmed cell death under sulfones were noted. KEX2 induction depended on halogenomethylsulfonyl groups, which affected cell wall biosynthesis and adhesion. Conclusion: Sulfones treatment reduced Candida pathogenicity in Galleria mellonella. Sulfones are an alternative for antifungal therapies due to their safety profile and antibiofilm activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Staniszewska
- Independent Laboratory of Streptomyces and Fungi Imperfecti, National Institute of Public Health–National Institute of Hygiene, Chocimska 24, 00–791 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Bondaryk
- Independent Laboratory of Streptomyces and Fungi Imperfecti, National Institute of Public Health–National Institute of Hygiene, Chocimska 24, 00–791 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michalina Kazek
- Laboratory of Physiology, The Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Science, Twarda 51/55, 00–818 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Gliniewicz
- Laboratory of Medical Entomology and Pest Control, National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene, Chocimska 24, 00-791 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Christina Braunsdorf
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Liebermeisterstr.25, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Martin Schaller
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Tübingen, Liebermeisterstr.25, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hector M Mora-Montes
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Campus Guanajuato, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, col. Noria Alta, C.P. 36050, Guanajuato, Gto., México
| | - Zbigniew Ochal
- Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Biotechnology, Noakowskiego 3, 00-664 Warsaw, Poland
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Cunha DV, Salazar SB, Lopes MM, Mira NP. Mechanistic Insights Underlying Tolerance to Acetic Acid Stress in Vaginal Candida glabrata Clinical Isolates. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:259. [PMID: 28293217 PMCID: PMC5329028 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During colonization of the vaginal tract Candida glabrata cells are challenged with the presence of acetic acid at a low pH, specially when dysbiosis occurs. To avoid exclusion from this niche C. glabrata cells are expected to evolve efficient adaptive responses to cope with this stress; however, these responses remain largely uncharacterized, especially in vaginal strains. In this work a cohort of 18 vaginal strains and 2 laboratory strains (CBS138 and KUE100) were phenotyped for their tolerance against inhibitory concentrations of acetic acid at pH 4. Despite some heterogeneity has been observed among the vaginal strains tested, in general these strains were considerably more tolerant to acetic acid than the laboratory strains. To tackle the mechanistic insights behind this differential level of tolerance observed, a set of vaginal strains differently tolerant to acetic acid (VG281∼VG49 < VG99 < VG216) and the highly susceptible laboratory strain KUE100 were selected for further studies. When suddenly challenged with acetic acid the more tolerant vaginal strains exhibited a higher activity of the plasma membrane proton pump CgPma1 and a reduced internal accumulation of the acid, these being two essential features to maximize tolerance. Based on the higher level of resistance exhibited by the vaginal strains against the action of a β-1,3-glucanase, it is hypothesized that the reduced internal accumulation of acetic acid inside these strains may originate from them having a different cell wall structure resulting in a reduced porosity to undissociated acetic acid molecules. Both the vaginal and the two laboratory strains were found to consume acetic acid in the presence of glucose indicating that metabolization of the acid is used by C. glabrata species as a detoxification mechanism. The results gathered in this study advance the current knowledge on the mechanisms underlying the increased competitiveness of C. glabrata in the vaginal tract, a knowledge that can be used to guide more suitable strategies to treat infections caused by this pathogenic yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana V Cunha
- Department of Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Sara B Salazar
- Department of Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Maria M Lopes
- Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa, Departamento de Microbiologia e Imunologia Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Nuno P Mira
- Department of Bioengineering, Institute of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa Lisboa, Portugal
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da Silva Dantas A, Lee KK, Raziunaite I, Schaefer K, Wagener J, Yadav B, Gow NA. Cell biology of Candida albicans-host interactions. Curr Opin Microbiol 2016; 34:111-118. [PMID: 27689902 PMCID: PMC5660506 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2016.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The cell biology of Candida albicans is adapted both for life as a commensal and as a pathogen. C. albicans can either downregulate or upregulate virulence properties in the human host. This fungus modulates the activity of phagocytes to enable its own survival. Candida is metabolically flexible enabling it to survive in multiple niches in the host.
Candida albicans is a commensal coloniser of most people and a pathogen of the immunocompromised or patients in which barriers that prevent dissemination have been disrupted. Both the commensal and pathogenic states involve regulation and adaptation to the host microenvironment. The pathogenic potential can be downregulated to sustain commensalism or upregulated to damage host tissue and avoid and subvert immune surveillance. In either case it seems as though the cell biology of this fungus has evolved to enable the establishment of different types of relationships with the human host. Here we summarise latest advances in the analysis of mechanisms that enable C. albicans to occupy different body sites whilst avoiding being eliminated by the sentinel activities of the human immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra da Silva Dantas
- The Aberdeen Fungal Group, School of Medicine, Medical Science and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB252ZD, UK
| | - Kathy K Lee
- The Aberdeen Fungal Group, School of Medicine, Medical Science and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB252ZD, UK
| | - Ingrida Raziunaite
- The Aberdeen Fungal Group, School of Medicine, Medical Science and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB252ZD, UK
| | - Katja Schaefer
- The Aberdeen Fungal Group, School of Medicine, Medical Science and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB252ZD, UK
| | - Jeanette Wagener
- The Aberdeen Fungal Group, School of Medicine, Medical Science and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB252ZD, UK
| | - Bhawna Yadav
- The Aberdeen Fungal Group, School of Medicine, Medical Science and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB252ZD, UK
| | - Neil Ar Gow
- The Aberdeen Fungal Group, School of Medicine, Medical Science and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB252ZD, UK.
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Paulovičová E, Paulovičová L, Pilišiová R, Jančinová V, Yashunsky DV, Karelin AA, Tsvetkov YE, Nifantiev NE. The evaluation of β-(1 → 3)-nonaglucoside as an anti-Candida albicans immune response inducer. Cell Microbiol 2016; 18:1294-307. [PMID: 27310441 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2016] [Revised: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Synthetically prepared bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugate of linear β-(1 → 3)-nonaglucoside ligand (G9) has been applied as a biological response immunomodulator in vivo and ex vivo. Active immunization of Balb/c mice revealed effective induction of specific humoral responses in comparison with Candida β-D-glucan and Candida whole cells. Induced post-vaccination serum exhibited a growth-inhibition effect on the multi-azole-resistant clinical strain Candida albicans CCY 29-3-164 in experimental mucocutaneous infection ex vivo. Evaluation of immune cell proliferation and the cytotoxic potential of the G9-ligand has revealed its bioavailability and an immunostimulative effect in vaccination-sensitized Balb/c mice splenocytes and RAW 264.7 macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ema Paulovičová
- Department of Immunochemistry of Glycoconjugates, Center for Glycomics, Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lucia Paulovičová
- Department of Immunochemistry of Glycoconjugates, Center for Glycomics, Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ružena Pilišiová
- Department of Immunochemistry of Glycoconjugates, Center for Glycomics, Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Viera Jančinová
- Department of Cellular Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 84236, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Dmitry V Yashunsky
- Laboratory of Glycoconjugate Chemistry, N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander A Karelin
- Laboratory of Glycoconjugate Chemistry, N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yury E Tsvetkov
- Laboratory of Glycoconjugate Chemistry, N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Nikolay E Nifantiev
- Laboratory of Glycoconjugate Chemistry, N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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Herold I, Yarden O. Regulation of Neurospora crassa cell wall remodeling via the cot-1 pathway is mediated by gul-1. Curr Genet 2016; 63:145-159. [PMID: 27363849 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-016-0625-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Revised: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Impairment of the Neurospora crassa Nuclear DBF2-related kinase-encoding gene cot-1 results in pleiotropic effects, including abnormally thick hyphal cell walls and septa. An increase in the transcript abundance of genes encoding chitin and glucan synthases and the chitinase gh18-5, but not the cell wall integrity pathway transcription factor rlm-1, accompany the phenotypic changes observed. Deletion of chs-5 or chs-7 in a cot-1 background results in a reduction of hyperbranching frequency characteristic of the cot-1 parent. gul-1 (a homologue of the yeast SSD1 gene) encodes a translational regulator and has been shown to partially suppress cot-1. We demonstrate that the high expression levels of the cell wall remodeling genes analyzed is curbed, and reaches near wild type levels, when gul-1 is inactivated. This is accompanied by morphological changes that include reduced cell wall thickness and restoration of normal chitin levels. We conclude that gul-1 is a mediator of cell wall remodeling within the cot-1 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inbal Herold
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 7610000, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Oded Yarden
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 7610000, Rehovot, Israel.
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42
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Braunsdorf C, Mailänder-Sánchez D, Schaller M. Fungal sensing of host environment. Cell Microbiol 2016; 18:1188-200. [DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. Braunsdorf
- Department of Dermatology; University Hospital Tübingen; Liebermeisterstr. 25 Tübingen Germany
| | - D. Mailänder-Sánchez
- Department of Internal Medicine I; University Hospital Tübingen; Otfried-Müller-Straße 10 72076 Tübingen
| | - M. Schaller
- Department of Dermatology; University Hospital Tübingen; Liebermeisterstr. 25 Tübingen Germany
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Hopke A, Nicke N, Hidu EE, Degani G, Popolo L, Wheeler RT. Neutrophil Attack Triggers Extracellular Trap-Dependent Candida Cell Wall Remodeling and Altered Immune Recognition. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005644. [PMID: 27223610 PMCID: PMC4880299 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogens hide immunogenic epitopes from the host to evade immunity, persist and cause infection. The opportunistic human fungal pathogen Candida albicans, which can cause fatal disease in immunocompromised patient populations, offers a good example as it masks the inflammatory epitope β-glucan in its cell wall from host recognition. It has been demonstrated previously that β-glucan becomes exposed during infection in vivo but the mechanism behind this exposure was unknown. Here, we show that this unmasking involves neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) mediated attack, which triggers changes in fungal cell wall architecture that enhance immune recognition by the Dectin-1 β-glucan receptor in vitro. Furthermore, using a mouse model of disseminated candidiasis, we demonstrate the requirement for neutrophils in triggering these fungal cell wall changes in vivo. Importantly, we found that fungal epitope unmasking requires an active fungal response in addition to the stimulus provided by neutrophil attack. NET-mediated damage initiates fungal MAP kinase-driven responses, particularly by Hog1, that dynamically relocalize cell wall remodeling machinery including Chs3, Phr1 and Sur7. Neutrophil-initiated cell wall disruptions augment some macrophage cytokine responses to attacked fungi. This work provides insight into host-pathogen interactions during disseminated candidiasis, including valuable information about how the C. albicans cell wall responds to the biotic stress of immune attack. Our results highlight the important but underappreciated concept that pattern recognition during infection is dynamic and depends on the host-pathogen dialog. Opportunistic fungal infections, including those caused by C. albicans, have emerged as a significant global health burden and the disseminated form of these infections still have unacceptably high mortality rates despite modern antifungal treatments. The fungal cell wall controls its interaction with the host environment and immune recognition, although cell wall dynamics during infection are poorly understood. C. albicans organizes its cell wall to mask the inflammatory β-glucan as a form of immune evasion and it is known that during infection this β-glucan becomes exposed. Here, we investigated how β-glucan becomes exposed and discovered a dynamic interaction where host NETs provoke an active fungal response that disrupts cell wall architecture and unmasks β-glucan. We revealed an unexpected level of local fungal cell wall dynamics in response to immune mediated stress, suggesting this may represent a model that can be leveraged to identify novel drug targets. Our results highlight the understudied concept that the cell wall is a dynamic landscape during infection and can be influenced by the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Hopke
- Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, United States of America
| | - Nadine Nicke
- Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, United States of America
| | - Erica E. Hidu
- Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, United States of America
| | - Genny Degani
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Popolo
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Robert T. Wheeler
- Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, United States of America
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Böhm L, Muralidhara P, Pérez JC. ACandida albicansregulator of disseminated infection operates primarily as a repressor and governs cell surface remodeling. Mol Microbiol 2016; 100:328-44. [DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lena Böhm
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, University Hospital Würzburg; Würzburg Germany
- Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg; Würzburg Germany
| | | | - J. Christian Pérez
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, University Hospital Würzburg; Würzburg Germany
- Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg; Würzburg Germany
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Initiation of phospholipomannan β-1,2 mannosylation involves Bmts with redundant activity, influences its cell wall location and regulates β-glucans homeostasis but is dispensable for Candida albicans systemic infection. Biochimie 2016; 120:96-104. [PMID: 26427558 PMCID: PMC7614791 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2015.09.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Pathogenic and non-pathogenic fungi synthesize glycosphingolipids, which have a crucial role in growth and viability. Glycosphingolipids also contribute to fungal-associated pathogenesis. The opportunistic yeast pathogen Candida albicans synthesizes phospholipomannan (PLM), which is a glycosphingolipid of the mannosylinositol phosphorylceramide family. Through its lipid and glycan moieties, PLM contributes to the initial recognition of the yeast, causing immune system disorder and persistent fungal disease through activation of host signaling pathways. The lipid moiety of PLM activates the deregulation signaling pathway involved in yeast phagocytosis whereas its glycan moiety, composed of β-1,2 mannosides (β-Mans), participates to inflammatory processes through a mechanism involving Galectin-3. Biosynthesis of PLM β-Mans involves two β-1,2 mannosyltransferases (Bmts) that initiate (Bmt5) and elongate (Bmt6) the glycan chains. After generation of double bmtsΔ mutants, we show that Bmt5 has redundant activity with Bmt2, which can replace Bmt5 in bmt5Δ mutant. We also report that PLM is located in the inner layer of the yeast cell wall. PLM seems to be not essential for systemic infection of the yeast. However, defect of PLM β-mannosylation increases resistance of C. albicans to inhibitors of β-glucans and chitin synthesis, highlighting a role of PLM in cell wall homeostasis.
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De Jesus M, Rodriguez AE, Yagita H, Ostroff GR, Mantis NJ. Sampling of Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis by Langerin-positive dendritic cells in mouse Peyer's patches. Immunol Lett 2015; 168:64-72. [PMID: 26386376 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2015.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Revised: 09/10/2015] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Members of the Candida genus, including C. albicans and C. tropicalis are opportunistic fungal pathogens that are increasingly associated with gastrointestinal infections and inflammatory bowel diseases. In healthy populations, however, C. albicans and C. tropicalis are considered benign members of the mycobiome, and are presumably kept in check by the mucosal immune system. In this study, we demonstrate in mice that C. albicans and C. tropicalis are sampled by Peyer's patch (PP) dendritic cells (DCs). Uptake into gut-associated lymphoid tissues occurred rapidly and was at least partly M cell-dependent. C. albicans and C. tropicalis preferentially localized in (and persisted within) a recently identified sub- population of Peyer's patch DCs distinguished by their expression of the C-type lectin receptor, Langerin. This study is the first to identify a subset of PP DCs capable of sampling Candida species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdia De Jesus
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University at Albany, School of Public Health, Albany, NY, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA.
| | - Adam E Rodriguez
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA; Dutchess Community College, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
| | - Hideo Yagita
- Department of Immunology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Gary R Ostroff
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas J Mantis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University at Albany, School of Public Health, Albany, NY, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
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