1
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Mellinghoff SC, Cornely OA, Mammadova P, Sprute R, Stemler J. [Innovative therapies for treatment of invasive fungal diseases]. Laryngorhinootologie 2024. [PMID: 39074805 DOI: 10.1055/a-2341-0404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Invasive fungal diseases (IFD) are difficult to treat and pose a significant threat to immunocompromised individuals. Current antifungal agents face limitations, including antifungal resistance and adverse effects. This review aims to give a comprehensive overview of emerging treatment strategies.Novel drugs in development are Ibrexafungerp, an orally available triterpenoid inhibiting glucan synthesis, and Rezafungin representing the echinocandins with extended half-life and improved tissue penetration, both recently licensed for certain indications. Fosmanogepix targets glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis, while Olorofim, an orotomide, inhibits fungal nucleic acid synthesis, both currently assessed in advanced clinical trials.Immunotherapeutic approaches include immune checkpoint inhibitors to enhance immune response in immunosuppressed individuals and fungal-specific allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy. For prophylactic purpose in high-risk populations to develop IFD, monoclonal antibodies against different virulence factors of Candida spp. have been discovered but are not yet seen in clinical trials. Vaccines against distinct fungal antigens as well as pan fungal vaccines to prevent IFD are under development in preclinical stages, notably for Candida spp., Cryptococcus spp., and Aspergillus spp., however, their clinical value is still discussed.In summary, major advances to treat IFD have been observed, but challenges for their establishment in the clinical routine persist.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Oliver A Cornely
- Klinik I für Innere Medizin, Universitätsklinikum Köln, Köln, Deutschland
| | - Parvin Mammadova
- Klinik I für Innere Medizin, Universitätsklinikum Köln, Köln, Deutschland
| | | | - Jannik Stemler
- Klinik I für Innere Medizin, Universitätsklinikum Köln, Köln, Deutschland
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2
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Bettelli F, Vallerini D, Lagreca I, Barozzi P, Riva G, Nasillo V, Paolini A, D'Amico R, Forghieri F, Morselli M, Pioli V, Gilioli A, Giusti D, Messerotti A, Bresciani P, Cuoghi A, Colaci E, Marasca R, Pagano L, Candoni A, Maertens J, Viale P, Mussini C, Manfredini R, Tagliafico E, Sarti M, Trenti T, Lewis R, Comoli P, Eccher A, Luppi M, Potenza L. Identification and validation of diagnostic cut-offs of the ELISpot assay for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in high-risk patients. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306728. [PMID: 38980880 PMCID: PMC11233002 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We investigated the performance of enzyme linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in high-risk patients with hematologic malignancies. METHODS We prospectively enrolled two cohorts of patients undergoing intensive myelosuppressive or immunosuppressive treatments at high risk for IA. ELISpot was performed to detect Aspergillus-specific T cells producing Interleukin-10. RESULTS In the discovery cohort, a derived cut-off of 40 spot forming cells (SFCs)/106 PBMCs has shown to correctly classify IA cases with a sensitivity and specificity of 89.5% and 88.6%, respectively. This cut-off is lowered to 25 SFC when considering the subset of possible IA patients, with sensitivity and specificity of 76% and 93%, respectively. The application of the 40 SFCs cut-off to the validation cohort resulted in a positivity rate of 83.3% in proven/probable cases and a negativity rate of 92.5% in possible/non-IA cases. Adopting the 25 SCFs cut-off, the assay resulted positive in 83.3% of proven/probable cases while it resulted negative in 66.7% of possible/non-IA cases. CONCLUSIONS ELISpot shows promises in the diagnosis of IA and the possibility to use two distinct cut-offs with similar diagnostic performances according to patients' different pre-test probability of infection can widen its use in patients at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Bettelli
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Daniela Vallerini
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Ivana Lagreca
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Patrizia Barozzi
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Giovanni Riva
- Diagnostic Hematology and Clinical Genomics, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, AUSL/AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Nasillo
- Diagnostic Hematology and Clinical Genomics, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, AUSL/AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Ambra Paolini
- Diagnostic Hematology and Clinical Genomics, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, AUSL/AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Roberto D'Amico
- Statistic Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Fabio Forghieri
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Monica Morselli
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Valeria Pioli
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Andrea Gilioli
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Davide Giusti
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Andrea Messerotti
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Paola Bresciani
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Angela Cuoghi
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Colaci
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Roberto Marasca
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Livio Pagano
- Hematology Division, Dipartimento di Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli - IRCCS and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Candoni
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Johan Maertens
- Department of Hematology, University Hospital UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pierluigi Viale
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, IRCCS-AOU Policlinico Santorsola, Bologna, Italy
| | - Cristina Mussini
- Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Dipartimento Chirurgico, Medico, Odontoiatrico e di Scienze Morfologiche con interesse Trapiantologico, Oncologico e di Medicina Rigenerativa, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Rossella Manfredini
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Enrico Tagliafico
- Diagnostic Hematology and Clinical Genomics, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, AUSL/AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Mario Sarti
- Diagnostic Hematology and Clinical Genomics, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, AUSL/AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Tommaso Trenti
- Diagnostic Hematology and Clinical Genomics, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, AUSL/AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Russell Lewis
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Patrizia Comoli
- Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Unit and Cell Factory, Foundation IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Albino Eccher
- Section of Pathology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Mario Luppi
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Leonardo Potenza
- Section of Hematology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, AOU Modena, Modena, Italy
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3
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Mellinghoff SC, Cornely OA, Mammadova P, Sprute R, Stemler J. [Innovative therapies for treatment of invasive fungal diseases]. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 2024; 149:560-568. [PMID: 38657595 DOI: 10.1055/a-2132-9240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Invasive fungal diseases (IFD) are difficult to treat and pose a significant threat to immunocompromised individuals. Current antifungal agents face limitations, including antifungal resistance and adverse effects. This review aims to give a comprehensive overview of emerging treatment strategies.Novel drugs in development are Ibrexafungerp, an orally available triterpenoid inhibiting glucan synthesis, and Rezafungin representing the echinocandins with extended half-life and improved tissue penetration, both recently licensed for certain indications. Fosmanogepix targets glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis, while Olorofim, an orotomide, inhibits fungal nucleic acid synthesis, both currently assessed in advanced clinical trials.Immunotherapeutic approaches include immune checkpoint inhibitors to enhance immune response in immunosuppressed individuals and fungal-specific allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy. For prophylactic purpose in high-risk populations to develop IFD, monoclonal antibodies against different virulence factors of Candida spp. have been discovered but are not yet seen in clinical trials. Vaccines against distinct fungal antigens as well as pan fungal vaccines to prevent IFD are under development in preclinical stages, notably for Candida spp., Cryptococcus spp., and Aspergillus spp., however, their clinical value is still discussed.In summary, major advances to treat IFD have been observed, but challenges for their establishment in the clinical routine persist.
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4
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Wurster S, Watowich SS, Kontoyiannis DP. Checkpoint inhibitors as immunotherapy for fungal infections: Promises, challenges, and unanswered questions. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1018202. [PMID: 36389687 PMCID: PMC9640966 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1018202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Opportunistic fungal infections have high mortality in patients with severe immune dysfunction. Growing evidence suggests that the immune environment of invasive fungal infections and cancers share common features of immune cell exhaustion through activation of immune checkpoint pathways. This observation gave rise to several preclinical studies and clinical case reports describing blockade of the Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 and Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Antigen 4 immune checkpoint pathways as an adjunct immune enhancement strategy to treat opportunistic fungal infections. The first part of this review summarizes the emerging evidence for contributions of checkpoint pathways to the immunopathology of fungal sepsis, opportunistic mold infections, and dimorphic fungal infections. We then review the potential merits of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as an antifungal immunotherapy, including the incomplete knowledge of the mechanisms involved in both immuno-protective effects and toxicities. In the second part of this review, we discuss the limitations of the current evidence and the many unknowns about ICIs as an antifungal immune enhancement strategy. Based on these gaps of knowledge and lessons learned from cancer immunology studies, we outline a research agenda to determine a "sweet spot" for ICIs in medical mycology. We specifically discuss the importance of more nuanced animal models, the need to study ICI-based combination therapy, potential ICI resistance, the role of the immune microenvironment, and the impact of ICIs given as part of oncological therapies on the natural immunity to various pathogenic fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Wurster
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Stephanie S. Watowich
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Dimitrios P. Kontoyiannis
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
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5
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Future Directions for Clinical Respiratory Fungal Research. Mycopathologia 2021; 186:685-696. [PMID: 34590208 PMCID: PMC8536595 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-021-00579-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
There has been a growing appreciation of the importance of respiratory fungal diseases in recent years, with better understanding of their prevalence as well as their global distribution. In step with the greater awareness of these complex infections, we are currently poised to make major advances in the characterization and treatment of these fungal diseases, which in itself is largely a consequence of post-genomic technologies which have enabled rational drug development and a path towards personalized medicines. These advances are set against a backdrop of globalization and anthropogenic change, which have impacted the world-wide distribution of fungi and antifungal resistance, as well as our built environment. The current revolution in immunomodulatory therapies has led to a rapidly evolving population at-risk for respiratory fungal disease. Whilst challenges are considerable, perhaps the tools we now have to manage these infections are up to this challenge. There has been a welcome acceleration of the antifungal pipeline in recent years, with a number of new drug classes in clinical or pre-clinical development, as well as new focus on inhaled antifungal drug delivery. The "post-genomic" revolution has opened up metagenomic diagnostic approaches spanning host immunogenetics to the fungal mycobiome that have allowed better characterization of respiratory fungal disease endotypes. When these advances are considered together the key challenge is clear: to develop a personalized medicine framework to enable a rational therapeutic approach.
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6
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Vehreschild JJ, Koehler P, Lamoth F, Prattes J, Rieger C, Rijnders BJA, Teschner D. Future challenges and chances in the diagnosis and management of invasive mould infections in cancer patients. Med Mycol 2021; 59:93-101. [PMID: 32898264 PMCID: PMC7779224 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myaa079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Diagnosis, treatment, and management of invasive mould infections (IMI) are challenged by several risk factors, including local epidemiological characteristics, the emergence of fungal resistance and the innate resistance of emerging pathogens, the use of new immunosuppressants, as well as off-target effects of new oncological drugs. The presence of specific host genetic variants and the patient's immune system status may also influence the establishment of an IMI and the outcome of its therapy. Immunological components can thus be expected to play a pivotal role not only in the risk assessment and diagnosis, but also in the treatment of IMI. Cytokines could improve the reliability of an invasive aspergillosis diagnosis by serving as biomarkers as do serological and molecular assays, since they can be easily measured, and the turnaround time is short. The use of immunological markers in the assessment of treatment response could be helpful to reduce overtreatment in high risk patients and allow prompt escalation of antifungal treatment. Mould-active prophylaxis could be better targeted to individual host needs, leading to a targeted prophylaxis in patients with known immunological profiles associated with high susceptibility for IMI, in particular invasive aspergillosis. The alteration of cellular antifungal immune response through oncological drugs and immunosuppressants heavily influences the outcome and may be even more important than the choice of the antifungal treatment. There is a need for the development of new antifungal strategies, including individualized approaches for prevention and treatment of IMI that consider genetic traits of the patients. Lay Abstract Anticancer and immunosuppressive drugs may alter the ability of the immune system to fight invasive mould infections and may be more important than the choice of the antifungal treatment. Individualized approaches for prevention and treatment of invasive mold infections are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Janne Vehreschild
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology, and Oncology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Department I for Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research, partner site Bonn-Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Philipp Koehler
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department I of Internal Medicine, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD), Excellence Center for Medical Mycology (ECMM), Cologne, Germany.,University of Cologne, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany
| | - Frédéric Lamoth
- Infectious Diseases Service, Department of Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Institute of Microbiology, Department of Laboratories, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Juergen Prattes
- Section of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Bart J A Rijnders
- Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Daniel Teschner
- Department of Hematology, Medical Oncology, and Pneumology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
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7
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Development of a Simple and Robust Whole Blood Assay with Dual Co-Stimulation to Quantify the Release of T-Cellular Signature Cytokines in Response to Aspergillus fumigatus Antigens. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7060462. [PMID: 34201183 PMCID: PMC8230040 DOI: 10.3390/jof7060462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Deeper understanding of mold-induced cytokine signatures could promote advances in the diagnosis and treatment of invasive mycoses and mold-associated hypersensitivity syndromes. Currently, most T-cellular immunoassays in medical mycology require the isolation of mononuclear cells and have limited robustness and practicability, hampering their broader applicability in clinical practice. Therefore, we developed a simple, cost-efficient whole blood (WB) assay with dual α-CD28 and α-CD49d co-stimulation to quantify cytokine secretion in response to Aspergillus fumigatus antigens. Dual co-stimulation strongly enhanced A. fumigatus-induced release of T-cellular signature cytokines detectable by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or a multiplex cytokine assay. Furthermore, T-cell-dependent activation and cytokine response of innate immune cells was captured by the assay. The protocol consistently showed little technical variation and high robustness to pre-analytic delays of up to 8 h. Stimulation with an A. fumigatus lysate elicited at least 7-fold greater median concentrations of key T-helper cell signature cytokines, including IL-17 and the type 2 T-helper cell cytokines IL-4 and IL-5 in WB samples from patients with Aspergillus-associated lung pathologies versus patients with non-mold-related lung diseases, suggesting high discriminatory power of the assay. These results position WB-ELISA with dual co-stimulation as a simple, accurate, and robust immunoassay for translational applications, encouraging further evaluation as a platform to monitor host immunity to opportunistic pathogens.
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8
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Freeman Weiss Z, Leon A, Koo S. The Evolving Landscape of Fungal Diagnostics, Current and Emerging Microbiological Approaches. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7020127. [PMID: 33572400 PMCID: PMC7916227 DOI: 10.3390/jof7020127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections are increasingly recognized in immunocompromised hosts. Current diagnostic techniques are limited by low sensitivity and prolonged turnaround times. We review emerging diagnostic technologies and platforms for diagnosing the clinically invasive disease caused by Candida, Aspergillus, and Mucorales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Freeman Weiss
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (A.L.); (S.K.)
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Armando Leon
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (A.L.); (S.K.)
| | - Sophia Koo
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (A.L.); (S.K.)
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9
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Lauruschkat CD, Page L, Etter S, Weis P, Gamon F, Kraus S, Einsele H, Wurster S, Loeffler J. T-Cell Immune Surveillance in Allogenic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients: Are Whole Blood-Based Assays Ready to Challenge ELISPOT? Open Forum Infect Dis 2020; 8:ofaa547. [PMID: 33447629 PMCID: PMC7794650 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofaa547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We compared the feasibility of 4 cytomegalovirus (CMV)- and Aspergillus-reactive T-cell immunoassay protocols in allogenic stem cell transplant recipients. While enzyme-linked immunospot performed best overall, logistically advantageous whole blood–based assays performed comparably in patients with less severe lymphocytopenia. CMV-induced interferon-gamma responses correlated strongly across all protocols and showed high concordance with serology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris D Lauruschkat
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Lukas Page
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Sonja Etter
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Weis
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Florian Gamon
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Sabrina Kraus
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Hermann Einsele
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Wurster
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Juergen Loeffler
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
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10
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Dvorak CC, Fisher BT, Esbenshade AJ, Nieder ML, Alexander S, Steinbach WJ, Dang H, Villaluna D, Chen L, Skeens M, Zaoutis TE, Sung L. A Randomized Trial of Caspofungin vs Triazoles Prophylaxis for Invasive Fungal Disease in Pediatric Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc 2020; 10:417-425. [PMID: 33136159 PMCID: PMC8087143 DOI: 10.1093/jpids/piaa119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children and adolescents undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) are at high risk for invasive fungal disease (IFD). METHODS This multicenter, randomized, open-label trial planned to enroll 560 children and adolescents (3 months to <21 years) undergoing allogeneic HCT between April 2013 and September 2016. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to antifungal prophylaxis with caspofungin or a center-specific comparator triazole (fluconazole or voriconazole). Prophylaxis was administered from day 0 of HCT to day 42 or discharge. The primary outcome was proven or probable IFD at day 42 as adjudicated by blinded central review. Exploratory analysis stratified this evaluation by comparator triazole. RESULTS A planned futility analysis demonstrated a low rate of IFD in the comparator triazole arm, so the trial was closed early. A total of 290 eligible patients, with a median age of 9.5 years (range 0.3-20.7), were randomized to caspofungin (n = 144) or a triazole (n = 146; fluconazole, n = 100; voriconazole, n = 46). The day 42 cumulative incidence of proven or probable IFD was 1.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3%-5.4%) in the caspofungin group vs 1.4% (95% CI, 0.4%-5.5%) in the triazole group (P = .99, log-rank test). When stratified by specific triazole, there was no significant difference in proven or probable IFD at day 42 between caspofungin vs fluconazole (1.0%, 95% CI, 0.1%-6.9%, P = .78) or caspofungin vs voriconazole (2.3%, 95% CI, 0.3%-15.1%, P = .69). CONCLUSIONS In pediatric HCT patients, prophylaxis with caspofungin did not significantly reduce the cumulative incidence of early proven or probable IFD compared with triazoles. Future efforts to decrease IFD-related morbidity and mortality should focus on later periods of risk. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT01503515.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher C Dvorak
- Division of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplant, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA,Corresponding Author: Christopher C. Dvorak, MD, Division of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology & Bone Marrow Transplantation, Benioff Children’s Hospital, University of California San Francisco, 550 16th Street, 4th Floor, Box 0434, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. E-mail:
| | - Brian T Fisher
- Division of Pediatrics Infectious Diseases, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Adam J Esbenshade
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Michael L Nieder
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Sarah Alexander
- Division of Haematology Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - William J Steinbach
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ha Dang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Lu Chen
- Division of Biostatistics, City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Micah Skeens
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Theoklis E Zaoutis
- Division of Pediatrics Infectious Diseases, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lillian Sung
- Division of Haematology Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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11
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Scheffold A, Bacher P. Anti-fungal T cell responses in the lung and modulation by the gut-lung axis. Curr Opin Microbiol 2020; 56:67-73. [PMID: 32679448 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2020.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The lung is a central organ for immune-environmental interactions ranging from tolerance against harmless substances to protection against pathogens, which are particularly sensitive to regulation by the intestinal microbiota. Airborne fungi, can cause variety of diseases, including allergies and inflammatory disorders, as well as life-threatening invasive infections. Remarkable differences exist between ubiquitous fungal species with regard to protective immune mechanisms. Recent data have surprisingly identified Aspergillus-specific regulatory T cells as an essential tolerance checkpoint and provided mechanistic insight for the loss of tolerance in the course of immune pathologies. Furthermore, pathogenic Th17 cells in Aspergillus-associated inflammatory disease seem to be induced by cross-reactivity to the intestinal commensal Candida albicans. Here we review and discuss what is known about fungus-specific T cell responses in the lung how they are modulated by the gut-lung axis and in particular discussing the modulation of adaptive immune responses by cross-reactivity to the microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Scheffold
- Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts Universität zu Kiel & Universitätsklinik Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.
| | - Petra Bacher
- Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts Universität zu Kiel & Universitätsklinik Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany; Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology Christian-Albrechts Universität zu Kiel, Germany
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Impact of immunosuppressive and antifungal drugs on PBMC- and whole blood-based flow cytometric CD154 + Aspergillus fumigatus specific T-cell quantification. Med Microbiol Immunol 2020; 209:579-592. [PMID: 32236695 DOI: 10.1007/s00430-020-00665-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Flow cytometric quantification of CD154+ mould specific T-cells in antigen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or whole blood has been described as a supportive biomarker to diagnose invasive mould infections and to monitor therapeutic outcomes. As patients at risk frequently receive immunosuppressive and antifungal medication, this study compared the matrix-dependent impact of representative drugs on CD154+ T-cell detection rates. PBMCs and whole blood samples from healthy adults were pre-treated with therapeutic concentrations of liposomal amphotericin B, voriconazole, posaconazole, cyclosporine A (CsA) or prednisolone. Samples were then stimulated with an Aspergillus fumigatus lysate or a viral antigen cocktail (CPI) and assessed for CD154+ T-helper cell frequencies. Specific T-cell detection rates and technical assay properties remained largely unaffected by exposure of both matrices to the studied antifungals. By contrast, CsA and prednisolone pre-treatment of isolated PBMCs and whole blood adversely impacted specific T-cell detection rates and caused elevated inter-replicate variation. Unexpectedly, the whole blood-based protocol that uses additional α-CD49d co-stimulation was less susceptible to CsA and prednisolone despite prolonged drug exposure in the test tube. Accordingly, addition of α-CD49d during PBMC stimulation partially attenuated the impact of immunosuppressive drugs on test performance. Translating these results into the clinical setting, false-negative results of CD154+ antigen-specific T-cell quantification need to be considered in patients receiving T-cell-active immunosuppressive medication. Optimized co-stimulation regimes with α-CD49d could contribute to an improved feasibility of functional T-cell assays in immunocompromised patient populations.
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Immune Parameters for Diagnosis and Treatment Monitoring in Invasive Mold Infection. J Fungi (Basel) 2019; 5:jof5040116. [PMID: 31888227 PMCID: PMC6958498 DOI: 10.3390/jof5040116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Infections caused by invasive molds, including Aspergillus spp., can be difficult to diagnose and remain associated with high morbidity and mortality. Thus, early diagnosis and targeted systemic antifungal treatment remains the most important predictive factor for a successful outcome in immunocompromised individuals with invasive mold infections. Diagnosis remains difficult due to low sensitivities of diagnostic tests including culture and other mycological tests for mold pathogens, particularly in patients on mold-active antifungal prophylaxis. As a result, antifungal treatment is rarely targeted and reliable markers for treatment monitoring and outcome prediction are missing. Thus, there is a need for improved markers to diagnose invasive mold infections, monitor response to treatment, and assist in determining when antifungal therapy should be escalated, switched, or can be stopped. This review focuses on the role of immunologic markers and specifically cytokines in diagnosis and treatment monitoring of invasive mold infections.
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Peng M, Meng H, Sun Y, Xiao Y, Zhang H, Lv K, Cai B. Clinical features of pulmonary mucormycosis in patients with different immune status. J Thorac Dis 2019; 11:5042-5052. [PMID: 32030220 DOI: 10.21037/jtd.2019.12.53] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Background Pulmonary mucormycosis (PM) is a relatively rare but often fatal and rapidly progressive disease. Most studies of PM are case reports or case series with limited numbers of patients, and focus on immunocompromised patients. We investigated the clinical manifestations, imaging features, treatment, and outcomes of patients with PM with a focus on the difference in clinical manifestations between patients with different immune status. Methods Clinical records, laboratory results, and computed tomography scans of 24 patients with proven or probable PM from January 2005 to December 2018 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Results Ten female and 14 male patients were included (median age, 43.5 years; range, 13-64 years). Common presenting symptoms were fever (70.8%), cough (70.8%), sputum production (54.2%), and hemoptysis (41.7%). Radiological findings included consolidation (83.3%), ground-glass opacities (58.3%), nodules (50.0%), masses (37.5%), cavities (33.3%), mediastinal lymphadenopathy (29.2%), and halo sign (12.5%); one patient had a reversed halo sign. Seven patients (29.2%) had no obvious predisposing risk factors, and 17 (70.8%) had underlying diseases including diabetes, hematological malignancy, and use of immunosuppressants. Compared with immunocompromised patients, immunocompetent patients with PM were younger {23 [13-46] vs. 48 [17-64] years, P=0.023}, comprised a higher proportion of men (100.0% vs. 41.2%, P=0.019), had a longer disease course {34 [8-47] vs. 9 [2-102] weeks, P=0.033}, had a higher eosinophil count [0.66 (0.07-2.00) ×109/L vs. 0.04 (0.00-0.23) ×109/L, P=0.001], and had a lower erythrocyte sedimentation rate {12 [1-88] vs. 74 [9-140] mm/h, P=0.032}. Conclusions PM can occur in heterogeneous patients with different immune status, and the clinical phenotype differs between immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. Because of the lack of specific clinic and imaging manifestations, aggressive performance of invasive procedures to obtain histopathological and microbial evidence is crucial for a definitive diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Peng
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Hua Meng
- Department of Ultrasound, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yinghao Sun
- Department of Internal Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yu Xiao
- Department of Pathology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Ke Lv
- Department of Ultrasound, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Baiqiang Cai
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
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