1
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Jaeger M, Dietschmann A, Austermeier S, Dinçer S, Porschitz P, Vornholz L, Maas RJ, Sprenkeler EG, Ruland J, Wirtz S, Azam T, Joosten LA, Hube B, Netea MG, Dinarello CA, Gresnigt MS. Alpha1-antitrypsin impacts innate host-pathogen interactions with Candida albicans by stimulating fungal filamentation. Virulence 2024; 15:2333367. [PMID: 38515333 PMCID: PMC11008552 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2024.2333367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Our immune system possesses sophisticated mechanisms to cope with invading microorganisms, while pathogens evolve strategies to deal with threats imposed by host immunity. Human plasma protein α1-antitrypsin (AAT) exhibits pleiotropic immune-modulating properties by both preventing immunopathology and improving antimicrobial host defence. Genetic associations suggested a role for AAT in candidemia, the most frequent fungal blood stream infection in intensive care units, yet little is known about how AAT influences interactions between Candida albicans and the immune system. Here, we show that AAT differentially impacts fungal killing by innate phagocytes. We observed that AAT induces fungal transcriptional reprogramming, associated with cell wall remodelling and downregulation of filamentation repressors. At low concentrations, the cell-wall remodelling induced by AAT increased immunogenic β-glucan exposure and consequently improved fungal clearance by monocytes. Contrastingly, higher AAT concentrations led to excessive C. albicans filamentation and thus promoted fungal immune escape from monocytes and macrophages. This underscores that fungal adaptations to the host protein AAT can differentially define the outcome of encounters with innate immune cells, either contributing to improved immune recognition or fungal immune escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Jaeger
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center and Radboud Center for Infectious diseases (RCI), Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Axel Dietschmann
- Junior Research Group Adaptive Pathogenicity Strategies, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Sophie Austermeier
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Sude Dinçer
- Junior Research Group Adaptive Pathogenicity Strategies, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Pauline Porschitz
- Junior Research Group Adaptive Pathogenicity Strategies, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Larsen Vornholz
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, School of Medicine and Health, Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Ralph J.A. Maas
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Laboratory of Hematology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Evelien G.G. Sprenkeler
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center and Radboud Center for Infectious diseases (RCI), Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Jürgen Ruland
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, School of Medicine and Health, Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Munich, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Wirtz
- Medizinische Klinik 1, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Tania Azam
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, USA
| | - Leo A.B. Joosten
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center and Radboud Center for Infectious diseases (RCI), Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Bernhard Hube
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany
| | - Mihai G. Netea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center and Radboud Center for Infectious diseases (RCI), Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Charles A. Dinarello
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center and Radboud Center for Infectious diseases (RCI), Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Mark S. Gresnigt
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, USA
- Junior Research Group Adaptive Pathogenicity Strategies, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
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2
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Filigheddu MT, Leonelli M, Varando G, Gómez-Bermejo MÁ, Ventura-Díaz S, Gorospe L, Fortún J. Using staged tree models for health data: Investigating invasive fungal infections by aspergillus and other filamentous fungi. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 24:12-22. [PMID: 38144574 PMCID: PMC10746417 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Machine learning models are increasingly used in the medical domain to study the association between risk factors and diseases to support practitioners in understanding health outcomes. In this paper, we showcase the use of machine-learned staged tree models for investigating complex asymmetric dependence structures in health data. Staged trees are a specific class of generative, probabilistic graphical models that formally model asymmetric conditional independence and non-regular sample spaces. An investigation of the risk factors in invasive fungal infections demonstrates the insights staged trees provide to support medical decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Filigheddu
- Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS (Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria); Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Gherardo Varando
- Image Processing Laboratory (IPL), Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Sofía Ventura-Díaz
- Radiology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Gorospe
- Radiology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Fortún
- Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS (Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria); Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
- Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
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3
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Li X, Feng R, Luo P, Zhang Y, Lu L. Synergistic effects of putative Ca 2+-binding sites of calmodulin in fungal development, temperature stress and virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus. Virulence 2024; 15:2290757. [PMID: 38085844 PMCID: PMC10761034 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2290757] [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: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
In pathogenic fungi, calcium-calmodulin-dependent serine-threonine-specific phosphatase calcineurin is involved in morphogenesis and virulence. Therefore, calcineurin and its tightly related protein complexes are attractive antifungal drug targets. However, there is limited knowledge available on the relationship between in vivo Ca2+-binding sites of calmodulin (CaM) and its functions in regulating stress responses, morphogenesis, and pathogenesis. In the current study, we demonstrated that calmodulin is required for hyphal growth, conidiation, and virulence in the human fungal pathogen, Aspergillus fumigatus. Site-directed mutations of calmodulin revealed that a single Ca2+-binding site mutation had no significant effect on A. fumigatus hyphal development, but multiple Ca2+-binding site mutations exhibited synergistic effects, especially when cultured at 42 °C, indicating that calmodulin function in response to temperature stress depends on its Ca2+-binding sites. Western blotting implied that mutations in Ca2+-binding sites caused highly degraded calmodulin fragments, suggesting that the loss of Ca2+-binding sites results in reduced protein stability. Moreover, normal intracellular calcium homeostasis and the nuclear translocation of the transcriptional factor CrzA are dependent on Ca2+-binding sites of AfCaM, demonstrating that Ca2+-binding sites of calmodulin are required for calcium signalling and its major transcription factor CrzA. Importantly, in situ mutations for four Ca2+-binding sites of calmodulin resulted in an almost complete loss of virulence in the Galleria mellonella wax moth model. This study shed more light on the functional characterization of putative calcium-binding sites of calmodulin in the morphogenesis and virulence of A. fumigatus, which enhances our understanding of calmodulin biological functions in cells of opportunistic fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyue Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ruoyun Feng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Pan Luo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuanwei Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ling Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
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4
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Zheng X, Hu Z, Gao S, Li Z, Chen J, Zhang G, Kong N, Sun J, Liu W. One-pot assay using a target-driven split aptamer recognition and assembly strategy for convenient and rapid detection of gliotoxin. Food Chem 2024; 454:139738. [PMID: 38820643 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
An aptamer targeting gliotoxin (GTX) was optimized to increase the binding affinity by approximately 20 times and achieve higher structural stability and targeting specificity. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to explore the molecular mechanism and key action sites underlying the recognition of GTX by the optimized aptamer. Subsequently, the optimized aptamer was split into two fragments and a convenient and rapid one-pot assay for GTX detection was successfully established using a target-driven split aptamer recognition and assembly strategy. The method exhibited a good linear range of 0.128 nM to 2 μM, a low detection limit of 0.07 nM, and excellent selectivity for GTX. Furthermore, the method had good accuracy and stability in real sample analysis. Therefore, the developed one-pot method provides a reliable, convenient, and cost-effective approach for the widespread application of GTX detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zheng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zunqi Hu
- Department of General Surgery, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200003, China
| | - Shunxiang Gao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China; National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai 200080, China.
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jia Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Guanyi Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Nana Kong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jianguo Sun
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Weiwei Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China.
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5
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Wang G, Liang S, Lang J, Ying J, Shan Z, Lv L, Li B, Yang H. Design, synthesis and structure-activity relationship of novel pyrazole-4-carboxamide derivatives. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 39243160 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2024] [Revised: 08/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plant diseases seriously decrease the yield and quality of agricultural crops. Fungicide treatments remain the main means of field fungi control. However, the residual activity of fungicides is rapidly reduced due to various factors in the natural environment, therefore the development of agents with novel modes of action is desirable. It is highly required to design and develop new fungicides to address the resistance issue. Designing low impact chemicals to safely and sustainably address needs of agriculture. RESULTS In this work, we used the highly active fluxapyroxad and flutolanil as parent structures, to design and synthesize a series of pyrazole-4-carboxamide derivatives. Some of the pyrazole-4-carboxamide derivatives exhibit fungicidal activities that are comparable to or higher than those of the commercialized fungicides fluxapyroxad and bixafen. In particular, compounds TM-1, TM-2, TM-3, TM-4, TM-5, TM-7 and TM-8 showed excellent fungicidal activities against corn rust that were 2-4 times higher than those of fluxapyroxad and bixafen. Field trial results demonstrated that at the same dosage levels, compound TM-2 exhibited comparable field control efficacy against wheat rust as compared to triadimefon and pyrazophenamide. Molecular docking simulations reveal that compound TM-2 interacts with TRP 173 of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) through hydrogen bonding, which could explain the probable mechanism of action between compound TM-2 and the target protein. CONCLUSION These results indicate that compound TM-2 may be a promising fungicide candidate and provide valuable reference for further investigation. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of the Discovery and Development of Novel Pesticide, Shenyang Sinochem Agrochemicals R&D Company Ltd, Shenyang, P. R. China
| | - Shuang Liang
- State Key Laboratory of the Discovery and Development of Novel Pesticide, Shenyang Sinochem Agrochemicals R&D Company Ltd, Shenyang, P. R. China
| | - Jie Lang
- State Key Laboratory of the Discovery and Development of Novel Pesticide, Shenyang Sinochem Agrochemicals R&D Company Ltd, Shenyang, P. R. China
| | - Junwu Ying
- State Key Laboratory of the Discovery and Development of Novel Pesticide, Shenyang Sinochem Agrochemicals R&D Company Ltd, Shenyang, P. R. China
| | - Zhonggang Shan
- State Key Laboratory of the Discovery and Development of Novel Pesticide, Shenyang Sinochem Agrochemicals R&D Company Ltd, Shenyang, P. R. China
| | - Liang Lv
- State Key Laboratory of the Discovery and Development of Novel Pesticide, Shenyang Sinochem Agrochemicals R&D Company Ltd, Shenyang, P. R. China
| | - Bin Li
- State Key Laboratory of the Discovery and Development of Novel Pesticide, Shenyang Sinochem Agrochemicals R&D Company Ltd, Shenyang, P. R. China
| | - Huibin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of the Discovery and Development of Novel Pesticide, Shenyang Sinochem Agrochemicals R&D Company Ltd, Shenyang, P. R. China
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Bu FZ, Meng SS, Wang LY, Wu ZY, Li YT. Bifonazole caffeate: The first molecular salt of bifonazole with enhanced biopharmaceutical property based on experiments and quantum chemistry research. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2024; 317:124403. [PMID: 38710138 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2024.124403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
In order to make novel breakthroughs in molecular salt studies of BCS class-IV antifungal medication bifonazole (BIF), a salification-driven strategy towards ameliorating attributes and aiding augment efficiency is raised. This strategy fully harnesses structural characters together attributes and benefits of caffeic acid (CAF) to concurrently enhance dissolvability and permeability of BIF by introducing the two ingredients into the identical molecular salt lattice through the salification reaction, which, coupled with the aroused potential activity of CAF significantly amplifies the antifungal efficacy of BIF. Guided by this route, the first BIF-organic molecular salt, BIF-CAF, is directionally designed and synthesized with satisfactorily structural characterizations and integrated theoretical and experimental explorations on the pharmaceutical properties. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction resolving confirms that there is a lipid-water amphiphilic sandwich structure constructed by robust charge-assistant hydrogen bonds in the salt crystal, endowing the molecular salt with the potential to enhance both dissolvability and permeability relative to the parent drug, which is validated by experimental evaluations. Remarkably, the comprehensive DFT-based theoretical investigations covering frontier molecular orbital, molecular electrostatic potential, Hirshfeld surface analysis, reduced density gradient, topology, sphericity and planarity analysis strongly support these observations, thereby allowing some positive relationships between macroscopic properties and microstructures of the molecular salt can be made. Intriguingly, the optimal properties, together with the stimulated activity of CAF markedly augment in vitro antifungal ability of the molecular salt, with magnifying inhibition zones and reducing minimum inhibitory concentrations. These findings fill in the gaps on researches of BIF-organic molecular salt, and adequately exemplify the feasibility and validity by integrating theoretical and experimental approaches to resolve BIF's problems via the salification-driven tactic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan-Zhi Bu
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong 266003, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science, Qingdao, Shandong 266234, PR China
| | - Su-Su Meng
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong 266003, PR China
| | - Ling-Yang Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, 266075, PR China.
| | - Zhi-Yong Wu
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong 266003, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science, Qingdao, Shandong 266234, PR China.
| | - Yan-Tuan Li
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong 266003, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science, Qingdao, Shandong 266234, PR China.
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7
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Tran DM, Huynh TU, Do TO. Novel domain-structure-containing chitinases A and B of Bacillus velezensis produced by recombinant Escherichia coli cells: Synergism on chitin degradation and their potential in suppressing Candida albicans cell germination. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2024; 22:100402. [PMID: 39179322 PMCID: PMC11318559 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgeb.2024.100402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
Abstract
Bacillus velezensis RB.IBE29 harbors two chitinases belonging to the glycoside hydrolase family 18 and exhibiting a novel domain structure. The roles of these chitinases in crop production have been reported; nevertheless, their contribution to controlling human pathogens is unknown. In this initial work, the chitinases A (BvChiA) and B (BvChiB) of strain RB.IBE29 were produced in recombinant Escherichia coli BL21-CodonPlus (DE3)-RIPL cells and subsequently purified using HisTrap FF column. The purified BvChiA and BvChiB exhibited the highest chitinase and binding activities against colloidal chitin. Combining both chitinases for the hydrolysis of powdered chitin increased the reducing sugar content by 88.7 %. Moreover, the purified chitinases remarkably suppressed the germination of Candida albicans VTCC 20568 (=JCM 2070) cells. These results indicated that the novel domain-structure-containing chitinases of strain RB.IBE29 have great potential and can be further developed as a novel therapeutic agent against human pathogenic C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinh Minh Tran
- Institute of Biotechnology and Environment, Tay Nguyen University, Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak 630000, Viet Nam.
| | - To Uyen Huynh
- Institute of Biotechnology and Environment, Tay Nguyen University, Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak 630000, Viet Nam
| | - Tu Oanh Do
- Institute of Biotechnology and Environment, Tay Nguyen University, Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak 630000, Viet Nam
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8
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Qin W, Guo T, You T, Tian R, Cui X, Wang P. Metagenomic next generation sequencing of bronchoalveolar lavage fluids for the identification of pathogens in patients with pulmonary infection: A retrospective study. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2024; 110:116402. [PMID: 38878340 DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2024.116402] [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: 04/14/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Due to the limitations of traditional laboratory methods (TMs), identification of causative pathogens of numerous pulmonary infections (PIs) remains difficult. This study evaluated the value of metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) in the identification of various respiratory pathogens. A total of 207 patients with TMs and mNGS data were collected for this retrospective study. TMs included sputum culture, blood, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) analysis, or polymerase chain reaction analysis of throat swabs. Otherwise, BALF was collected and analyzed using mNGS. For bacterial pathogens, sensitivities of mNGS as compared to TMs were 76.74 % and 58.14 % (P=0.012). For fungal pathogens, the detection rate of mNGS sensitivity was higher as compared to that of TMs (93.68 % vs 22.11 %; P<0.001). The positive predictive value and negative predictive value were also greater for mNGS. Use of mNGS for BALF analysis offers good specificity and thus facilitates to the clinical diagnosis of PIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Qin
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China
| | - Tai Guo
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China
| | - Tiebin You
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China
| | - Ruixin Tian
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China
| | - Xiaoman Cui
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China.
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Allkja J, Roudbary M, Alves AMV, Černáková L, Rodrigues CF. Biomaterials with antifungal strategies to fight oral infections. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2024; 44:1151-1163. [PMID: 37587010 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2023.2236784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Oral fungal infections pose a threat to human health and increase the economic burden of oral diseases by prolonging and complicating treatment. A cost-effective strategy is to try to prevent these infections from happening in the first place. With this purpose, biomaterials with antifungal properties are a crucial element to overcome fungal infections in the oral cavity. In this review, we go through different kinds of biomaterials and coatings that can be used to functionalize them. We also review their potential as a therapeutic approach in addition to prophylaxis, by going through traditional and alternative antifungal compounds, e.g., essential oils, that could be incorporated in them, to enhance their efficacy against fungal pathogens. We aim to highlight the potential of these technologies and propose questions that need to be addressed in prospective research. Finally, we intend to concatenate the key aspects and technologies on the use of biomaterials in oral health, to create an easy to find summary of the current state-of-the-art for researchers in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jontana Allkja
- Faculty of Engineering, LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Faculty of Engineering, ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, Oral Sciences Research Group, Glasgow Dental School, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Maryam Roudbary
- Sydney Infectious Disease Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Anelise Maria Vasconcelos Alves
- Faculty of Engineering, LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Faculty of Engineering, ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Institute of Health Sciences, University of International Integration of Afro-Brazilian Lusophony, Redenção, Brazil
| | - Lucia Černáková
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Célia Fortuna Rodrigues
- Faculty of Engineering, LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Faculty of Engineering, ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- 1H-TOXRUN - One Health Toxicology Research Unit, Cooperativa de Ensino Superior Politécnico e Universitário - CESPU, Gandra PRD, Portugal
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10
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Billerbeck S, Walker RSK, Pretorius IS. Killer yeasts: expanding frontiers in the age of synthetic biology. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:1081-1096. [PMID: 38575438 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.03.003] [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: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Killer yeasts secrete protein toxins that are selectively lethal to other yeast and filamentous fungi. These exhibit exceptional genetic and functional diversity, and have several biotechnological applications. However, despite decades of research, several limitations hinder their widespread adoption. In this perspective we contend that technical advances in synthetic biology present an unprecedented opportunity to unlock the full potential of yeast killer systems across a spectrum of applications. By leveraging these new technologies, engineered killer toxins may emerge as a pivotal new tool to address antifungal resistance and food security. Finally, we speculate on the biotechnological potential of re-engineering host double-stranded (ds) RNA mycoviruses, from which many toxins derive, as a safe and noninfectious system to produce designer RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Billerbeck
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology institute, University of Groningen, Groningen 9747, AG, The Netherlands
| | - Roy S K Walker
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Isak S Pretorius
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
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11
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Vera-González N, Deusenbery C, LaMastro V, Shukla A. Fungal Enzyme-Responsive Hydrogel Drug Delivery Platform for Triggered Antifungal Release. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2401157. [PMID: 39210641 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202401157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Fungal infections can lead to debilitating consequences if they are not treated effectively. Antifungal drugs used to treat these infections can be toxic and overuse contributes to growing antifungal resistance. Candida spp., particularly C. albicans, are implicated in a majority of these infections. Virulent C. albicans produce secreted aspartic proteases (Saps) that aid in pathogen tissue invasion and proliferation at an infected site. Here, fungi-responsive hydrogels are developed that degrade in the presence of Saps to provide a triggered release of encapsulated liposomal antifungals. The hydrogel backbone incorporates a Sap-cleavable peptide sequence enabling Sap-responsive degradation. Hydrogels are found to effectively degrade in the presence of Saps extracted from C. albicans. Encapsulated liposomal antifungals show similar release kinetics as hydrogel degradation products in the presence of Saps, supporting a degradation-dependent release mechanism. Antifungal liposome-loaded responsive hydrogels exhibit successful eradication of C. albicans cultures and remain stable in sterile murine wound fluid. Finally, no significant cytotoxicity is observed for murine fibroblast cells and red blood cells exposed to hydrogel degradation products. These fungi-responsive hydrogels have the potential to be used for local, on-demand delivery of antifungal drugs, for effective treatment of fungal infections while helping to limit unnecessary exposure to these therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noel Vera-González
- School Of Engineering, Institute for Biology, Engineering, and Medicine, Brown University, 184 Hope Street, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Carly Deusenbery
- School Of Engineering, Institute for Biology, Engineering, and Medicine, Brown University, 184 Hope Street, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Veronica LaMastro
- School Of Engineering, Institute for Biology, Engineering, and Medicine, Brown University, 184 Hope Street, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Anita Shukla
- School Of Engineering, Institute for Biology, Engineering, and Medicine, Brown University, 184 Hope Street, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
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12
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Liu F, Chen Y, Huang Y, Jin Q, Ji J. Nanomaterial-based therapeutics for enhanced antifungal therapy. J Mater Chem B 2024. [PMID: 39192670 DOI: 10.1039/d4tb01484g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
The application of nanotechnology in antifungal therapy is gaining increasing attention. Current antifungal drugs have significant limitations, such as severe side effects, low bioavailability, and the rapid development of resistance. Nanotechnology offers an innovative solution to address these issues. This review discusses three key strategies of nanotechnology to enhance antifungal efficacy. Firstly, nanomaterials can enhance their interaction with fungal cells via ingenious surface tailoring of nanomaterials. Effective adhesion of nanoparticles to fungal cells can be achieved by electrostatic interaction or specific targeting to the fungal cell wall and cell membrane. Secondly, stimuli-responsive nanomaterials are developed to realize smart release of drugs in the specific microenvironment of pathological tissues, such as the fungal biofilm microenvironment and inflammatory microenvironment. Thirdly, nanomaterials can be designed to cross different physiological barriers, effectively addressing challenges posed by skin, corneal, and blood-brain barriers. Additionally, some new nanomaterial-based strategies in treating fungal infections are discussed, including the development of fungal vaccines, modulation of macrophage activity, phage therapy, the application of high-throughput screening in drug discovery, and so on. Despite the challenges faced in applying nanotechnology to antifungal therapy, its significant potential and innovation open new possibilities for future clinical antifungal applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization of Ministry of Education, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
| | - Yongcheng Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization of Ministry of Education, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
| | - Yue Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization of Ministry of Education, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
| | - Qiao Jin
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization of Ministry of Education, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
| | - Jian Ji
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization of Ministry of Education, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Transvascular Implantation Devices, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Rd, Hangzhou, 310009, China
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13
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Xiong EH, Zhang X, Yan H, Ward HN, Lin ZY, Wong CJ, Fu C, Gingras AC, Noble SM, Robbins N, Myers CL, Cowen LE. Functional genomic analysis of genes important for Candida albicans fitness in diverse environmental conditions. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114601. [PMID: 39126650 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Fungal pathogens such as Candida albicans pose a significant threat to human health with limited treatment options available. One strategy to expand the therapeutic target space is to identify genes important for pathogen growth in host-relevant environments. Here, we leverage a pooled functional genomic screening strategy to identify genes important for fitness of C. albicans in diverse conditions. We identify an essential gene with no known Saccharomyces cerevisiae homolog, C1_09670C, and demonstrate that it encodes subunit 3 of replication factor A (Rfa3). Furthermore, we apply computational analyses to identify functionally coherent gene clusters and predict gene function. Through this approach, we predict the cell-cycle-associated function of C3_06880W, a previously uncharacterized gene required for fitness specifically at elevated temperatures, and follow-up assays confirm that C3_06880W encodes Iml3, a component of the C. albicans kinetochore with roles in virulence in vivo. Overall, this work reveals insights into the vulnerabilities of C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily H Xiong
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Huijuan Yan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Henry N Ward
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Zhen-Yuan Lin
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Cassandra J Wong
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Ci Fu
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Anne-Claude Gingras
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Suzanne M Noble
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Nicole Robbins
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Chad L Myers
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Leah E Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
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14
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Koren V, Ben-Zeev E, Voronov I, Fridman M. Chiral Fluorescent Antifungal Azole Probes Detect Resistance, Uptake Dynamics, and Subcellular Distribution in Candida Species. JACS AU 2024; 4:3157-3169. [PMID: 39211628 PMCID: PMC11350599 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.4c00479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 07/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Azoles are essential for fungal infection treatment, yet the increasing resistance highlights the need for innovative diagnostic tools and strategies to revitalize this class of antifungals. We developed two enantiomers of a fluorescent antifungal azole probe (1 S and 1 R ), analyzing 60 Candida strains via live-cell microscopy. A database of azole distribution images in strains of Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, and Candida parapsilosis, among the most important pathogenic Candida species, was established and analyzed. This analysis revealed distinct populations of yeast cells based on the correlation between fluorescent probe uptake and cell diameter. Varied uptake levels and subcellular distribution patterns were observed in C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis, with the latter displaying increased localization to lipid droplets. Comparison of the more potent fluorescent antifungal azole probe enantiomer 1 S with the moderately potent enantiomer 1 R highlighted time-dependent differences in the uptake profiles. The former displayed a marked elevation in uptake after approximately 150 min, indicating the time required for significant cell permeabilization to occur and its association with the azole's antifungal activity potency. Divergent uptake levels between susceptible and high efflux-based azole-resistant strains were detected, offering a rapid diagnostic approach for identifying azole resistance. This study highlights unique insights achievable through fluorescent antifungal azole probes, unraveling the complexities of azole resistance, subcellular dynamics, and uptake within fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vlad Koren
- School
of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverley Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Efrat Ben-Zeev
- Ilana
and Pascal Mantoux Institute for Bioinformatics and Nancy and Stephen
Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Ivan Voronov
- School
of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverley Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Micha Fridman
- School
of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverley Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
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15
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Schaefer S, Corrigan N, Brunke S, Lenardon MD, Boyer C. Combatting Fungal Infections: Advances in Antifungal Polymeric Nanomaterials. Biomacromolecules 2024. [PMID: 39177507 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
Fungal pathogens cause over 6.5 million life-threatening systemic infections annually, with mortality rates ranging from 20 to 95%, even with medical intervention. The World Health Organization has recently emphasized the urgent need for new antifungal drugs. However, the range of effective antifungal agents remains limited and resistance is increasing. This Review explores the current landscape of fungal infections and antifungal drugs, focusing on synthetic polymeric nanomaterials like nanoparticles that enhance the physicochemical properties of existing drugs. Additionally, we examine intrinsically antifungal polymers that mimic naturally occurring peptides. Advances in polymer characterization and synthesis now allow precise design and screening for antifungal activity, biocompatibility, and drug interactions. These antifungal polymers represent a promising new class of drugs for combating fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Schaefer
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoell Institute, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Nathaniel Corrigan
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Sascha Brunke
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoell Institute, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Megan D Lenardon
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Cyrille Boyer
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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16
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Pelliccia S, Russomanno P, Barone S, Mateu B, Alfano AI, Miranda M, Coretti L, Lembo F, Piccolo M, Irace C, Friggeri L, Hargrove TY, Curtis A, Lepesheva GI, Kavanagh K, Buommino E, Brindisi M. A First-in-Class Pyrazole-isoxazole Enhanced Antifungal Activity of Voriconazole: Synergy Studies in an Azole-Resistant Candida albicans Strain, Computational Investigation and in Vivo Validation in a Galleria mellonella Fungal Infection Model. J Med Chem 2024; 67:14256-14276. [PMID: 39115219 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c01109] [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: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
The widespread and irrational use of azole antifungal agents has led to an increase of azole-resistant Candida albicans strains with an urgent need for combination drug therapy, enhancing the treatment efficacy. Here, we report the discovery of a first-in-class pyrazole-isoxazole, namely, 5b, that showed remarkable growth inhibition against the C. albicans ATCC 10231 strain in combination with voriconazole, acting as a downregulator of ERG 11 (Cyp51) gene expression with a significant reduction of the yeast-to-hypha morphological transition. Furthermore, C. albicans CYP51 enzyme assay and in-depth molecular docking studies unveiled the unique ability of the combination of 5b and voriconazole to completely fill the CYP51 binding sites. In vivo studies using a Galleria mellonella model confirmed the previously in vitro observed synergistic effect of 5b with voriconazole. Also considering its biocompatibility in a cellular model of human keratinocytes, these results indicate that 5b represents a promising compound for a further optimization campaign.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sveva Pelliccia
- Department of Pharmacy (DoE 2023-2027), University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Pasquale Russomanno
- Magnetic Resonance Centre (CERM), Consorzio Interuniversitario Risonanze Magnetiche di Metallo Proteine (CIRMMP) and Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, Via L. Sacconi 6, Sesto Fiorentino 50019, Italy
| | - Simona Barone
- Department of Pharmacy (DoE 2023-2027), University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Baptiste Mateu
- Department of Pharmacy (DoE 2023-2027), University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Antonella Ilenia Alfano
- Department of Pharmacy (DoE 2023-2027), University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Martina Miranda
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Cell Biological Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Institute, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Lorena Coretti
- Department of Pharmacy (DoE 2023-2027), University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Lembo
- Department of Pharmacy (DoE 2023-2027), University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Marialuisa Piccolo
- BioChemLab, Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Carlo Irace
- BioChemLab, Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Laura Friggeri
- Department of Cell and Development Biology, U4225 Medical Research Building III, 465 21st Avenue South Room 4160 MRB III Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Tatiana Y Hargrove
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Aaron Curtis
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, W23 F2H6 Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Galina I Lepesheva
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Kevin Kavanagh
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, W23 F2H6 Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Elisabetta Buommino
- Department of Pharmacy (DoE 2023-2027), University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Margherita Brindisi
- Department of Pharmacy (DoE 2023-2027), University of Naples Federico II, via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
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17
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Long Y, Xu J, Hu Z, Fan XY, Wang H. Antifungal activity of Cinnamaldehyde derivatives against fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans. Microb Pathog 2024; 195:106877. [PMID: 39173853 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2024.106877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogen commonly found in human mucous membranes. In light of the escalating challenge posed by antibiotic resistance of C. albicans strains worldwide, it is an urgently necessary to explore alternative therapeutic options. OBJECTIVE This study aims to assess the efficacy of two Cinnamaldehyde derivatives, 2-Cl Cinnamaldehyde (2-Cl CA) and 4-Cl Cinnamaldehyde (4-Cl CA), against C. albicans through both in vitro experiments and in vivo murine models and to evaluate their potential as new drug candidates for treating C. albicans. METHODS AND RESULTS The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of Cinnamaldehyde 2-Cl and 4-Cl benzene ring derivatives against C. albicans were 25 μg/mL. Time-killing experiments revealed that both Cinnamaldehyde derivatives exhibited fungicidal activity against C. albicans at concentrations of 5 MIC and 10 MIC. In the checkerboard experiment, 4-Cl CA did not show any antagonistic effect when combined with first-line antifungal drugs. Instead, it exhibited additive effects in combination with nystatin. Both 2-Cl and 4-Cl CA demonstrated inhibitory activity against C. albicans biofilm formation, especially at 8 MIC and 16 MIC concentrations. In C. albicans biofilm eradication experiments, although high drug concentrations of 2-Cl and 4-Cl CA were unable to eradicate the biofilm completely, they were still effective in killing C. albicans cells within the biofilm. Moreover, sub-inhibitory concentrations of 4-Cl CA (ranging from 5 to 20 μg/mL) significantly inhibited cell aggregation and hyphal formation. Furthermore, 4-Cl CA effectively inhibited intracellular C. albicans infection in macrophages. Lastly, the effectiveness of 4-Cl CA was evaluated in a mouse model of hematogenous disseminated candidiasis caused by C. albicans, which revealed that 4-Cl CA significantly reduced fungal burden and improved mouse survival compared to the untreated controls. CONCLUSION The 4-Cl CA exhibited inhibitory effects against C. albicans through both in vivo and in vitro models, demonstrating its therapeutic potential as a promising new drug candidate for treating drug-resistant candidiasis albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujiao Long
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Products Research and Development, College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China; Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jinchuan Xu
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhidong Hu
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiao-Yong Fan
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity & Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Hui Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Products Research and Development, College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China.
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18
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Redrado-Hernández S, Macías-León J, Castro-López J, Belén Sanz A, Dolader E, Arias M, González-Ramírez AM, Sánchez-Navarro D, Petryk Y, Farkaš V, Vincke C, Muyldermans S, García-Barbazán I, Del Agua C, Zaragoza O, Arroyo J, Pardo J, Gálvez EM, Hurtado-Guerrero R. Broad Protection against Invasive Fungal Disease from a Nanobody Targeting the Active Site of Fungal β-1,3-Glucanosyltransferases. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202405823. [PMID: 38856634 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202405823] [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: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Invasive fungal disease accounts for about 3.8 million deaths annually, an unacceptable rate that urgently prompts the discovery of new knowledge-driven treatments. We report the use of camelid single-domain nanobodies (Nbs) against fungal β-1,3-glucanosyltransferases (Gel) involved in β-1,3-glucan transglycosylation. Crystal structures of two Nbs with Gel4 from Aspergillus fumigatus revealed binding to a dissimilar CBM43 domain and a highly conserved catalytic domain across fungal species, respectively. Anti-Gel4 active site Nb3 showed significant antifungal efficacy in vitro and in vivo prophylactically and therapeutically against different A. fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans isolates, reducing the fungal burden and disease severity, thus significantly improving immunocompromised animal survival. Notably, C. deneoformans (serotype D) strains were more susceptible to Nb3 and genetic Gel deletion than C. neoformans (serotype A) strains, indicating a key role for β-1,3-glucan remodelling in C. deneoformans survival. These findings add new insight about the role of β-1,3-glucan in fungal biology and demonstrate the potential of nanobodies in targeting fungal enzymes to combat invasive fungal diseases.
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Grants
- PID2022-136362NB-I00 Ministerio de Asuntos Económicos y Transformación Digital, Gobierno de España
- BIO2016-79289-P Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Gobierno de España
- PID2019-105223GB-I00 Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades y Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Gobierno de España
- PID2022-136888NB-I00 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación y Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Gobierno de España
- PID2020-114546RB Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación y Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Gobierno de España
- PID2020-113963RB-I00 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación y Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Gobierno de España
- S2017/BMD3691-InGEMICS-CM Comunidad de Madrid
- B29_17R, E34_R17, LMP58_18 and LMP139_21 Gobierno de Aragon
- Nanofungi Precipita (crowdfunding)
- BIOSTRUCTX_5186 FP7 (2007-2013), BioStruct-X
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Redrado-Hernández
- Instituto de Carboquímica ICB-CSIC, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research in Network in Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Health Institute Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Macías-León
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Mariano Esquillor s/n, Campus Rio Ebro, Edificio I+D, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Jorge Castro-López
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Mariano Esquillor s/n, Campus Rio Ebro, Edificio I+D, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Ana Belén Sanz
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Dolader
- Department of Microbiology, Pediatry, Radiology and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
- Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragón (CIBA), 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Maykel Arias
- Center for Biomedical Research in Network in Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Health Institute Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Microbiology, Pediatry, Radiology and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
- Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragón (CIBA), 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Andrés Manuel González-Ramírez
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Mariano Esquillor s/n, Campus Rio Ebro, Edificio I+D, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - David Sánchez-Navarro
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Mariano Esquillor s/n, Campus Rio Ebro, Edificio I+D, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Yuliya Petryk
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Vladimír Farkaš
- Department of Glycobiology, Institute of Chemistry, Center for Glycomics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84538, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Cécile Vincke
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Serge Muyldermans
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Irene García-Barbazán
- Mycology Reference Laboratory. National Centre for Microbiology., Health Institute Carlos III, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Celia Del Agua
- Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragón (CIBA), 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, IIS-Aragón, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Oscar Zaragoza
- Center for Biomedical Research in Network in Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Health Institute Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Mycology Reference Laboratory. National Centre for Microbiology., Health Institute Carlos III, 28220, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Arroyo
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julián Pardo
- Center for Biomedical Research in Network in Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Health Institute Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Microbiology, Pediatry, Radiology and Public Health, University of Zaragoza, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
- Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), Biomedical Research Centre of Aragón (CIBA), 50009, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Eva M Gálvez
- Instituto de Carboquímica ICB-CSIC, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research in Network in Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Health Institute Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ramon Hurtado-Guerrero
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Mariano Esquillor s/n, Campus Rio Ebro, Edificio I+D, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
- Fundación ARAID, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain
- Copenhagen Center for Glycomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
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19
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Labib MM, Alqahtani AM, Abo Nahas HH, Aldossari RM, Almiman BF, Ayman Alnumaani S, El-Nablaway M, Al-Olayan E, Alsunbul M, Saied EM. Novel Insights into the Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity of Pyrroloquinoline Quinone (PQQ); In Vitro, In Silico, and Shotgun Proteomic Studies. Biomolecules 2024; 14:1018. [PMID: 39199405 PMCID: PMC11352295 DOI: 10.3390/biom14081018] [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: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 08/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbial infections pose a significant global health threat, affecting millions of individuals and leading to substantial mortality rates. The increasing resistance of microorganisms to conventional treatments requires the development of novel antimicrobial agents. Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), a natural medicinal drug involved in various cellular processes, holds promise as a potential antimicrobial agent. In the present study, our aim was, for the first time, to explore the antimicrobial activity of PQQ against 29 pathogenic microbes, including 13 fungal strains, 8 Gram-positive bacteria, and 8 Gram-negative bacteria. Our findings revealed potent antifungal properties of PQQ, particularly against Syncephalastrum racemosum, Talaromyces marneffei, Candida lipolytica, and Trichophyton rubrum. The MIC values varied between fungal strains, and T. marneffei exhibited a lower MIC, indicating a greater susceptibility to PQQ. In addition, PQQ exhibited notable antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria, with a prominent inhibition observed against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Proteus vulgaris, and MRSA strains. Remarkably, PQQ demonstrated considerable biofilm inhibition against the MRSA, S. epidermidis, and P. vulgaris strains. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies revealed that PQQ caused structural damage and disrupted cell metabolism in bacterial cells, leading to aberrant morphology, compromised cell membrane integrity, and leakage of cytoplasmic contents. These findings were further affirmed by shotgun proteomic analysis, which revealed that PQQ targets several important cellular processes in bacteria, including membrane proteins, ATP metabolic processes, DNA repair processes, metal-binding proteins, and stress response. Finally, detailed molecular modeling investigations indicated that PQQ exhibits a substantial binding affinity score for key microbial targets, including the mannoprotein Mp1P, the transcriptional regulator TcaR, and the endonuclease PvuRTs1I. Taken together, our study underscores the effectiveness of PQQ as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent capable of combating pathogenic fungi and bacteria, while also inhibiting biofilm formation and targeting several critical biological processes, making it a promising therapeutic option for biofilm-related infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai M. Labib
- Department of Bioinformatics, Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI), Agricultural Research Centre (ARC), Cairo 12619, Egypt;
| | - Alaa M. Alqahtani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia;
| | | | - Rana M. Aldossari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Bandar Fahad Almiman
- Biology Department, College of Science, Al-Baha University, Al Bahah 65779, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Sarah Ayman Alnumaani
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jeddah, Jeddah 23218, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Mohammad El-Nablaway
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, AlMaarefa University, P.O. Box 71666, Riyadh 11597, Saudi Arabia;
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Ebtesam Al-Olayan
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Maha Alsunbul
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Essa M. Saied
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
- Institute for Chemistry, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, 12489 Berlin, Germany
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20
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Prado GM, Prado JCS, Aguiar FLLDE, Barbosa FCB, Vale JPCDO, Martins MR, Arantes SM, Sousa NVDE, Lima DM, Marinho ES, Marinho MM, Fontenelle ROS. Antifungal, molecular docking and cytotoxic effect of the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf. and Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle against Candida albicans. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2024; 96:e20230309. [PMID: 39166649 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202420230309] [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: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Brazil is renowned for its extensive plant biodiversity, with emphasis on Cymbopogon, C. citratus and C. nardus, with broad antimicrobial potential. Candidemias caused by Candida albicans are highly prevalent in immunosuppressed individuals and are associated with infections by biofilms on medical devices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of essential oils C. citratus and C. nardus against C. albicans in planktonic and biofilm forms. Essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and chemical composition evaluated by GC-FID and GC-MS. The minimum inhibitory concentration was determined by the broth microdilution method and the synergy effect of essential oils and amphotericin B were evaluated by the checkerboard test. Biofilm activity was determined by the XTT assay. Cytotoxicity assays performed with VERO cells and molecular docking were performed to predict the effect of oil interaction on the SAP-5 enzyme site. The results showed activity of essential oils against planktonic cells and biofilm of C. albicans. Furthermore, the oils had a synergistic effect, and low cytotoxicity. Molecular docking showed interaction between Cadinene, Caryophyllen oxide, Germacrene D with SAP-5. The results indicate that Cymbopogon spp. studied are anti-Candida, with potential for further application in therapy against infections caused by C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme M Prado
- Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. Cmte. Maurocélio Rocha Pontes, 100, Jocely Dantas de Andrade Torres, 62042-250 Sobral, CE, Brazil
| | - Júlio César S Prado
- Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. Cmte. Maurocélio Rocha Pontes, 100, Jocely Dantas de Andrade Torres, 62042-250 Sobral, CE, Brazil
| | - Francisca Lidiane L DE Aguiar
- Universidade Estadual Vale do Acaraú, Centro de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas, Av. Padre Francisco Sadoc de Araujo, 850, Alto da Brasilia, 62010-295 Sobral, CE, Brazil
| | - Francisco Cesar B Barbosa
- Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. Cmte. Maurocélio Rocha Pontes, 100, Jocely Dantas de Andrade Torres, 62042-250 Sobral, CE, Brazil
| | - Jean P C DO Vale
- Universidade Estadual Vale do Acaraú, Centro de Ciências Exatas e Tecnologia, Av. Padre Francisco Sadoc de Araujo, 850, Alto da Brasilia, 62010-295 Sobral, CE, Brazil
| | - Maria Rosário Martins
- Departmento de Ciências Médicas e da Saúde, Universidade de Evora, Colégio Luís António Verney, Rua Romão Ramalho, 59, 7000-671 Évora, Portugal
- HERCULES Laboratory, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA), Universidade de Evora, Palácio do Vimioso, Largo Marquês de Marialva 8, 7000-809, Evora, Portugal
| | - Silva Macedo Arantes
- HERCULES Laboratory, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA), Universidade de Evora, Palácio do Vimioso, Largo Marquês de Marialva 8, 7000-809, Evora, Portugal
| | - Natália V DE Sousa
- Programa em Ciências Médicas, Universidade de Fortaleza, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Av. da Universidade, 2853, Benfica, 60020-181 Fortaleza, CE, CEP, Brazil
| | - Danielle M Lima
- Programa em Ciências Médicas, Universidade de Fortaleza, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Av. da Universidade, 2853, Benfica, 60020-181 Fortaleza, CE, CEP, Brazil
| | - Emmanuel S Marinho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Naturais, Universidade Estadual do Ceará/UECE, Av. Dr. Silas Munguba, 1700, 60714-903 Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Márcia M Marinho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Naturais, Universidade Estadual do Ceará/UECE, Av. Dr. Silas Munguba, 1700, 60714-903 Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Raquel O S Fontenelle
- Universidade Estadual Vale do Acaraú, Centro de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas, Av. Padre Francisco Sadoc de Araujo, 850, Alto da Brasilia, 62010-295 Sobral, CE, Brazil
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21
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Sayson SG, Ashbaugh A, Porollo A, Smulian G, Cushion MT. Pneumocystis murina promotes inflammasome formation and NETosis during Pneumocystis pneumonia. mBio 2024; 15:e0140924. [PMID: 38953359 PMCID: PMC11323544 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01409-24] [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: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PjP) poses a serious risk to individuals with compromised immune systems, such as individuals with HIV/AIDS or undergoing immunosuppressive therapies for cancer or solid organ transplants. Severe PjP triggers excessive lung inflammation, resulting in lung function decline and consequential alveolar damage, potentially culminating in acute respiratory distress syndrome. Non-HIV patients face a 30%-60% mortality rate, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding of inflammatory responses in PjP. Prior research emphasized macrophages in Pneumocystis infections, neglecting neutrophils' role in tissue damage. Consequently, the overemphasis on macrophages led to an incomplete understanding of the role of neutrophils and inflammatory responses. In the current investigation, our RNAseq studies on a murine surrogate model of PjP revealed heightened activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and NETosis cell death pathways in their lungs. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) presence in the lungs of the P. murina-infected mice, validating our findings. Moreover, isolated neutrophils exhibited NETosis when directly stimulated with P. murina. Isolated NETs compromised P. murina viability in vitro, highlighting the potential role of neutrophils in controlling fungal growth and promoting inflammation during P. murina pneumonia through NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and NETosis. These pathways, essential for inflammation and pathogen elimination, bear the risk of uncontrolled activation leading to excessive tissue damage and persistent inflammation. This pioneering study is the first to identify the formation of NETs and inflammasomes during Pneumocystis infection, paving the way for comprehensive investigations into treatments aimed at mitigating lung damage and augmenting survival rates for individuals with PjP.IMPORTANCEPneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PjP) affects individuals with weakened immunity, such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, and organ transplant patients. Severe PjP triggers lung inflammation, impairing function and potentially causing acute respiratory distress syndrome. Non-HIV individuals face a 30%-60% mortality rate, underscoring the need for deeper insight into PjP's inflammatory responses. Past research focused on macrophages in managing Pneumocystis infection and its inflammation, while the role of neutrophils was generally overlooked. In contrast, our findings in P. murina-infected mouse lungs showed neutrophil involvement during inflammation and increased expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and NETosis pathways. Detection of neutrophil extracellular traps further indicated their involvement in the inflammatory process. Although beneficial in combating infection, unregulated neutrophil activation poses a potential threat to lung tissues. Understanding the behavior of neutrophils in Pneumocystis infections is crucial for controlling detrimental reactions and formulating treatments to reduce lung damage, ultimately improving the survival rates of individuals with PjP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven G. Sayson
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- The Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Alan Ashbaugh
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- The Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Aleksey Porollo
- Division of Human Genetics, Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - George Smulian
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- The Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Melanie T. Cushion
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- The Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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22
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Specht CA, Wang R, Oliveira LVN, Hester MM, Gomez C, Mou Z, Carlson D, Lee CK, Hole CR, Lam WC, Upadhya R, Lodge JK, Levitz SM. Immunological correlates of protection mediated by a whole organism, Cryptococcus neoformans, vaccine deficient in chitosan. mBio 2024; 15:e0174624. [PMID: 38980038 PMCID: PMC11323574 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01746-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The global burden of infections due to the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus is substantial in persons with low CD4+ T-cell counts. Previously, we deleted three chitin deacetylase genes from Cryptococcus neoformans to create a chitosan-deficient, avirulent strain, designated as cda1∆2∆3∆, which, when used as a vaccine, protected mice from challenge with virulent C. neoformans strain KN99. Here, we explored the immunological basis for protection. Vaccine-mediated protection was maintained in mice lacking B cells or CD8+ T cells. In contrast, protection was lost in mice lacking α/β T cells or CD4+ T cells. Moreover, CD4+ T cells from vaccinated mice conferred protection upon adoptive transfer to naive mice. Importantly, while monoclonal antibody-mediated depletion of CD4+ T cells just prior to vaccination resulted in complete loss of protection, significant protection was retained in mice depleted of CD4+ T cells after vaccination but prior to challenge. Vaccine-mediated protection was lost in mice genetically deficient in interferon-γ (IFNγ), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), or interleukin (IL)-23p19. A robust influx of leukocytes and IFNγ- and TNFα-expressing CD4+ T cells was seen in the lungs of vaccinated and challenged mice. Finally, a higher level of IFNγ production by lung cells stimulated ex vivo correlated with lower fungal burden in the lungs. Thus, while B cells and CD8+ T cells are dispensable, IFNγ and CD4+ T cells have overlapping roles in generating protective immunity prior to cda1∆2∆3∆ vaccination. However, once vaccinated, protection becomes less dependent on CD4+ T cells, suggesting a strategy for vaccinating HIV+ persons prior to loss of CD4+ T cells. IMPORTANCE The fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is responsible for >100,000 deaths annually, mostly in persons with impaired CD4+ T-cell function such as AIDS. There are no approved human vaccines. We previously created a genetically engineered avirulent strain of C. neoformans, designated as cda1∆2∆3∆. When used as a vaccine, cda1∆2∆3∆ protects mice against a subsequent challenge with a virulent C. neoformans strain. Here, we defined components of the immune system responsible for vaccine-mediated protection. We found that while B cells and CD8+ T cells were dispensible, protection was lost in mice genetically deficient in CD4+ T cells and the cytokines IFNγ, TNFα, or IL-23. A robust influx of cytokine-producing CD4+ T cells was seen in the lungs of vaccinated mice following infection. Importantly, protection was retained in mice depleted of CD4+ T cells following vaccination, suggesting a strategy to protect persons who are at risk of future CD4+ T-cell dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles A. Specht
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ruiying Wang
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lorena V. N. Oliveira
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Maureen M. Hester
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christina Gomez
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zhongming Mou
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Diana Carlson
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Chrono K. Lee
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Camaron R. Hole
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Woei C. Lam
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Rajendra Upadhya
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jennifer K. Lodge
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Stuart M. Levitz
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
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23
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Pereira de Sa N, Del Poeta M. MBX-7591: a promising drug candidate against drug-resistant fungal infections. mBio 2024; 15:e0136124. [PMID: 38990019 PMCID: PMC11323553 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01361-24] [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: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) caused by pathogenic fungi pose a significant public health concern, particularly for immunocompromised individuals. Mortality rates for IFIs remain high, and currently available treatment options are limited. Existing antifungal agents often suffer from limited clinical efficacy, poor fungicidal activity within the host, potential toxicity, and increasing ineffectiveness due to emerging resistance, especially against triazole drugs, the current mainstay of antifungal treatment. A recent study has identified MBX-7591, a small molecule with promising antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus and other pathogenic fungi, including strains resistant to triazoles (C. Gutierrez-Perez, C. Puerner, J. T. Jones, S. Vellanki, E. M. Vesely, et al., mBio e01166-24, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.01166-24). This novel compound appears to inhibit stearoyl-CoA 9-desaturase, a key enzyme involved in fungal fatty acid biosynthesis. By disrupting the conversion of saturated fatty acids to oleic acid, MBX-7591 offers a unique mechanism of action, potentially reducing the risk of resistance development. Here, we now discuss the implications of these groundbreaking findings for overcoming antifungal drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivea Pereira de Sa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Maurizio Del Poeta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northport, New York, USA
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- MicroRid Technologies Inc., Dix Hills, New York, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
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24
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Wickramasinghe DN, Lyon CM, Lee S, Hepworth OW, Priest EL, Maufrais C, Ryan AP, Permal E, Sullivan D, McManus BA, Hube B, Butler G, d'Enfert C, Naglik JR, Richardson JP. Variations in candidalysin amino acid sequence influence toxicity and host responses. mBio 2024; 15:e0335123. [PMID: 38953356 PMCID: PMC11323794 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03351-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans causes millions of mucosal infections in humans annually. Hyphal overgrowth on mucosal surfaces is frequently associated with tissue damage caused by candidalysin, a secreted peptide toxin that destabilizes the plasma membrane of host cells thereby promoting disease and immunopathology. Candidalysin was first identified in C. albicans strain SC5314, but recent investigations have revealed candidalysin "variants" of differing amino acid sequence in isolates of C. albicans, and the related species C. dubliniensis, and C tropicalis, suggesting that sequence variation among candidalysins may be widespread in natural populations of these Candida species. Here, we analyzed ECE1 gene sequences from 182 C. albicans isolates, 10 C. dubliniensis isolates, and 78 C. tropicalis isolates and identified 10, 3, and 2 candidalysin variants in these species, respectively. Application of candidalysin variants to epithelial cells revealed differences in the ability to cause cellular damage, changes in metabolic activity, calcium influx, MAPK signalling, and cytokine secretion, while biophysical analyses indicated that variants exhibited differences in their ability to interact with and permeabilize a membrane. This study identifies candidalysin variants with differences in biological activity that are present in medically relevant Candida species. IMPORTANCE Fungal infections are a significant burden to health. Candidalysin is a toxin produced by Candida albicans that damages host tissues, facilitating infection. Previously, we demonstrated that candidalysins exist in the related species C. dubliniensis and C. tropicalis, thereby identifying these molecules as a toxin family. Recent genomic analyses have highlighted the presence of a small number of candidalysin "variant" toxins, which have different amino acid sequences to those originally identified. Here, we screened genome sequences of isolates of C. albicans, C. dubliniensis, and C. tropicalis and identified candidalysin variants in all three species. When applied to epithelial cells, candidalysin variants differed in their ability to cause damage, activate intracellular signaling pathways, and induce innate immune responses, while biophysical analysis revealed differences in the ability of candidalysin variants to interact with lipid bilayers. These findings suggest that intraspecies variation in candidalysin amino acid sequence may influence fungal pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Don N. Wickramasinghe
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claire M. Lyon
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sejeong Lee
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Olivia W. Hepworth
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emily L. Priest
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Corinne Maufrais
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INRAe USC 2019, Unité Biologie et Pathogénicité Fongiques, Paris, France
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Paris, France
| | - Adam P. Ryan
- School of Biomedical and Biomolecular Science and UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Emmanuelle Permal
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INRAe USC 2019, Unité Biologie et Pathogénicité Fongiques, Paris, France
| | - Derek Sullivan
- Division of Oral Biosciences, Dublin Dental University Hospital, and School of Dental Science, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Brenda A. McManus
- Division of Oral Biosciences, Dublin Dental University Hospital, and School of Dental Science, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Bernhard Hube
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Geraldine Butler
- School of Biomedical and Biomolecular Science and UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Christophe d'Enfert
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, INRAe USC 2019, Unité Biologie et Pathogénicité Fongiques, Paris, France
| | - Julian R. Naglik
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan P. Richardson
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
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25
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Marsaux B, Moens F, Vandevijver G, Marzorati M, van de Wiele T. Candida species-specific colonization in the healthy and impaired human gastrointestinal tract as simulated using the Mucosal Ileum-SHIME® model. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2024; 100:fiae113. [PMID: 39169462 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiae113] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Candida species primarily exist as harmless commensals in the gastrointestinal tract of warm-blooded animals. However, they can also cause life-threatening infections, which are often associated with gut microbial dysbiosis. Identifying the microbial actors that restrict Candida to commensalism remains a significant challenge. In vitro models could enable a mechanistic study of the interactions between Candida and simulated colon microbiomes. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the spatial and temporal colonization kinetics of specific Candida, including C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis, and their relative Nakaseomyces glabratus, by using an adapted SHIME® model, simulating the ileum, and proximal and distal colons. We monitored fungal and bacterial colonization kinetics under conditions of eubiosis (commensal lifestyle) and antibiotic-induced dysbiosis (pathogenic lifestyle). Our findings highlighted the variability in the colonization potential of Candida species across different intestinal regions. The ileum compartment proved to be the most favourable environment for C. albicans and C. parapsilosis under conditions of eubiosis. Antibiotic-induced dysbiosis resulted in resurgence of opportunistic Candida species, especially C. tropicalis and C. albicans. Future research should focus on identifying specific bacterial species influencing Candida colonization resistance and explore the long-term effects of antibiotics on the mycobiome and bacteriome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoît Marsaux
- ProDigest B.V., 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- CMET, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | | | | | - Massimo Marzorati
- ProDigest B.V., 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- CMET, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tom van de Wiele
- ProDigest B.V., 9052 Ghent, Belgium
- CMET, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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26
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Fong JL, Ong Eng Yong V, Yeo C, Adamson C, Li L, Zhang D, Qiao Y. Biochemical Characterization of Recombinant Enterococcus faecalis EntV Peptide to Elucidate Its Antihyphal and Antifungal Mechanisms against Candida albicans. ACS Infect Dis 2024. [PMID: 39137394 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Candida albicans is a common opportunistic fungus in humans, whose morphological switch between yeast and hyphae forms represents a key virulence trait. Developing strategies to inhibit C. albicans hyphal growth may provide insights into designs of novel antivirulent therapeutics. Importantly, the gut commensal bacterium, Enterococcus faecalis, secretes a bacteriocin EntV which has potent antivirulent and antifungal effects against C. albicans in infection models; however, hampered by the challenges to access large quantities of bioactive EntV, the detailed understanding of its mechanisms on C. albicans has remained elusive. In this work, we biochemically reconstituted the proteolytic cleavage reaction to obtain recombinant EntV88-His6 on a large preparative scale, providing facile access to the C-terminal EntV construct. Under in vitro C. albicans hyphal assay with specific inducers, we demonstrated that EntV88-His6 exhibits potent bioactivity against GlcNAc-triggered hyphal growth. Moreover, with fluorescent FITC-EntV88-His6, we revealed that EntV88-His6 enters C. albicans via endocytosis and perturbs the proper localization of the polarisome scaffolding Spa2 protein. Our findings provide important clues on EntV's mechanism of action. Surprisingly, we showed that EntV88-His6 does not affect C. albicans yeast cell growth but potently exerts cytotoxicity against C. albicans under hyphal-inducing conditions in vitro. The combination of EntV88-His6 and GlcNAc displays rapid killing of C. albicans, rendering it a promising antivirulent and antifungal agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Li Fong
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Victor Ong Eng Yong
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, Singapore 117604, Singapore
| | - Claresta Yeo
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Christopher Adamson
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Lanxin Li
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Dan Zhang
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, Singapore 117604, Singapore
| | - Yuan Qiao
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371, Singapore
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27
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Schaefer S, Vij R, Sprague JL, Austermeier S, Dinh H, Judzewitsch PR, Müller-Loennies S, Lopes Silva T, Seemann E, Qualmann B, Hertweck C, Scherlach K, Gutsmann T, Cain AK, Corrigan N, Gresnigt MS, Boyer C, Lenardon MD, Brunke S. A synthetic peptide mimic kills Candida albicans and synergistically prevents infection. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6818. [PMID: 39122699 PMCID: PMC11315985 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50491-x] [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: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
More than two million people worldwide are affected by life-threatening, invasive fungal infections annually. Candida species are the most common cause of nosocomial, invasive fungal infections and are associated with mortality rates above 40%. Despite the increasing incidence of drug-resistance, the development of novel antifungal formulations has been limited. Here we investigate the antifungal mode of action and therapeutic potential of positively charged, synthetic peptide mimics to combat Candida albicans infections. Our data indicates that these synthetic polymers cause endoplasmic reticulum stress and affect protein glycosylation, a mode of action distinct from currently approved antifungal drugs. The most promising polymer composition damaged the mannan layer of the cell wall, with additional membrane-disrupting activity. The synergistic combination of the polymer with caspofungin prevented infection of human epithelial cells in vitro, improved fungal clearance by human macrophages, and significantly increased host survival in a Galleria mellonella model of systemic candidiasis. Additionally, prolonged exposure of C. albicans to the synergistic combination of polymer and caspofungin did not lead to the evolution of tolerant strains in vitro. Together, this work highlights the enormous potential of these synthetic peptide mimics to be used as novel antifungal formulations as well as adjunctive antifungal therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Schaefer
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Raghav Vij
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Jakob L Sprague
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Sophie Austermeier
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Hue Dinh
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Peter R Judzewitsch
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sven Müller-Loennies
- Division of Biophysics, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Taynara Lopes Silva
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Eric Seemann
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Jena University Hospital - Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Britta Qualmann
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Jena University Hospital - Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Hertweck
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Kirstin Scherlach
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Gutsmann
- Division of Biophysics, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Amy K Cain
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Nathaniel Corrigan
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark S Gresnigt
- Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Junior Research Group Adaptive Pathogenicity Strategies, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Cyrille Boyer
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Megan D Lenardon
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Sascha Brunke
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany.
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28
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Farheen A, Case NT, MacAlpine J, Fu C, Robbins N, Cowen LE. The putative prenyltransferase Nus1 is required for filamentation in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae124. [PMID: 38874344 PMCID: PMC11304969 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Candida albicans is a major fungal pathogen of humans that can cause serious systemic infections in vulnerable immunocompromised populations. One of its virulence attributes is its capacity to transition between yeast and filamentous morphologies, but our understanding of this process remains incomplete. Here, we analyzed data from a functional genomic screen performed with the C. albicans Gene Replacement And Conditional Expression collection to identify genes crucial for morphogenesis in host-relevant conditions. Through manual scoring of microscopy images coupled with analysis of each image using a deep learning-based method termed Candescence, we identified 307 genes important for filamentation in tissue culture medium at 37°C with 5% CO2. One such factor was orf19.5963, which is predicted to encode the prenyltransferase Nus1 based on sequence homology to Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We further showed that Nus1 and its predicted interacting partner Rer2 are important for filamentation in multiple liquid filament-inducing conditions as well as for wrinkly colony formation on solid agar. Finally, we highlight that Nus1 and Rer2 likely govern C. albicans morphogenesis due to their importance in intracellular trafficking, as well as maintaining lipid homeostasis. Overall, this work identifies Nus1 and Rer2 as important regulators of C. albicans filamentation and highlights the power of functional genomic screens in advancing our understanding of gene function in human fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiman Farheen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Nicola T Case
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Jessie MacAlpine
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Ci Fu
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Nicole Robbins
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Leah E Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
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29
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Washington EJ, Zhou Y, Hsu AL, Petrovich M, Tenor JL, Toffaletti DL, Guan Z, Perfect JR, Borgnia MJ, Bartesaghi A, Brennan RG. Structures of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase, Tps1, from the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans: A target for antifungals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2314087121. [PMID: 39083421 PMCID: PMC11317593 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314087121] [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: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal diseases are a major threat to human health, resulting in more than 1.5 million annual deaths worldwide. The arsenal of antifungal therapeutics remains limited and is in dire need of drugs that target additional biosynthetic pathways that are absent from humans. One such pathway involves the biosynthesis of trehalose. Trehalose is a disaccharide that is required for pathogenic fungi to survive in their human hosts. In the first step of trehalose biosynthesis, trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (Tps1) converts UDP-glucose and glucose-6-phosphate to trehalose-6-phosphate. Here, we report the structures of full-length Cryptococcus neoformans Tps1 (CnTps1) in unliganded form and in complex with uridine diphosphate and glucose-6-phosphate. Comparison of these two structures reveals significant movement toward the catalytic pocket by the N terminus upon ligand binding and identifies residues required for substrate binding, as well as residues that stabilize the tetramer. Intriguingly, an intrinsically disordered domain (IDD), which is conserved among Cryptococcal species and closely related basidiomycetes, extends from each subunit of the tetramer into the "solvent" but is not visible in density maps. We determined that the IDD is not required for C. neoformans Tps1-dependent thermotolerance and osmotic stress survival. Studies with UDP-galactose highlight the exquisite substrate specificity of CnTps1. In toto, these studies expand our knowledge of trehalose biosynthesis in Cryptococcus and highlight the potential of developing antifungal therapeutics that disrupt the synthesis of this disaccharide or the formation of a functional tetramer and the use of cryo-EM in the structural characterization of CnTps1-ligand/drug complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica J. Washington
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27710
| | - Ye Zhou
- Department of Computer Science, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Allen L. Hsu
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Health and Human Services, NIH, Research Triangle Park, NC27709
| | - Matthew Petrovich
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Health and Human Services, NIH, Research Triangle Park, NC27709
| | - Jennifer L. Tenor
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27710
| | - Dena L. Toffaletti
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27710
| | - Ziqiang Guan
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27710
| | - John R. Perfect
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27710
| | - Mario J. Borgnia
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Health and Human Services, NIH, Research Triangle Park, NC27709
| | - Alberto Bartesaghi
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27710
- Department of Computer Science, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Richard G. Brennan
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27710
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30
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Rafanomezantsoa LC, Sabourin E, Guennouni Sebbouh N, Sitterlé E, Ben Halima N, Raveloarisaona YS, Quesne G, Dannaoui E, Bougnoux ME. Agreement between two real-time commercial PCR kits and an in-house real-time PCR for diagnosis of mucormycosis. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0358523. [PMID: 38916337 PMCID: PMC11302037 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03585-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Mucormycosis is a severe and emerging invasive fungal infection associated with high mortality rates. Early diagnosis is crucial for initiating specific antifungal treatment, with molecular tools currently representing the most efficient diagnostic approach. Presently, a standardized in-house real-time PCR method is widely employed for diagnosing mucormycosis. Our study aimed to evaluate the agreement for the Mucorales DNA detection between two commercial real-time PCR assays-the Fungiplex Mucorales Real-Time PCR Kit and the MycoGENIE Aspergillus-Mucorales spp. Real-Time PCR Kit-in comparison with the in-house PCR. We retrospectively analyzed 58 samples previously identified as positive for Mucorales using the in-house PCR. These samples, obtained from 22 patients with proven or probable mucormycosis, were tested with both commercial kits. Additionally, samples from 40 patients without mucormycosis served as negative controls. Our findings revealed that the MycoGENIE Kit demonstrated superior performance in detecting Mucorales DNA in samples identified as positive by the in-house PCR. Notably, we observed minimal variability in cycle threshold (CT) values when comparing the results of the MycoGENIE Kit with those of the in-house PCR, with an average difference of 1.8 cycles. In contrast, the Fungiplex Kit exhibited a larger discrepancy in CT values compared to the in-house PCR, with an average difference of 4.1 cycles. The MycoGENIE Kit exhibited very good agreement (kappa of 0.82) with the in-house PCR for detecting Mucorales DNA across various sample types. These findings are important for the choice of kits that could be used to diagnose mucormycosis in clinical microbiology laboratories. IMPORTANCE Early diagnosis of mucormycosis is crucial for initiating effective treatment. The detection of Mucorales DNA by PCR in serum has revolutionized the diagnosis of this infection. However, the use of in-house methods can be time consuming. The availability of a commercial kit eliminates the need for in-house assay development, reducing laboratory workload and ensuring consistent performance across different healthcare settings. Currently, there are several commercial assays available, but many have limited evaluation. In this study, we compared two commercial kits and found that the MycoGENIE Kit offers a promising alternative to the in-house method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lovanirina Clémencia Rafanomezantsoa
- Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, APHP, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Unité de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Service de Microbiologie, Paris, France
| | - Estelle Sabourin
- Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, APHP, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Unité de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Service de Microbiologie, Paris, France
| | - Nadia Guennouni Sebbouh
- Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, APHP, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Unité de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Service de Microbiologie, Paris, France
| | - Emilie Sitterlé
- Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, APHP, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Unité de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Service de Microbiologie, Paris, France
| | - Nada Ben Halima
- Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, APHP, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Unité de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Service de Microbiologie, Paris, France
| | - Yannick Sonjah Raveloarisaona
- Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, APHP, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Unité de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Service de Microbiologie, Paris, France
| | - Gilles Quesne
- Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, APHP, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Unité de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Service de Microbiologie, Paris, France
| | - Eric Dannaoui
- Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, APHP, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Unité de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Service de Microbiologie, Paris, France
- Dynamyc Research Group, Paris Est Créteil University (UPEC, EnvA), Paris, France
| | - Marie-Elisabeth Bougnoux
- Université Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, APHP, Hôpital Necker Enfants-Malades, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Unité de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Service de Microbiologie, Paris, France
- Biologie et Pathogénicité fongiques, Département de Mycologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
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31
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Lokras AG, Bobak TR, Baghel SS, Sebastiani F, Foged C. Advances in the design and delivery of RNA vaccines for infectious diseases. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2024; 213:115419. [PMID: 39111358 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2024.115419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
RNA medicines represent a paradigm shift in treatment and prevention of critical diseases of global significance, e.g., infectious diseases. The highly successful messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) were developed at record speed during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. A consequence of this is exceptionally shortened vaccine development times, which in combination with adaptability makes the RNA vaccine technology highly attractive against infectious diseases and for pandemic preparedness. Here, we review state of the art in the design and delivery of RNA vaccines for infectious diseases based on different RNA modalities, including linear mRNA, self-amplifying RNA, trans-amplifying RNA, and circular RNA. We provide an overview of the clinical pipeline of RNA vaccines for infectious diseases, and present analytical procedures, which are paramount for characterizing quality attributes and guaranteeing their quality, and we discuss future perspectives for using RNA vaccines to combat pathogens beyond SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhijeet Girish Lokras
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Thomas Rønnemoes Bobak
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Saahil Sandeep Baghel
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Federica Sebastiani
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark; Division of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, 22100, Lund, Sweden
| | - Camilla Foged
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
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32
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Soeroso NN, Siahaan L, Khairunnisa S, Anggriani RAH, Aida A, Eyanoer PC, Daulay ER, Burhan E, Rozaliyani A, Ronny R, Adawiyah R, Denning DW, Wahyuningsih R. The Association of Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis and Chronic Pulmonary Histoplasmosis with MDR-TB Patients in Indonesia. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:529. [PMID: 39194855 DOI: 10.3390/jof10080529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
In Indonesia, 2.4% of all new tuberculosis patients had multi-drug resistant disease (MDR-TB); an estimated 24,000 incidences. Historical case series of MDR-TB described a high frequency of cavitation and poor prognosis. The diagnosis of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) relies on raised levels of Aspergillus IgG antibodies, and detectable Histoplasma IgG antibodies are suspicious for chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis (CPH). We investigated whether MDR-TB patients might have concurrent CPH or CPA. This was a cross-sectional study with 50 MDR-TB patients. ELISA was used to detect Histoplasma IgG antibodies and lateral flow assay was used to detect Aspergillus IgG/IgM antibodies. Several other possible disease determinants were assessed by multivariate analysis. Of the 50 MDR-TB patients, 14 (28%) and 16 (32%) had positive Histoplasma or Aspergillus serology; six patients (12%) had dual antibody reactivity. Radiological abnormalities in positive patients included diffuse or local infiltrates, nodules, consolidation, and apical cavities, consistent with CPH and CPA. Patients with detectable fungal antibodies tended to have worse disease, and 4 of 26 (15.3%) died in the first 5 months of dual infection (p = 0.11 compared with no deaths in those with only MDR-TB). The criteria for the diagnosis of CPH and CPA were fulfilled in those with moderately and far advanced disease (13 of 14 or 93%) and 12 of 16 (75%), respectively. Damp housing was the only determinant associated with Histoplasma antibodies (PR 2.01; 95%CI 0.56-7.19), while pets were associated with the Aspergillus antibody (PR 18.024; 95%CI 1.594-203.744). CPA or CPH are probably frequent in MDR-TB patients in Indonesia and may carry a worse prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noni N Soeroso
- Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Universitas Sumatera Utara Hospital, Medan 20155, Indonesia
| | - Lambok Siahaan
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan 20155, Indonesia
| | - Selfi Khairunnisa
- Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Universitas Sumatera Utara Hospital, Medan 20155, Indonesia
| | - Raden Ajeng Henny Anggriani
- Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Universitas Sumatera Utara Hospital, Medan 20155, Indonesia
| | - Aida Aida
- Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Universitas Sumatera Utara Hospital, Medan 20155, Indonesia
| | - Putri C Eyanoer
- Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan 20155, Indonesia
| | - Elvita R Daulay
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan 20155, Indonesia
| | - Erlina Burhan
- Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta 13230, Indonesia
| | - Anna Rozaliyani
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia
- Lung Mycosis Centre, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Persahabatan Hospital, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta 13230, Indonesia
| | - Ronny Ronny
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Kristen Indonesi, Jakarta 13630, Indonesia
| | - Robiatul Adawiyah
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia
- Lung Mycosis Centre, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Persahabatan Hospital, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta 13230, Indonesia
- Clinical Parasitology Study Programme, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia
| | - David W Denning
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Retno Wahyuningsih
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia
- Lung Mycosis Centre, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Persahabatan Hospital, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta 13230, Indonesia
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Kristen Indonesi, Jakarta 13630, Indonesia
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33
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Sey EA, Warris A. The gut-lung axis: the impact of the gut mycobiome on pulmonary diseases and infections. OXFORD OPEN IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 5:iqae008. [PMID: 39193472 PMCID: PMC11316619 DOI: 10.1093/oxfimm/iqae008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The gastrointestinal tract contains a diverse microbiome consisting of bacteria, fungi, viruses and archaea. Although these microbes usually reside as commensal organisms, it is now well established that higher abundance of specific bacterial or fungal species, or loss of diversity in the microbiome can significantly affect development, progression and outcomes in disease. Studies have mainly focused on the effects of bacteria, however, the impact of other microbes, such as fungi, has received increased attention in the last few years. Fungi only represent around 0.1% of the total gut microbial population. However, key fungal taxa such as Candida, Aspergillus and Wallemia have been shown to significantly impact health and disease. The composition of the gut mycobiome has been shown to affect immunity at distal sites, such as the heart, lung, brain, pancreas, and liver. In the case of the lung this phenomenon is referred to as the 'gut-lung axis'. Recent studies have begun to explore and unveil the relationship between gut fungi and lung immunity in diseases such as asthma and lung cancer, and lung infections caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi. In this review we will summarize the current, rapidly growing, literature describing the impact of the gut mycobiome on respiratory disease and infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Sey
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Adilia Warris
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
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34
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Luo G, Zhang J, Wang T, Cui H, Bai Y, Luo J, Zhang J, Zhang M, Di L, Yuan Y, Xiong K, Yu X, Zhang Y, Shen C, Zhu C, Wang Y, Su C, Lu Y. A human commensal-pathogenic fungus suppresses host immunity via targeting TBK1. Cell Host Microbe 2024:S1931-3128(24)00262-2. [PMID: 39084229 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Candida albicans stably colonizes humans but is the leading cause of hospital-acquired fungemia. Traditionally, masking immunogenic moieties has been viewed as a tactic for immune evasion. Here, we demonstrate that C. albicans blocks type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling via translocating an effector protein Cmi1 into host cells. Mechanistically, Cmi1 binds and inhibits TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) to abrogate IFN-regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) phosphorylation, thereby suppressing the IFN-I cascade. Murine infection with a cmi1 mutant displays an exaggerated IFN-I response in both kidneys and bone-marrow-derived macrophages, leading to rapid fungal clearance and host survival. Remarkably, the lack of CMI1 compromises gut commensalism and increases IFN-I response in mouse colonic cells. These phenotypes of cmi1 are rescued by the depletion of IFN-I receptor. This work establishes the importance of TBK1 inhibition in fungal pathogenesis and reveals that a human commensal-pathogenic fungus significantly impacts host immunity during gut colonization and infection via delivering effector proteins into host cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Luo
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jingkai Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Tianxu Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Hao Cui
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yukun Bai
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jianchen Luo
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Jinqiu Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Mao Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Linyan Di
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yuncong Yuan
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Kang Xiong
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Xiangtai Yu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yaling Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Chao Shen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Cheng Zhu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yong Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Chang Su
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yang Lu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
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Pfeiffer IPM, Schröder MP, Mordhorst S. Opportunities and challenges of RiPP-based therapeutics. Nat Prod Rep 2024; 41:990-1019. [PMID: 38411278 DOI: 10.1039/d3np00057e] [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: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Covering: up to 2024Ribosomally synthesised and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) comprise a substantial group of peptide natural products exhibiting noteworthy bioactivities ranging from antiinfective to anticancer and analgesic effects. Furthermore, RiPP biosynthetic pathways represent promising production routes for complex peptide drugs, and the RiPP technology is well-suited for peptide engineering to produce derivatives with specific functions. Thus, RiPP natural products possess features that render them potentially ideal candidates for drug discovery and development. Nonetheless, only a small number of RiPP-derived compounds have successfully reached the market thus far. This review initially outlines the therapeutic opportunities that RiPP-based compounds can offer, whilst subsequently discussing the limitations that require resolution in order to fully exploit the potential of RiPPs towards the development of innovative drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel P-M Pfeiffer
- University of Tübingen, Pharmaceutical Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Maria-Paula Schröder
- University of Tübingen, Pharmaceutical Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Silja Mordhorst
- University of Tübingen, Pharmaceutical Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
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Santana de Carvalho D, Bastos RW, Rossato L, Teixeira de Aguiar Peres N, Assis Santos D. ResFungi: A Novel Protein Database of Antifungal Drug Resistance Genes Using a Hidden Markov Model Profile. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:30559-30570. [PMID: 39035910 PMCID: PMC11256324 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c02198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Fungal infections vary from superficial to invasive and can be life-threatening in immunocompromised and healthy individuals. Antifungal resistance is one of the main reasons for an increasing concern about fungal infections as they become more complex and harder to treat. The fungal "omics" databases help us find drug resistance genes, which is of great importance and extremely necessary. With that in mind, we built a new platform for drug resistance genes. We added seven drug classes of resistance genes to our database: azoles (without specifying which drug), fluconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole, flucytosine, micafungin, and caspofungin. Species with known resistance genes were used to validate the results from our database. This study describes a list of 261 candidate genes related to antifungal resistance, with several genes displaying transport functions involved in azole resistance. Over 65% of the candidate genes found were related to at least one type of azole. Overall, the candidate genes found have functional annotations consistent with genes or enzymes that have been linked to antifungal resistance in previous studies. Also, candidate antifungal resistance genes found exhibit functional annotations consistent with previously described resistance mechanisms. The existence of an HMM profile focusing on antifungal resistance genes allows in silico searches for candidate genes, helping future wet lab experiments, and hence, reducing costs when studying candidate antifungal genes without prior knowledge of the species or genes. Finally, ResFungi has proven to be a powerful tool to narrow down candidate antifungal-related genes and unravel mechanisms related to resistance to help in the design of experiments focusing on the genetic basis of antifungal resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Santana de Carvalho
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Rafael Wesley Bastos
- Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, 59064-741 Natal, Brazil
| | - Luana Rossato
- Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, 79825-070 Dourados, Brazil
| | - Nalu Teixeira de Aguiar Peres
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Daniel Assis Santos
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Alemu TG, Alemu NG, Gonete AT. Tinea capitis and its associated factors among school children in Gondar town northwest, Ethiopia. BMC Pediatr 2024; 24:448. [PMID: 38997660 PMCID: PMC11242016 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-024-04917-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tinea capitis is a global public health concern with a unique therapeutic challenge and mostly affects children. The burden is double in developing countries. There is no study on school-going children from the urban residence in Ethiopia. OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of Tinea capitis and its associated factors among school children in Gondar town northwest, Ethiopia 2021. METHODS An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among school children in Gondar town from November 20 to December 20, 2021. Data was collected through an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. A stratified simple random sampling technique was employed. Then data were entered into EPI Info version 7.22 and transferred to Statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 22 for further analysis. The binary logistic regression model was employed to identify factors associated with tinea capitis, and the strength of association and statistical significance was declared using the adjusted odds ratios with its corresponding 95% CI, and p-value ≤ 0.05 respectively. RESULT The prevalence of tinea capitis among school children in Gondar town was found to be 29.4%. Public school student (AOR = 2.79 95% CI: 1.34-5.87), widowed mother (AOR = 6.09, 95% CI: 1.83-11.23), students in the age group of 5-8 years (AOR = 3.79 95% CI: 1.68-8.55), animal contact (AOR = 2.61 95% CI: 1.15-5.90), and family similar illness category (AOR = 8.49 95% CI: 3.73-11.39) have risen the likelihood of tinea capitis among school children. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of tinea capitis was higher. Young age, children from widowed marital status, illiterate mother, history of share blades, animal contact, a family similar illness, and lower number of living rooms are important factors contributing to tinea capitis among school children. Health education for the mother on the mode of transmission, prevention, and improve the low socioeconomic status of the parent is crucial. KEY TERMS Children, Ethiopia, Gondar, School age, Tinea capitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tewodros Getaneh Alemu
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health Nursing, School of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O.Box: 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.
| | - Nigus Getaneh Alemu
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Almaz Tefera Gonete
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health Nursing, School of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O.Box: 196, Gondar, Ethiopia
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Reitler P, Regan J, DeJarnette C, Srivastava A, Carnahan J, Tucker KM, Meibohm B, Peters BM, Palmer GE. The atypical antipsychotic aripiprazole alters the outcome of disseminated Candida albicans infections. Infect Immun 2024; 92:e0007224. [PMID: 38899880 PMCID: PMC11238555 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00072-24] [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: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections impose an enormous clinical, social, and economic burden on humankind. One of the most common species responsible for invasive fungal infections is Candida albicans. More than 30% of patients with disseminated candidiasis fail therapy with existing antifungal drugs, including the widely used azole class. We previously identified a collection of 13 medications that antagonize the activity of the azoles on C. albicans. Although gain-of-function mutations responsible for antifungal resistance are often associated with reduced fitness and virulence, it is currently unknown how exposure to azole antagonistic drugs impacts C. albicans physiology, fitness, or virulence. In this study, we examined how exposure to seven azole antagonists affects C. albicans phenotype and capacity to cause disease. Most of the azole antagonists appear to have little impact on fungal growth, morphology, stress tolerance, or gene transcription. However, aripiprazole had a modest impact on C. albicans hyphal growth and increased cell wall chitin content. It also aggravated the disseminated C. albicans infections in mice. This effect was abrogated in immunosuppressed mice, indicating that it is at least in part dependent upon host immune responses. Collectively, these data provide proof of principle that unanticipated drug-fungus interactions have the potential to influence the incidence and outcomes of invasive fungal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parker Reitler
- Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jessica Regan
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Program, College of Graduate Health Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Christian DeJarnette
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ashish Srivastava
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jen Carnahan
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Katie M Tucker
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Bernd Meibohm
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Brian M Peters
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Glen E Palmer
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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Chalin A, Arvor A, Hervault AS, Plaisance M, Niol L, Simon S, Volland H. A lateral flow immunoassay for the rapid identification of Candida auris from isolates or directly from surveillance enrichment broths. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1439273. [PMID: 39021636 PMCID: PMC11252032 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1439273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Candida auris is a recently discovered yeast with a multi-drug resistant profile associated with high mortality rates. The rapid identification of Candida auris in hospital settings is crucial to allow appropriate therapeutic and rapid implementation of infection management measures. The aim of this study was to develop a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) for the rapid identification of Candida auris. Methods Highly specific monoclonal antibodies were obtained by immunizing mice with membrane proteins from Candida auris which were then used to develop a LFIA whose performance was assessed by testing 12 strains of Candida auris and 37 strains of other Candida species. Isolates were grown on either Sabouraud dextrose, CHROMagarTM Candida Plus or HardyCHROMTM Candida + auris agar plates. The strains were also cultured on salt sabouraud-dextrose with chloramphenicol or a commercially available Salt-Sabouraud Dulcitol Broth with chloramphenicol and gentamicin, and processed using a simple centrifugation protocol to recover a pellet. Finally, the colonies or yeast extract were transferred to the LFIA to determine the specificity and sensitivity of the assay. Results The LFIA reached 100% specificity and sensitivity from solid agar plates. For both enrichment broths, some Candida non-auris species were able to grow, but the LFIA remained 100% specific. The use of a dextrose-based sabouraud broth resulted in earlier identification with the LFIA, with most of the Candida auris strains detected at 24 h. Conclusion The developed LFIA prototype represents a powerful tool to fight the emerging threat of Candida auris. Clinical validation represents the next step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Chalin
- NG Biotech – Research and Development Department, Guipry-Messac, France
| | - Antoine Arvor
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE), Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (MTS), Service de Pharmacologie et d'Immunoanalyse (SPI), Laboratoire d'Etudes et de Recherches en Immunoanalyse (LERI), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | | | - Marc Plaisance
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE), Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (MTS), Service de Pharmacologie et d'Immunoanalyse (SPI), Laboratoire d'Etudes et de Recherches en Immunoanalyse (LERI), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Léa Niol
- NG Biotech – Research and Development Department, Guipry-Messac, France
| | - Stéphanie Simon
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE), Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (MTS), Service de Pharmacologie et d'Immunoanalyse (SPI), Laboratoire d'Etudes et de Recherches en Immunoanalyse (LERI), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Hervé Volland
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE), Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (MTS), Service de Pharmacologie et d'Immunoanalyse (SPI), Laboratoire d'Etudes et de Recherches en Immunoanalyse (LERI), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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Martins SC, Tararam CA, Levy LO, Arai T, Watanabe A, Moretti ML, Trabasso P. Comparison of galactomannan lateral flow assay and enzyme immunoassay to identify Aspergillus spp. in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Braz J Infect Dis 2024; 28:103838. [PMID: 39009082 PMCID: PMC11327515 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjid.2024.103838] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus species can colonize and infect immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts. Conventional fungal identification depends on microscopic analysis and microorganism medium growth. Other diagnostic methods, non-growth dependent, to invasive fungal infections, are the biomarkers that detect circulating polysaccharides, for example, 1-3-β-d-Glucan and galactomannan. Both are polysaccharides present on the external layer of fungi cell wall and can be detected in clinical samples during the growth of the fungus in the patient. This study aimed to compare the galactomannan detection of Lateral Flow Assay and Enzyme Immunoassay methods in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid. The galactomannan antigen in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid was measured using Enzyme Immunoassay according to the manufacturer's instructions (PLATELIA ASPERGILLUS™ BioRad) and, using a Lateral Flow Assay according to the manufacturer's instructions (Galactomannan LFA IMMY©). The 71 samples were Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid of patients hospitalized at Unicamp Clinical Hospital between 2019 and 2021; of these samples 12/71 (16.9 %) resulted in positive Galactomannan-Lateral Flow Assay. In contrast, Galactomannan-Enzyme Immunoassay resulted as positive in 9/71 (12.6 %) samples, a difference that showed not significant statistically (p-value = 0.36) Comparing both assays' results identified 8 divergences between them, about 11 % of the total sample. The Sensitivity (73.3 %), Specificity (92.35 %), Positive Predictive Value (62.85 %) and Negative Predictive Value (95.15 %) of Lateral Flow Assay were calculated using the Galactomannan Enzyme Immunoassay as standard. The Lateral Flow Assay demonstrated good results when compared with the Enzyme Immunoassay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Craveiro Martins
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp) - Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Laboratório de Epidemiologia Molecular e Doenças Infecciosas (LEMDI), Cidade Universitária, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Cibele Aparecida Tararam
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp) - Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Laboratório de Epidemiologia Molecular e Doenças Infecciosas (LEMDI), Cidade Universitária, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Larissa Ortolan Levy
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp) - Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Laboratório de Epidemiologia Molecular e Doenças Infecciosas (LEMDI), Cidade Universitária, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Teppei Arai
- Chiba University, Division of Clinical Research, Medical Mycology Research Center (MMRC), Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, Japan
| | - Akira Watanabe
- Chiba University, Division of Clinical Research, Medical Mycology Research Center (MMRC), Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, Japan
| | - Maria Luiza Moretti
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp) - Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Laboratório de Epidemiologia Molecular e Doenças Infecciosas (LEMDI), Cidade Universitária, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Plínio Trabasso
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp) - Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Laboratório de Epidemiologia Molecular e Doenças Infecciosas (LEMDI), Cidade Universitária, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
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Colson JD, Kendall JA, Yamamoto T, Mizusawa M. A Diagnostic Stewardship Intervention to Improve Utilization of 1,3 β-D-Glucan Testing at a Single Academic Center: Five-Year Experience. Open Forum Infect Dis 2024; 11:ofae358. [PMID: 39035574 PMCID: PMC11259134 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background (1,3)- β-D-glucan (BDG) testing is one of the noninvasive tests to aid diagnosis of invasive fungal infections (IFIs). The study results have been heterogenous, and diagnostic performance varies depending on the risks for IFI. Thus, it is important to select appropriate patients for BDG testing to prevent false-positive results. An algorithmic diagnostic stewardship intervention was instituted at a single academic medical center to improve BDG test utilization. Methods The BDG test order in the electronic health record was replaced with the BDG test request order, which required approval to process the actual test order. The approval criteria were (1) immunocompromised or intensive care unit patient and (2) on empiric antifungal therapy, or inability to undergo invasive diagnostic procedures. A retrospective observational study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the intervention by comparing the number of BDG tests performed between 1 year pre- and post-intervention. Safety was assessed by chart review of the patients for whom BDG test requests were deemed inappropriate and rejected. Results The number of BDG tests performed per year decreased by 85% from 156 in the pre-intervention period to 24 in the post-intervention period. The average monthly number of BDG tests performed was significantly lower between those periods (P = .002). There was no delay in IFI diagnosis or IFI-related deaths in the patients whose BDG test requests were rejected. The sustained effectiveness of the intervention was observed for 5 years. Conclusions Institution of the diagnostic stewardship intervention successfully and safely improved BDG test utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan D Colson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Jonathan A Kendall
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Missouri Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
| | - Takeru Yamamoto
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Kameda Medical Center, Kamogawa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Masako Mizusawa
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Missouri Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, New Jersey, USA
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Aggor FEY, Bertolini M, Coleman BM, Taylor TC, Ponde NO, Gaffen SL. Combinatorial actions of IL-22 and IL-17 drive optimal immunity to oral candidiasis through SPRRs. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012302. [PMID: 38949991 PMCID: PMC11216582 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) is the most common human fungal infection, arising typically from T cell immune impairments. IL-17 and IL-22 contribute individually to OPC responses, but here we demonstrate that the combined actions of both cytokines are essential for resistance to OPC. Mice lacking IL-17RA and IL-22RA1 exhibited high fungal loads in esophagus- and intestinal tract, severe weight loss, and symptoms of colitis. Ultimately, mice succumbed to infection. Dual loss of IL-17RA and IL-22RA impaired expression of small proline rich proteins (SPRRs), a class of antimicrobial effectors not previously linked to fungal immunity. Sprr2a1 exhibited direct candidacidal activity in vitro, and Sprr1-3a-/- mice were susceptible to OPC. Thus, cooperative actions of Type 17 cytokines mediate oral mucosal anti-Candida defenses and reveal a role for SPRRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix E. Y. Aggor
- University of Pittsburgh, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Martinna Bertolini
- University of Pittsburgh, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Periodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Bianca M. Coleman
- University of Pittsburgh, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Tiffany C. Taylor
- University of Pittsburgh, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Nicole O. Ponde
- University of Pittsburgh, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Sarah L. Gaffen
- University of Pittsburgh, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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Arendrup MC, Armstrong-James D, Borman AM, Denning DW, Fisher MC, Gorton R, Maertens J, Martin-Loeches I, Mehra V, Mercier T, Price J, Rautemaa-Richardson R, Wake R, Andrews N, White PL. The Impact of the Fungal Priority Pathogens List on Medical Mycology: A Northern European Perspective. Open Forum Infect Dis 2024; 11:ofae372. [PMID: 39045012 PMCID: PMC11263880 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Fungal diseases represent a considerable global health concern, affecting >1 billion people annually. In response to this growing challenge, the World Health Organization introduced the pivotal fungal priority pathogens list (FPPL) in late 2022. The FPPL highlights the challenges in estimating the global burden of fungal diseases and antifungal resistance (AFR), as well as limited surveillance capabilities and lack of routine AFR testing. Furthermore, training programs should incorporate sufficient information on fungal diseases, necessitating global advocacy to educate health care professionals and scientists. Established international guidelines and the FPPL are vital in strengthening local guidance on tackling fungal diseases. Future iterations of the FPPL have the potential to refine the list further, addressing its limitations and advancing our collective ability to combat fungal diseases effectively. Napp Pharmaceuticals Limited (Mundipharma UK) organized a workshop with key experts from Northern Europe to discuss the impact of the FPPL on regional clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maiken Cavling Arendrup
- Unit of Mycology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Andrew M Borman
- Mycology Reference Laboratory, UK Health Security Agency, Bristol, UK
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - David W Denning
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Global Action For Fungal Infections, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Matthew C Fisher
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Rebecca Gorton
- Department of Infection Sciences, Health Services Laboratories, London, UK
| | - Johan Maertens
- Department of Hematology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ignacio Martin-Loeches
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
- Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, Spain
- CIBERes, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Varun Mehra
- Department of Haematological Medicine, Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Toine Mercier
- Department of Oncology-Hematology, AZ Sint-Maarten, Mechelen, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Hematology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jessica Price
- Public Health Wales Mycology Reference Laboratory, UHW, Cardiff, UK
| | - Riina Rautemaa-Richardson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, UK
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) at the Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, The University of Manchester and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, UK
- Mycology Reference Centre Manchester (MRCM), ECMM Excellence Centre of Medical Mycology, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, UK
| | - Rachel Wake
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | - Natalie Andrews
- Napp Pharmaceuticals Limited, a member of the Mundipharma network of independent associated companies, Cambridge, UK
| | - P Lewis White
- Public Health Wales Mycology Reference Laboratory, UHW, Cardiff, UK
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44
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Kalra S, Tanwar S, Bari VK. Overexpression of PDR16 Confers Amphotericin B Resistance in a PMP3-Dependent Manner in Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Microb Drug Resist 2024; 30:279-287. [PMID: 38727600 DOI: 10.1089/mdr.2024.0008] [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] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections in humans with compromised immune systems are the primary cause of morbidity and mortality, which is becoming more widely acknowledged. Amphotericin B (AmB) is one of the antifungal drugs used to treat such infections. AmB binds with plasma membrane ergosterol, inducing cellular ions to leak and causing cell death. Reduction in ergosterol content and modification of cell walls have been described as AmB resistance mechanisms. In addition, when the sphingolipid level is decreased, the cell becomes more susceptible to AmB. Previously, PDR16, a gene that encodes phosphatidylinositol transfer protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was shown to enhance AmB resistance upon overexpression. However, the mechanism of PDR16-mediated AmB resistance is not clear. Here, in this study, it was discovered that a plasma membrane proteolipid 3 protein encoded by PMP3 is essential for PDR16-mediated AmB resistance. PDR16-mediated AmB resistance does not depend on ergosterol, but a functional sphingolipid biosynthetic pathway is required. Additionally, PMP3-mediated alteration in membrane integrity abolishes PDR16 mediated AmB resistance, confirming the importance of PMP3 in the PDR16 mediated AmB resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sapna Kalra
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India
| | - Sunita Tanwar
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India
| | - Vinay Kumar Bari
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India
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45
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Denning DW. Global incidence and mortality of severe fungal disease. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2024; 24:e428-e438. [PMID: 38224705 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(23)00692-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 70.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Current estimates of fungal disease incidence and mortality are imprecise. Population at risk denominators were used to estimate annual incidence for 2019-21. Extensive literature searches from 2010 to 2023 were combined with over 85 papers on individual country and global disease burden. Crude and attributable mortality were estimated using a combination of untreated mortality, the proportion of patients who are treated, and percentage survival in treated patients. Awareness, guidelines, and accessibility of diagnostics and therapies informed the ratio of treated to untreated cases. Estimates do not include influenza or COVID-19 outbreaks. Data from more than 120 countries were included. Annually, over 2 113 000 people develop invasive aspergillosis in the context of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, intensive care, lung cancer, or haematological malignancy, with a crude annual mortality of 1 801 000 (85·2%). The annual incidence of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis is 1 837 272, with 340 000 (18·5%) deaths. About 1 565 000 people have a Candida bloodstream infection or invasive candidiasis each year, with 995 000 deaths (63·6%). Pneumocystis pneumonia affects 505 000 people, with 214 000 deaths (42·4%). Cryptococcal meningitis affects 194 000 people, with 147 000 deaths (75·8%). Other major life-threatening fungal infections affect about 300 000 people, causing 161 000 deaths (53·7%). Fungal asthma affects approximately 11·5 million people and might contribute to 46 000 asthma deaths annually. These updated estimates suggest an annual incidence of 6·5 million invasive fungal infections and 3·8 million deaths, of which about 2·5 million (68%; range 35-90) were directly attributable.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Denning
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, University of Manchester, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, UK; Global Action For Fungal Infections, Geneva, Switzerland.
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46
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Stanca SE, Mogavero S, Fritzsche W, Krafft C, Hube B, Popp J. Isotope labeled 3D-Raman confocal imaging and atomic force microscopy study on epithelial cells interacting with the fungus Candida albicans. NANOMEDICINE : NANOTECHNOLOGY, BIOLOGY, AND MEDICINE 2024; 59:102750. [PMID: 38734040 DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2024.102750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
The human pathogenic fungus Candida albicans damages epithelial cells during superficial infections. Here we use three-dimensional-sequential-confocal Raman spectroscopic imaging and atomic force microscopy to investigate the interaction of C. albicans wild type cells, the secreted C. albicans peptide toxin candidalysin and mutant cells lacking candidalysin with epithelial cells. The candidalysin is responsible for epithelial cell damage and exhibits in its deuterated form an identifiable Raman signal in a frequency region distinct from the cellular frequency region. Vibration modes at 2100-2200 cm-1 attributed to carbon‑deuterium bending and at 477 cm-1, attributed to the nitrogen‑deuterium out-of-plane bending, found around the nucleus, can be assigned to deuterated candidalysin. Atomic force microscopy visualized 100 nm deep lesions on the cell and force-distance curves indicate the higher adhesion on pore surrounding after incubation with candidalysin. Candidalysin targets the plasma membrane, but is also found inside of the cytosol of epithelial cells during C. albicans infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarmiza Elena Stanca
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Straße 9, 07745 Jena, Germany.
| | - Selene Mogavero
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans-Knöll Institute, Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Fritzsche
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Straße 9, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Christoph Krafft
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Straße 9, 07745 Jena, Germany.
| | - Bernhard Hube
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans-Knöll Institute, Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany; Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Jürgen Popp
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Straße 9, 07745 Jena, Germany; Institute for Physical Chemistry and Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Helmholtzweg 4, 07743 Jena, Germany.
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47
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Lu G, Ju X, Zhu M, Ou J, Xu D, Li K, Jiang W, Wan C, Tian Y, Niu Z. Histatin 5-Inspired Short-Chain Peptides Selectively Combating Pathogenic Fungi with Multifaceted Mechanisms. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2303755. [PMID: 38424475 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202303755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Short-chain antifungal peptides (AFPs) inspired by histatin 5 have been designed to address the problem of antifungal drug resistance. These AFPs demonstrate remarkable antifungal activity, with a minimal inhibitory concentration as low as 2 µg mL-1. Notably, these AFPs display a strong preference for targeting fungi rather than bacteria and mammalian cells. This is achieved by binding the histidine-rich domains of the AFPs to the Ssa1/2 proteins in the fungal cell wall, as well as the reduced membrane-disrupting activity due to their low amphiphilicity. These peptides disrupt the nucleus and mitochondria once inside the cells, leading to reactive oxygen species production and cell damage. In a mouse model of vulvovaginal candidiasis, the AFPs demonstrate not only antifungal activity, but also promote the growth of beneficial Lactobacillus spp. This research provides valuable insights for the development of fungus-specific AFPs and offers a promising strategy for the treatment of fungal infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guojun Lu
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyan Ju
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Meng Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Jinzhao Ou
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Dandan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Kejia Li
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Chenxiao Wan
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Ye Tian
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Zhongwei Niu
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29, Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
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48
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Cissé OH, Ma L, Kovacs JA. Retracing the evolution of Pneumocystis species, with a focus on the human pathogen Pneumocystis jirovecii. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2024; 88:e0020222. [PMID: 38587383 PMCID: PMC11332345 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00202-22] [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] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYEvery human being is presumed to be infected by the fungus Pneumocystis jirovecii at least once in his or her lifetime. This fungus belongs to a large group of species that appear to exclusively infect mammals, with P. jirovecii being the only one known to cause disease in humans. The mystery of P. jirovecii origin and speciation is just beginning to unravel. Here, we provide a review of the major steps of P. jirovecii evolution. The Pneumocystis genus likely originated from soil or plant-associated organisms during the period of Cretaceous ~165 million years ago and successfully shifted to mammals. The transition coincided with a substantial loss of genes, many of which are related to the synthesis of nutrients that can be scavenged from hosts or cell wall components that could be targeted by the mammalian immune system. Following the transition, the Pneumocystis genus cospeciated with mammals. Each species specialized at infecting its own host. Host specialization is presumably built at least partially upon surface glycoproteins, whose protogene was acquired prior to the genus formation. P. jirovecii appeared at ~65 million years ago, overlapping with the emergence of the first primates. P. jirovecii and its sister species P. macacae, which infects macaques nowadays, may have had overlapping host ranges in the distant past. Clues from molecular clocks suggest that P. jirovecii did not cospeciate with humans. Molecular evidence suggests that Pneumocystis speciation involved chromosomal rearrangements and the mounting of genetic barriers that inhibit gene flow among species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ousmane H. Cissé
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Liang Ma
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph A. Kovacs
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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49
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Sepúlveda VE, Goldman WE, Matute DR. Genotypic diversity, virulence, and molecular genetic tools in Histoplasma. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2024; 88:e0007623. [PMID: 38819148 PMCID: PMC11332355 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00076-23] [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: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYHistoplasmosis is arguably the most common fungal respiratory infection worldwide, with hundreds of thousands of new infections occurring annually in the United States alone. The infection can progress in the lung or disseminate to visceral organs and can be difficult to treat with antifungal drugs. Histoplasma, the causative agent of the disease, is a pathogenic fungus that causes life-threatening lung infections and is globally distributed. The fungus has the ability to germinate from conidia into either hyphal (mold) or yeast form, depending on the environmental temperature. This transition also regulates virulence. Histoplasma and histoplasmosis have been classified as being of emergent importance, and in 2022, the World Health Organization included Histoplasma as 1 of the 19 most concerning human fungal pathogens. In this review, we synthesize the current understanding of the ecological niche, evolutionary history, and virulence strategies of Histoplasma. We also describe general patterns of the symptomatology and epidemiology of histoplasmosis. We underscore areas where research is sorely needed and highlight research avenues that have been productive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria E. Sepúlveda
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - William E. Goldman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Daniel R. Matute
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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50
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Katsipoulaki M, Stappers MHT, Malavia-Jones D, Brunke S, Hube B, Gow NAR. Candida albicans and Candida glabrata: global priority pathogens. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2024; 88:e0002123. [PMID: 38832801 PMCID: PMC11332356 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00021-23] [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: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYA significant increase in the incidence of Candida-mediated infections has been observed in the last decade, mainly due to rising numbers of susceptible individuals. Recently, the World Health Organization published its first fungal pathogen priority list, with Candida species listed in medium, high, and critical priority categories. This review is a synthesis of information and recent advances in our understanding of two of these species-Candida albicans and Candida glabrata. Of these, C. albicans is the most common cause of candidemia around the world and is categorized as a critical priority pathogen. C. glabrata is considered a high-priority pathogen and has become an increasingly important cause of candidemia in recent years. It is now the second most common causative agent of candidemia in many geographical regions. Despite their differences and phylogenetic divergence, they are successful as pathogens and commensals of humans. Both species can cause a broad variety of infections, ranging from superficial to potentially lethal systemic infections. While they share similarities in certain infection strategies, including tissue adhesion and invasion, they differ significantly in key aspects of their biology, interaction with immune cells, host damage strategies, and metabolic adaptations. Here we provide insights on key aspects of their biology, epidemiology, commensal and pathogenic lifestyles, interactions with the immune system, and antifungal resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myrto Katsipoulaki
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Mark H. T. Stappers
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Dhara Malavia-Jones
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Sascha Brunke
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Bernhard Hube
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Neil A. R. Gow
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
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