1
|
Tanveer R, Neale PA, Melvin SD, Leusch FDL. Application of in vitro bioassays to monitor pharmaceuticals in water: A synthesis of chronological analysis, mode of action, and practical insights. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 359:142255. [PMID: 38729441 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142255] [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: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Pharmaceutical compounds in wastewater have emerged as a significant concern for the aquatic environment. The use of in vitro bioassays represents a sustainable and cost-effective approach for assessing the potential toxicological risks of these biologically active compounds in wastewater and aligns with ethical considerations in research. It facilitates high-throughput analysis, captures mixture effects, integrates impacts of both known and unknown chemicals, and reduces reliance on animal testing. The core aim of the current review was to explore the practical application of in vitro bioassays in evaluating the environmental impacts of pharmaceuticals in wastewater. This comprehensive review strives to achieve several key objectives. First, it provides a summary categorisation of pharmaceuticals based on their mode of action, providing a structured framework for understanding their ecological significance. Second, a chronological analysis of pharmaceutical research aims to document their prevalence and trends over time, shedding light on evolving environmental challenges. Third, the review critically analyses existing bioassay applications in wastewater, while also examining bioassay coverage of representative compounds within major pharmaceutical classes. Finally, it explores the potential for developing innovative bioassays tailored for water quality monitoring of pharmaceuticals, paving the way for more robust environmental monitoring and risk assessment. Overall, adopting effect-based methods for pharmaceutical monitoring in water holds significant promise. It encompasses a broad spectrum of biological impacts, promotes standardized protocols, and supports a bioassay test battery approach indicative of different endpoints, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of environmental risk assessment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rameesha Tanveer
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Southport, Qld 4222, Australia.
| | - Peta A Neale
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Southport, Qld 4222, Australia.
| | - Steven D Melvin
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Southport, Qld 4222, Australia.
| | - Frederic D L Leusch
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Southport, Qld 4222, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zeng M, Zhou X, Yang C, Liu Y, Zhang J, Xin C, Qin G, Liu F, Song Z. Comparative analysis of the biological characteristics and mechanisms of azole resistance of clinical Aspergillus fumigatus strains. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1253197. [PMID: 38029222 PMCID: PMC10665732 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1253197] [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: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a common causative pathogen of aspergillosis. At present, triazole resistance of A. fumigatus poses an important challenge to human health globally. In this study, the biological characteristics and mechanisms of azole resistance of five A. fumigatus strains (AF1, AF2, AF4, AF5, and AF8) were explored. There were notable differences in the sporulation and biofilm formation abilities of the five test strains as compared to the standard strain AF293. The ability of strain AF1 to avoid phagocytosis by MH-S cells was significantly decreased as compared to strain AF293, while that of strains AF2, AF4, and AF5 were significantly increased. Fungal burden analysis with Galleria mellonella larvae revealed differences in pathogenicity among the five strains. Moreover, the broth microdilution and E-test assays confirmed that strains AF1 and AF2 were resistant to itraconazole and isaconazole, while strains AF4, AF5, and AF8 were resistant to voriconazole and isaconazole. Strains AF1 and AF2 carried the cyp51A mutations TR34/L98H/V242I/S297T/F495I combined with the hmg1 mutation S541G, whereas strains AF4 and AF8 carried the cyp51A mutation TR46/Y121F/V242I/T289A, while strain AF5 had no cyp51A mutation. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis revealed differences in the expression levels of genes associated with ergosterol synthesis and efflux pumps among the five strains. In addition, transcriptomics, RT-qPCR, and the NAD+/NADH ratio demonstrated that the mechanism of voriconazole resistance of strain AF5 was related to overexpression of genes associated with energy production and efflux pumps. These findings will help to further elucidate the triazole resistance mechanism in A. fumigatus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meng Zeng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xue Zhou
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Chunhong Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yanfei Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jinping Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Caiyan Xin
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Gang Qin
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Fangyan Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Zhangyong Song
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hatinguais R, Leaves I, Brown GD, Brown AJP, Brock M, Peres da Silva R. CRISPR-based tools for targeted genetic manipulation in pathogenic Sporothrix species. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0507822. [PMID: 37707447 PMCID: PMC10581184 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.05078-22] [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: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Sporothrix brasiliensis is an emerging fungal pathogen frequently associated with zoonotic transmission of sporotrichosis by contaminated cats. Within 25 years, the disease has spread not only throughout Brazil but now to neighboring countries in Latin America. Thermo-dimorphism, melanin, glycans, adhesins, and secreted vesicles have been associated with the ability of Sporothrix species to cause disease in the mammalian host. Although certain virulence factors have been proposed as potential determinants for sporotrichosis, the scarcity of molecular tools for performing reverse genetics in Sporothrix has significantly impeded the dissection of mechanisms underlying the disease. Here, we demonstrate that PEG-mediated protoplast transformation is a powerful method for heterologous gene expression in S. brasiliensis, S. schenckii, and S. chilensis. Combined with CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, this transformation protocol enabled the deletion of the putative DHN-melanin synthase gene pks1, which is a proposed virulence factor of Sporothrix species. To improve in locus integration of deletion constructs, we deleted the KU80 homolog that is critical for non-homologous end-joining DNA repair. The use of Δku80 strains from S. brasiliensis enhanced homologous-directed repair during transformation resulting in increased targeted gene deletion in combination with CRISPR/Cas9. In conclusion, our CRISPR/Cas9-based transformation protocol provides an efficient tool for targeted gene manipulation in Sporothrix species. IMPORTANCE Sporotrichosis caused by Sporothrix brasiliensis is a disease that requires long periods of treatment and is rapidly spreading across Latin America. The virulence of this fungus and the surge of atypical and more severe presentations of the disease raise the need for an understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying sporotrichosis, as well as the development of better diagnostics and antifungal therapies. By developing molecular tools for accurate genetic manipulation in Sporothrix, this study addresses the paucity of reliable and reproducible tools for stable genetic engineering of Sporothrix species, which has represented a major obstacle for studying the virulence determinants and their roles in the establishment of sporotrichosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Remi Hatinguais
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Ian Leaves
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Gordon D. Brown
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Alistair J. P. Brown
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Matthias Brock
- Fungal Biology Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Roberta Peres da Silva
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Yap A, Volz R, Paul S, Moye-Rowley WS, Haas H. Regulation of High-Affinity Iron Acquisition, Including Acquisition Mediated by the Iron Permease FtrA, Is Coordinated by AtrR, SrbA, and SreA in Aspergillus fumigatus. mBio 2023; 14:e0075723. [PMID: 37093084 PMCID: PMC10294635 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00757-23] [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: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron acquisition is crucial for virulence of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. Previous studies indicated that this mold regulates iron uptake via both siderophores and reductive iron assimilation by the GATA factor SreA and the SREBP regulator SrbA. Here, characterization of loss of function as well as hyperactive alleles revealed that transcriptional activation of iron uptake depends additionally on the Zn2Cys6 regulator AtrR, most likely via cooperation with SrbA. Mutational analysis of the promoter of the iron permease-encoding ftrA gene identified a 210-bp sequence, which is both essential and sufficient to impart iron regulation. Further studies located functional sequences, densely packed within 75 bp, that largely resemble binding motifs for SrbA, SreA, and AtrR. The latter, confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis, is the first one not fully matching the 5'-CGGN12CCG-3' consensus sequence. The results presented here emphasize for the first time the direct involvement of SrbA, AtrR, and SreA in iron regulation. The essential role of both AtrR and SrbA in activation of iron acquisition underlines the coordination of iron homeostasis with biosynthesis of ergosterol and heme as well as adaptation to hypoxia. The rationale is most likely the iron dependence of these pathways along with the enzymatic link of biosynthesis of ergosterol and siderophores. IMPORTANCE Aspergillus fumigatus is the most common filamentous fungal pathogen infecting humans. Iron acquisition via siderophores has previously been shown to be essential for virulence of this mold species. Here, we demonstrate that AtrR, a transcription factor previously shown to control ergosterol biosynthesis, azole resistance, and adaptation to hypoxia, is essential for activation of iron acquisition, including siderophore biosynthesis and uptake. Dissection of an iron-regulated promoter identified binding motifs for AtrR and the two previously identified regulators of iron acquisition, SrbA and SreA. Altogether, this study identified a new regulator required for maintenance of iron homeostasis, revealed insights into promoter architecture for iron regulation, and emphasized the coordinated regulation of iron homeostasis ergosterol biosynthesis and adaptation to hypoxia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annie Yap
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ricarda Volz
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sanjoy Paul
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - W. Scott Moye-Rowley
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Hubertus Haas
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Scott J, Valero C, Mato-López Á, Donaldson IJ, Roldán A, Chown H, Van Rhijn N, Lobo-Vega R, Gago S, Furukawa T, Morogovsky A, Ben Ami R, Bowyer P, Osherov N, Fontaine T, Goldman GH, Mellado E, Bromley M, Amich J. Aspergillus fumigatus Can Display Persistence to the Fungicidal Drug Voriconazole. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0477022. [PMID: 36912663 PMCID: PMC10100717 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04770-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a filamentous fungus that can infect the lungs of patients with immunosuppression and/or underlying lung diseases. The mortality associated with chronic and invasive aspergillosis infections remain very high, despite availability of antifungal treatments. In the last decade, there has been a worrisome emergence and spread of resistance to the first-line antifungals, the azoles. The mortality caused by resistant isolates is even higher, and patient management is complicated as the therapeutic options are reduced. Nevertheless, treatment failure is also common in patients infected with azole-susceptible isolates, which can be due to several non-mutually exclusive reasons, such as poor drug absorption. In addition, the phenomena of tolerance or persistence, where susceptible pathogens can survive the action of an antimicrobial for extended periods, have been associated with treatment failure in bacterial infections, and their occurrence in fungal infections already proposed. Here, we demonstrate that some isolates of A. fumigatus display persistence to voriconazole. A subpopulation of the persister isolates can survive for extended periods and even grow at low rates in the presence of supra-MIC of voriconazole and seemingly other azoles. Persistence cannot be eradicated with adjuvant drugs or antifungal combinations and seemed to reduce the efficacy of treatment for certain individuals in a Galleria mellonella model of infection. Furthermore, persistence implies a distinct transcriptional profile, demonstrating that it is an active response. We propose that azole persistence might be a relevant and underestimated factor that could influence the outcome of infection in human aspergillosis. IMPORTANCE The phenomena of antibacterial tolerance and persistence, where pathogenic microbes can survive for extended periods in the presence of cidal drug concentrations, have received significant attention in the last decade. Several mechanisms of action have been elucidated, and their relevance for treatment failure in bacterial infections demonstrated. In contrast, our knowledge of antifungal tolerance and, in particular, persistence is still very limited. In this study, we have characterized the response of the prominent fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus to the first-line therapy antifungal voriconazole. We comprehensively show that some isolates display persistence to this fungicidal antifungal and propose various potential mechanisms of action. In addition, using an alternative model of infection, we provide initial evidence to suggest that persistence may cause treatment failure in some individuals. Therefore, we propose that azole persistence is an important factor to consider and further investigate in A. fumigatus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Scott
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection, and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Clara Valero
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection, and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Álvaro Mato-López
- Mycology Reference Laboratory (Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Micología [LRIM]), National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ian J. Donaldson
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Alejandra Roldán
- Mycology Reference Laboratory (Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Micología [LRIM]), National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Harry Chown
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection, and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Norman Van Rhijn
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection, and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Rebeca Lobo-Vega
- Mycology Reference Laboratory (Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Micología [LRIM]), National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Gago
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection, and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Takanori Furukawa
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection, and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Alma Morogovsky
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ronen Ben Ami
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Paul Bowyer
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection, and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Nir Osherov
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine Ramat-Aviv, Tel-Aviv, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Thierry Fontaine
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, INRAE, USC2019, Unité Biologie et Pathogénicité Fongiques, Paris, France
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Emilia Mellado
- Mycology Reference Laboratory (Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Micología [LRIM]), National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
- CiberInfec ISCIII, CIBER en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Michael Bromley
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection, and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Jorge Amich
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection, and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Mycology Reference Laboratory (Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Micología [LRIM]), National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Resendiz-Sharpe A, Vanhoffelen E, Velde GV. Bioluminescence Imaging, a Powerful Tool to Assess Fungal Burden in Live Mouse Models of Infection. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2667:197-210. [PMID: 37145286 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3199-7_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans species infections are two of the most common life-threatening fungal infections in the immunocompromised population. Acute invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) and meningeal cryptococcosis are the most severe forms affecting patients with elevated associated mortality rates despite current treatments. As many unanswered questions remain concerning these fungal infections, additional research is greatly needed not only in clinical scenarios but also under controlled preclinical experimental settings to increase our understanding concerning their virulence, host-pathogen interactions, infection development, and treatments. Preclinical animal models are powerful tools to gain more insight into some of these needs. However, assessment of disease severity and fungal burden in mouse models of infection are often limited to less sensitive, single-time, invasive, and variability-prone techniques such as colony-forming unit counting. These issues can be overcome by in vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI). BLI is a noninvasive tool that provides longitudinal dynamic visual and quantitative information on the fungal burden from the onset of infection and potential dissemination to different organs throughout the development of disease in individual animals. Hereby, we describe an entire experimental pipeline from mouse infection to BLI acquisition and quantification, readily available to researchers to provide a noninvasive, longitudinal readout of fungal burden and dissemination throughout the course of infection development, which can be applied for preclinical studies into pathophysiology and treatment of IPA and cryptococcosis in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Eliane Vanhoffelen
- KU Leuven, Department of Imaging and Pathology, Biomedical MRI / MoSAIC, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Greetje Vande Velde
- KU Leuven, Department of Imaging and Pathology, Biomedical MRI / MoSAIC, Leuven, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Yap A, Glarcher I, Misslinger M, Haas H. Characterization and engineering of the xylose-inducible xylP promoter for use in mold fungal species. Metab Eng Commun 2022; 15:e00214. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mec.2022.e00214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
|
8
|
Seif M, Kakoschke TK, Ebel F, Bellet MM, Trinks N, Renga G, Pariano M, Romani L, Tappe B, Espie D, Donnadieu E, Hünniger K, Häder A, Sauer M, Damotte D, Alifano M, White PL, Backx M, Nerreter T, Machwirth M, Kurzai O, Prommersberger S, Einsele H, Hudecek M, Löffler J. CAR T cells targeting Aspergillus fumigatus are effective at treating invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in preclinical models. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabh1209. [PMID: 36170447 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abh1209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous mold that can cause severe infections in immunocompromised patients, typically manifesting as invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). Adaptive and innate immune cells that respond to A. fumigatus are present in the endogenous repertoire of patients with IPA but are infrequent and cannot be consistently isolated and expanded for adoptive immunotherapy. Therefore, we gene-engineered A. fumigatus-specific chimeric antigen receptor (Af-CAR) T cells and demonstrate their ability to confer antifungal reactivity in preclinical models in vitro and in vivo. We generated a CAR targeting domain AB90-E8 that recognizes a conserved protein antigen in the cell wall of A. fumigatus hyphae. T cells expressing the Af-CAR recognized A. fumigatus strains and clinical isolates and exerted a direct antifungal effect against A. fumigatus hyphae. In particular, CD8+ Af-CAR T cells released perforin and granzyme B and damaged A. fumigatus hyphae. CD8+ and CD4+ Af-CAR T cells produced cytokines that activated macrophages to potentiate the antifungal effect. In an in vivo model of IPA in immunodeficient mice, CD8+ Af-CAR T cells localized to the site of infection, engaged innate immune cells, and reduced fungal burden in the lung. Adoptive transfer of CD8+ Af-CAR T cells conferred greater antifungal efficacy compared to CD4+ Af-CAR T cells and an improvement in overall survival. Together, our study illustrates the potential of gene-engineered T cells to treat aggressive infectious diseases that are difficult to control with conventional antimicrobial therapy and support the clinical development of Af-CAR T cell therapy to treat IPA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Seif
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tamara Katharina Kakoschke
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Mund-, Kiefer- und Gesichtschirurgie, Klinikum der Universität München, LMU, 80337 München, Germany.,Institut für Infektionsmedizin und Zoonosen, Medizinische Fakultät, LMU, 80539 München, Germany
| | - Frank Ebel
- Institut für Infektionsmedizin und Zoonosen, Medizinische Fakultät, LMU, 80539 München, Germany
| | - Marina Maria Bellet
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Nora Trinks
- Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie und Biophysik, Biozentrum und RVZ - Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Giorgia Renga
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Marilena Pariano
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Luigina Romani
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Beeke Tappe
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - David Espie
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM, CNRS, 75014 Paris, France.,CAR-T Cells Department, Invectys, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Donnadieu
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM, CNRS, 75014 Paris, France.,Equipe labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Kerstin Hünniger
- Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Fungal Septomics Research Group, Leibniz-Institut für Naturstoff-Forschung und Infektionsbiologie - Hans-Knöll-Institut (HKI), 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Antje Häder
- Fungal Septomics Research Group, Leibniz-Institut für Naturstoff-Forschung und Infektionsbiologie - Hans-Knöll-Institut (HKI), 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Markus Sauer
- Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie und Biophysik, Biozentrum und RVZ - Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Diane Damotte
- Department of Pathology, Paris Centre University Hospitals, AP-HP, 75014 Paris, France.,INSERM U1138, Cordeliers Research Center, Team Cancer, Immune Control and Escape, Paris, France; University Pierre and Marie Curie, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Marco Alifano
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Paris Centre University Hospitals, AP-HP, Paris, France; University Paris Descartes, 75014 Paris, France
| | - P Lewis White
- Public Health Wales, Microbiology Cardiff, UHW, CF14 4XW Cardiff, UK
| | - Matthijs Backx
- Public Health Wales, Microbiology Cardiff, UHW, CF14 4XW Cardiff, UK
| | - Thomas Nerreter
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Markus Machwirth
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Kurzai
- Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Fungal Septomics Research Group, Leibniz-Institut für Naturstoff-Forschung und Infektionsbiologie - Hans-Knöll-Institut (HKI), 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Sabrina Prommersberger
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Hermann Einsele
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Michael Hudecek
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Löffler
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II und Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Štěpánek O, Čmoková A, Procházková E, Grobárová V, Černý J, Sklapničková M, Zíková AP, Kolařík M, Baszczynski O. Piperazine‐modified ketoconazole derivatives show increased activity against fungal and trypanosomatid pathogens. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202200385. [DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Štěpánek
- Charles University: Univerzita Karlova Department of Organic Chemistry CZECH REPUBLIC
| | - Adéla Čmoková
- Institute of Microbiology Mikrobiologický ústav AV ČR, v.v.i. CZECH REPUBLIC
| | - Eliška Procházková
- IOCB CAS: Ustav organicke chemie a biochemie Akademie ved Ceske republiky NMR department CZECH REPUBLIC
| | - Valéria Grobárová
- Charles University: Univerzita Karlova Department of Cell Biology CZECH REPUBLIC
| | - Jan Černý
- Charles University: Univerzita Karlova Department of Cell Biology CZECH REPUBLIC
| | - Martina Sklapničková
- Institute of Parasitology Czech Academy of Sciences: Biologicke centrum Akademie ved Ceske republiky Parazitologicky ustav Parazitologicky ustav CZECH REPUBLIC
| | - Alena Panicucci Zíková
- Institute of Parasitology Czech Academy of Sciences: Biologicke centrum Akademie ved Ceske republiky Parazitologicky ustav Parazitologicky ustav CZECH REPUBLIC
| | - Miroslav Kolařík
- Institute of Microbiology Czech Academy of Sciences: Mikrobiologicky ustav Akademie ved Ceske republiky Mikrobiologicky ustav CZECH REPUBLIC
| | - Ondrej Baszczynski
- Univerzita Karlova Prirodovedecka fakulta Department of Organic Chemistry Hlavova 8/2030 12800 Prague CZECH REPUBLIC
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Peres da Silva R, Brock M. NIH4215: A mutation-prone thiamine auxotrophic clinical Aspergillus fumigatus isolate. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2022; 3:908343. [PMID: 37746208 PMCID: PMC10512395 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2022.908343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is the main cause of life-threatening invasive aspergillosis. Despite the availability of various antifungals, therapy remains challenging and requires further studies. Accordingly, the clinical A. fumigatus isolate NIH4215 deriving from a fatal case of human pulmonary aspergillosis has frequently been used in drug efficacy studies. Unexpectedly, our initial attempts to generate a bioluminescent reporter of strain NIH4215 for in vivo drug efficacy studies failed, as NIH4215 was unable to grow on defined minimal medium. Subsequent analyses discovered a previously undescribed thiamine auxotrophy of strain NIH4215 and transformation with thiamine biosynthesis genes from A. fumigatus strain Af293 identified the nmt1 gene as cause of the thiamine auxotrophy. Sequencing of the defective nmt1 gene revealed the loss of a cysteine codon within an essential iron-binding motif. Subsequently, the wild-type nmt1 gene was successfully used to generate a bioluminescent reporter strain in NIH4215 by simultaneously deleting the akuB locus. The resulting bioluminescent ΔakuB strains showed a high frequency of homologous integration as confirmed by generation of pyrG and niaD deletion mutants. When tested in a Galleria mellonella infection model, neither thiamine auxotrophy nor the deletion of the akuB locus had a significant effect on virulence. However, besides thiamine auxotrophy, sectors with altered morphology and albino mutants frequently arose on colony edges of strain NIH4215 and its derivatives, and stable albino mutants were successfully isolated. A proposed increased mutation rate of NIH4215 was confirmed by screening for spontaneous occurrence of fluoorotic acid resistant mutants. Independent mutations in the pyrG and pyrE gene were identified in the fluoroorotic acid resistant NIH4215 isolates and the frequency of mutation was by at least one order of magnitude higher than that observed for the clinical A. fumigatus isolate CBS144.89. In summary, despite its virulence in animal models, strain NIH4215 is a thiamine auxotroph and prone to accumulate mutations. Our results suggest that thiamine biosynthesis is dispensable for host infection and mutation-prone strains such as NIH4215 could potentially facilitate the evolution of azole resistant strains as increasingly observed in the environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthias Brock
- University of Nottingham, School of Life Sciences, University Park, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Lian X, Scott-Thomas A, Lewis JG, Bhatia M, MacPherson SA, Zeng Y, Chambers ST. Monoclonal Antibodies and Invasive Aspergillosis: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Perspectives. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105563. [PMID: 35628374 PMCID: PMC9146623 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a life-threatening fungal disease that causes high morbidity and mortality in immunosuppressed patients. Early and accurate diagnosis and treatment of IA remain challenging. Given the broad range of non-specific clinical symptoms and the shortcomings of current diagnostic techniques, most patients are either diagnosed as “possible” or “probable” cases but not “proven”. Moreover, because of the lack of sensitive and specific tests, many high-risk patients receive an empirical therapy or a prolonged treatment of high-priced antifungal agents, leading to unnecessary adverse effects and a high risk of drug resistance. More precise diagnostic techniques alongside a targeted antifungal treatment are fundamental requirements for reducing the morbidity and mortality of IA. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with high specificity in targeting the corresponding antigen(s) may have the potential to improve diagnostic tests and form the basis for novel IA treatments. This review summarizes the up-to-date application of mAb-based approaches in assisting IA diagnosis and therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xihua Lian
- Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; (X.L.); (A.S.-T.); (J.G.L.); (M.B.); (S.A.M.)
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Clinical Medical School of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, China
| | - Amy Scott-Thomas
- Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; (X.L.); (A.S.-T.); (J.G.L.); (M.B.); (S.A.M.)
| | - John G. Lewis
- Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; (X.L.); (A.S.-T.); (J.G.L.); (M.B.); (S.A.M.)
- Steroid and Immunobiochemistry Laboratory, Canterbury Health Laboratories, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | - Madhav Bhatia
- Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; (X.L.); (A.S.-T.); (J.G.L.); (M.B.); (S.A.M.)
| | - Sean A. MacPherson
- Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; (X.L.); (A.S.-T.); (J.G.L.); (M.B.); (S.A.M.)
- Haematology Department, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand
| | - Yiming Zeng
- Department of Internal Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine), The Second Clinical Medical School of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, China;
| | - Stephen T. Chambers
- Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; (X.L.); (A.S.-T.); (J.G.L.); (M.B.); (S.A.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +64-3-364-0649
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bioluminescence imaging in Paracoccidioides spp.: A tool to monitor the infectious processes. Microbes Infect 2022; 24:104975. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2022.104975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
|
13
|
Resendiz-Sharpe A, da Silva RP, Geib E, Vanderbeke L, Seldeslachts L, Hupko C, Brock M, Lagrou K, Vande Velde G. Longitudinal multimodal imaging-compatible mouse model of triazole-sensitive and -resistant invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:274857. [PMID: 35352801 PMCID: PMC8990085 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) caused by the mold Aspergillus fumigatus is one of the most important life-threatening infections in immunocompromised patients. The alarming increase of isolates resistant to the first-line recommended antifungal therapy urges more insights into triazole-resistant A. fumigatus infections. In this study, we systematically optimized a longitudinal multimodal imaging-compatible neutropenic mouse model of IPA. Reproducible rates of pulmonary infection were achieved through immunosuppression (sustained neutropenia) with 150 mg/kg cyclophosphamide at day −4, −1 and 2, and an orotracheal inoculation route in both sexes. Furthermore, increased sensitivity of in vivo bioluminescence imaging for fungal burden detection, as early as the day after infection, was achieved by optimizing luciferin dosing and through engineering isogenic red-shifted bioluminescent A. fumigatus strains, one wild type and two triazole-resistant mutants. We successfully tested appropriate and inappropriate antifungal treatment scenarios in vivo with our optimized multimodal imaging strategy, according to the in vitro susceptibility of our luminescent fungal strains. Therefore, we provide novel essential mouse models with sensitive imaging tools for investigating IPA development and therapy in triazole-susceptible and triazole-resistant scenarios. Summary: A novel reproducible longitudinal multimodal imaging-compatible neutropenic mouse model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis provides increased early fungal detection through novel red-shifted luciferase-expressing triazole-susceptible and -resistant Aspergillus fumigatus strains, and boosted bioluminescence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agustin Resendiz-Sharpe
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Katholieke Universiteit (KU) Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Roberta Peres da Silva
- Fungal Biology Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Elena Geib
- Fungal Biology Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Lore Vanderbeke
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Katholieke Universiteit (KU) Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Seldeslachts
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Biomedical MRI unit/MoSAIC, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Charlien Hupko
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Katholieke Universiteit (KU) Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Matthias Brock
- Fungal Biology Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Katrien Lagrou
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Katholieke Universiteit (KU) Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and National Reference Centre for Mycosis, Excellence Centre for Medical Mycology (ECMM), University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Greetje Vande Velde
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Biomedical MRI unit/MoSAIC, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Amaning Danquah C, Minkah PAB, Osei Duah Junior I, Amankwah KB, Somuah SO. Antimicrobial Compounds from Microorganisms. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:285. [PMID: 35326749 PMCID: PMC8944786 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11030285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is an exigent public health concern owing to the emergence of novel strains of human resistant pathogens and the concurrent rise in multi-drug resistance. An influx of new antimicrobials is urgently required to improve the treatment outcomes of infectious diseases and save lives. Plant metabolites and bioactive compounds from chemical synthesis have found their efficacy to be dwindling, despite some of them being developed as drugs and used to treat human infections for several decades. Microorganisms are considered untapped reservoirs for promising biomolecules with varying structural and functional antimicrobial activity. The advent of cost-effective and convenient model organisms, state-of-the-art molecular biology, omics technology, and machine learning has enhanced the bioprospecting of novel antimicrobial drugs and the identification of new drug targets. This review summarizes antimicrobial compounds isolated from microorganisms and reports on the modern tools and strategies for exploiting promising antimicrobial drug candidates. The investigation identified a plethora of novel compounds from microbial sources with excellent antimicrobial activity against disease-causing human pathogens. Researchers could maximize the use of novel model systems and advanced biomolecular and computational tools in exploiting lead antimicrobials, consequently ameliorating antimicrobial resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Amaning Danquah
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB, Kumasi, Ghana;
| | - Prince Amankwah Baffour Minkah
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB, Kumasi, Ghana;
- Global Health and Infectious Disease Research Group, Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Isaiah Osei Duah Junior
- Department of Optometry and Visual Science, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB, Kumasi, Ghana;
| | - Kofi Bonsu Amankwah
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, PMB, Cape Coast, Ghana;
| | - Samuel Owusu Somuah
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB, Ho, Ghana;
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
In Vitro Antifungal Activity of Luliconazole, Efinaconazole, and Nine Comparators Against Aspergillus and Candida Strains Isolated from Otomycosis. Jundishapur J Microbiol 2021. [DOI: 10.5812/jjm.115902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Aspergillus and Candida species are the most commonly identified fungal pathogens in otomycosis. However, we usually encounter some difficulties in its treatment because many patients show resistance to antifungal agents and present a high recurrence rate. Objectives: The current research was conducted to compare the in vitro activities of luliconazole (LUL), and efinaconazole (EFN) and the nine comparators on Aspergillus and Candida strains isolated from otomycosis. Methods: The in vitro activities of nine common antifungal drugs (amphotericin B (AMB), voriconazole (VRC), fluconazole (FLU), itraconazole (ITC), ketoconazole (KTO), clotrimazole (CLO), nystatin (NYS), terbinafine (TRB), and caspofungin (CAS)) and two novel new azoles (LUL and EFN) against 108 clinical isolates of Aspergillus and Candida species obtained from otomycosis were assessed according to the CLSI broth microdilution document. Results: The LUL and EFN had the geometric mean minimum inhibitory concentrations (GM MICs) of 0.098 and 0.109 μg/mL against all Aspergillus strains, respectively. Furthermore, the GM MICs of all Candida isolates for LUL, EFN, CAS, CLO, VRC, AMB, ITC, KTO, FLU, NYS, and TRB were calculated to be 0.133, 0.144, 0.194, 0.219, 0.475, 0.537, 0.655, 1.277, 4.905, 9.372, and 13.592 μg/mL, respectively. Additionally, 6 (35.29%), 2 (11.7%), and 1 (5.88%) Candida isolates were resistant to FLU, CAS, and VRC, respectively. Conclusions: As the findings indicated, LUL and EFN showed the lowest GM MIC values against the examined species. Accordingly, these novel imidazole and triazole antifungal agents can be regarded as proper candidates for the treatment of otomycosis caused by Aspergillus and Candida strains.
Collapse
|
16
|
Kasas S, Malovichko A, Villalba MI, Vela ME, Yantorno O, Willaert RG. Nanomotion Detection-Based Rapid Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:287. [PMID: 33801939 PMCID: PMC7999052 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10030287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) could play a major role in fighting multidrug-resistant bacteria. Recently, it was discovered that all living organisms oscillate in the range of nanometers and that these oscillations, referred to as nanomotion, stop as soon the organism dies. This finding led to the development of rapid AST techniques based on the monitoring of these oscillations upon exposure to antibiotics. In this review, we explain the working principle of this novel technique, compare the method with current ASTs, explore its application and give some advice about its implementation. As an illustrative example, we present the application of the technique to the slowly growing and pathogenic Bordetella pertussis bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandor Kasas
- Laboratory of Biological Electron Microscopy, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; (A.M.); (M.I.V.)
- Unité Facultaire d’Anatomie et de Morphologie (UFAM), CUMRL, University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
- International Joint Research Group VUB-EPFL NanoBiotechnology and NanoMedicine (NANO), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Anton Malovichko
- Laboratory of Biological Electron Microscopy, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; (A.M.); (M.I.V.)
- International Joint Research Group VUB-EPFL NanoBiotechnology and NanoMedicine (NANO), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Maria Ines Villalba
- Laboratory of Biological Electron Microscopy, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; (A.M.); (M.I.V.)
- International Joint Research Group VUB-EPFL NanoBiotechnology and NanoMedicine (NANO), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - María Elena Vela
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, and CONICET, Diagonal 113 y 64, 1900 La Plata, Argentina;
| | - Osvaldo Yantorno
- Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales (CINDEFI-CONICET-CCT La Plata), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 1900 La Plata, Argentina;
| | - Ronnie G. Willaert
- International Joint Research Group VUB-EPFL NanoBiotechnology and NanoMedicine (NANO), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium;
- Research Group Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Toledo H, Sánchez CI, Marín L, Amich J, Calera JA. Regulation of zinc homeostatic genes by environmental pH in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Environ Microbiol 2021; 24:643-666. [PMID: 33687784 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus can grow over a broad range of pH values even though zinc availability is greatly conditioned by ambient pH. It has been previously shown that regulation of zinc homeostatic genes in this fungus relies on the transcription factor ZafA. In addition, their expression is further modulated by the transcription factor PacC depending on ambient pH, which allows this fungus to grow in diverse types of niches, including soils and the lungs of immunosuppressed hosts. In this work the regulation by PacC of genes zrfB and zrfC that are expressed, respectively, under acidic and alkaline zinc-limiting conditions have been analysed in detail. Thus, data that extend the current model for PacC function, including the role of the full-length PacC72 protein and the PacC processed forms (PacC53 and PacC27 ) on gene expression has been provided, and a new mechanism for the repression of acid-expressed genes in alkaline media based on interference with the start of transcription has been described. Moreover, it was proposed that the transcription of both acid-expressed and alkaline-expressed genes under zinc-limiting conditions might also rely on a third factor (putatively Pontin/Reptin), which may be required to integrate the action of PacC and ZafA into gene specific transcriptional responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Héctor Toledo
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica (IBFG-CSIC), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Servicio de Microbiología Clínica y Parasitología, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Clara Inés Sánchez
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica (IBFG-CSIC), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Escuela de Microbiología, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia
| | - Laura Marín
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica (IBFG-CSIC), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Jorge Amich
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica (IBFG-CSIC), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Manchester Fungal Infection Group, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - José Antonio Calera
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica (IBFG-CSIC), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Leanse LG, Dos Anjos C, Wang Y, Murray CK, Hooper DC, Dai T. Effective treatment of cutaneous mold infections by antimicrobial blue light that is potentiated by quinine. J Infect Dis 2021; 224:1069-1076. [PMID: 33528496 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cutaneous mold infections commonly result from an array of traumatic injuries that involve direct inoculation of contaminated soil into wounds. Here, we explored the use of antimicrobial blue light (aBL; 405 nm wavelength) and the combination of aBL with quinine hydrochloride (aBL + Q-HCL) for the treatment of cutaneous mold infections. METHODS Efficacy of aBL and aBL + Q-HCL in killing clinically important pathogenic molds (Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, and Fusarium oxyprorum) was investigated. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) identified and quantified endogenous porphyrins in the mold conidia. Finally, a mouse model of dermabrasion wound infected with a bioluminescent variant of A. fumigatus was developed to investigate the efficacy of aBL in treating cutaneous mold infections. RESULTS We demonstrated that mold conidia are tolerant to aBL, but Q-HCL enhances efficacy. Transmission electron microscopy revealed intracellular damage by aBL. aBL + Q-HCL resulted in intracellular and cell wall damage. Porphyrins were observed in all mold strains, with A. fumigatus having the highest concentration. aBL and aBL + Q-HCL effectively reduced the burden of A. fumigatus within an established dermabrasion infection that limited recurrence post-treatment. CONCLUSIONS aBL and aBL + Q-HCL may offer a novel approach for the treatment of mold infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leon G Leanse
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.,Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Carolina Dos Anjos
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.,Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Laser Medicine, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | | | - David C Hooper
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tianhong Dai
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.,Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Gunzer M, Thornton CR, Beziere N. Advances in the In Vivo Molecular Imaging of Invasive Aspergillosis. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:jof6040338. [PMID: 33291706 PMCID: PMC7761943 DOI: 10.3390/jof6040338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a life-threatening infection of immunocompromised patients with Aspergillus fumigatus, a ubiquitous environmental mould. While there are numerous functioning antifungal therapies, their high cost, substantial side effects and fear of overt resistance development preclude permanent prophylactic medication of risk-patients. Hence, a fast and definitive diagnosis of IPA is desirable, to quickly identify those patients that really require aggressive antimycotic treatment and to follow the course of the therapeutic intervention. However, despite decades of research into this issue, such a diagnostic procedure is still not available. Here, we discuss the array of currently available methods for IPA detection and their limits. We then show that molecular imaging using positron emission tomography (PET) combined with morphological computed tomography or magnetic imaging is highly promising to become a future non-invasive approach for IPA diagnosis and therapy monitoring, albeit still requiring thorough validation and relying on further acceptance and dissemination of the approach. Thereby, our approach using the A. fumigatus-specific humanized monoclonal antibody hJF5 labelled with 64Cu as PET-tracer has proven highly effective in pre-clinical models and hence bears high potential for human application.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Gunzer
- Institute for Experimental Immunology and Imaging, University Hospital, University Duisburg-Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
- Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften-ISAS-e.V., 44227 Dortmund, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.G.); (N.B.); Tel.: +49-201-183-6640 (M.G.); +49-7071-29-87511 (N.B.)
| | - Christopher R. Thornton
- ISCA Diagnostics Ltd. and Biosciences, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4PY, UK;
| | - Nicolas Beziere
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.G.); (N.B.); Tel.: +49-201-183-6640 (M.G.); +49-7071-29-87511 (N.B.)
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
The Added Value of Longitudinal Imaging for Preclinical In Vivo Efficacy Testing of Therapeutic Compounds against Cerebral Cryptococcosis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020; 64:AAC.00070-20. [PMID: 32284382 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00070-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain infections with Cryptococcus neoformans are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Cryptococcosis typically presents as meningoencephalitis or fungal mass lesions called cryptococcomas. Despite frequent in vitro discoveries of promising novel antifungals, the clinical need for drugs that can more efficiently treat these brain infections remains. A crucial step in drug development is the evaluation of in vivo drug efficacy in animal models. This mainly relies on survival studies or postmortem analyses in large groups of animals, but these techniques only provide information on specific organs of interest at predefined time points. In this proof-of-concept study, we validated the use of noninvasive preclinical imaging to obtain longitudinal information on the therapeutic efficacy of amphotericin B or fluconazole monotherapy in meningoencephalitis and cryptococcoma mouse models. Bioluminescence imaging enabled the rapid in vitro and in vivo evaluation of drug efficacy, while complementary high-resolution anatomical information obtained by magnetic resonance imaging of the brain allowed a precise assessment of the extent of infection and lesion growth rates. We demonstrated a good correlation between both imaging readouts and the fungal burden in various organs. Moreover, we identified potential pitfalls associated with the interpretation of therapeutic efficacy based solely on postmortem studies, demonstrating the added value of this noninvasive dual imaging approach compared to standard mortality curves or fungal load endpoints. This novel preclinical imaging platform provides insights in the dynamic aspects of the therapeutic response and facilitates a more efficient and accurate translation of promising antifungal compounds from bench to bedside.
Collapse
|
21
|
Vanherp L, Ristani A, Poelmans J, Hillen A, Lagrou K, Janbon G, Brock M, Himmelreich U, Vande Velde G. Sensitive bioluminescence imaging of fungal dissemination to the brain in mouse models of cryptococcosis. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:dmm.039123. [PMID: 31101657 PMCID: PMC6602310 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.039123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is a leading cause of fungal brain infection, but the mechanism of dissemination and dynamics of cerebral infection following pulmonary disease are poorly understood. To address these questions, non-invasive techniques that can study the dynamic processes of disease development and progression in living animal models or patients are required. As such, bioluminescence imaging (BLI) has emerged as a powerful tool to evaluate the spatial and temporal distribution of infection in living animals. We aimed to study the time profile of the dissemination of cryptococcosis from the lung to the brain in murine models by engineering the first bioluminescent C. neoformans KN99α strain, expressing a sequence-optimized red-shifted luciferase. The high pathogen specificity and sensitivity of BLI was complemented by the three-dimensional anatomical information from micro-computed tomography (μCT) of the lung and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. These non-invasive imaging techniques provided longitudinal readouts on the spatial and temporal distribution of infection following intravenous, intranasal or endotracheal routes of inoculation. Furthermore, the imaging results correlated strongly with the fungal load in the respective organs. By obtaining dynamic and quantitative information about the extent and timing of brain infections for individual animals, we found that dissemination to the brain after primary infection of the lung is likely a late-stage event with a timeframe that is variable between animals. This novel tool in Cryptococcus research can aid the identification of host and pathogen factors involved in this process, and supports development of novel preventive or therapeutic approaches. Summary: A novel combination of bioluminescence and anatomical imaging non-invasively identified the timeframe and extent of Cryptococcus neoformans dissemination to the brain in animal models of systemic and pulmonary fungal infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liesbeth Vanherp
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alexandra Ristani
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jennifer Poelmans
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Amy Hillen
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katrien Lagrou
- Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology and Mycology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Guilhem Janbon
- RNA Biology of Fungal Pathogens, Department of Mycology, Pasteur Institute, Paris 75015, France
| | - Matthias Brock
- Fungal Biology Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Uwe Himmelreich
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Greetje Vande Velde
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium .,Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Zeng Q, Zhang Z, Chen P, Long N, Lu L, Sang H. In vitro and in vivo Efficacy of a Synergistic Combination of Itraconazole and Verapamil Against Aspergillus fumigatus. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1266. [PMID: 31231346 PMCID: PMC6567931 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of aspergillosis continues to rise sharply, while the progress made in expanding the antifungal drug arsenal remains extremely slow, indicating an urgent need for new strategies. Previous studies have shown that the calcium signaling pathway, which is evolutionarily conserved in mammals and fungi, is involved in regulating the tolerance of azoles in fungi. In this study, we performed a preliminary screening among various combinations of different clinical calcium channel blockers and different antifungal drugs. We found that the combination of itraconazole and verapamil showed the best synergistic effect against Aspergillus fumigatus. Thereafter, using the checkboard assays we observed synergistic effects of the combination treatment against most of the A. fumigatus strains tested, including itraconazole-sensitive and itraconazole-resistant strains, with a fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) < 0.5. Furthermore, we showed that verapamil strongly decreased the cytosolic calcium transients following itraconazole stimulation by an aequorin-mediated method. Moreover, verapamil influenced the efflux of rhodamine 6G, an azole mimic substance. An ergosterol assay revealed that verapamil alone had no effect on ergosterol biosynthesis, but the combination of itraconazole and verapamil treatment decreased the ergosterol level. Further murine assays were performed using a luciferase-probed bioluminescence imaging method. Drug combination therapy reduced lung burden and improved survival rate. In conclusion, verapamil is a promising candidate to enhance the antifungal activity of itraconazole against A. fumigatus. In addition, our study suggests the effectiveness of an emerging approach based on bioluminescence imaging in monitoring the efficacy of drug combination therapy for invasive aspergillosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiuqiong Zeng
- Department of Dermatology, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Peiying Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Nanbiao Long
- 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
| | - Hong Sang
- Department of Dermatology, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Generation of A Mucor circinelloides Reporter Strain-A Promising New Tool to Study Antifungal Drug Efficacy and Mucormycosis. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9120613. [PMID: 30544643 PMCID: PMC6315630 DOI: 10.3390/genes9120613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections caused by Mucorales (mucormycosis) have increased worldwide. These life-threatening infections affect mainly, but not exclusively, immunocompromised patients, and are characterized by rapid progression, severe tissue damage and an unacceptably high rate of mortality. Still, little is known about this disease and its successful therapy. New tools to understand mucormycosis and a screening method for novel antimycotics are required. Bioluminescent imaging is a powerful tool for in vitro and in vivo approaches. Hence, the objective of this work was to generate and functionally analyze bioluminescent reporter strains of Mucor circinelloides, one mucormycosis-causing pathogen. Reporter strains were constructed by targeted integration of the firefly luciferase gene under control of the M. circinelloides promoter Pzrt1. The luciferase gene was sufficiently expressed, and light emission was detected under several conditions. Phenotypic characteristics, virulence potential and antifungal susceptibility were indifferent to the wild-type strains. Light intensity was dependent on growth conditions and biomass, being suitable to determine antifungal efficacy in vitro. This work describes for the first time the generation of reporter strains in a basal fungus that will allow real-time, non-invasive infection monitoring in insect and murine models, and the testing of antifungal efficacy by means other than survival.
Collapse
|
24
|
Genetic deficiency of NOD2 confers resistance to invasive aspergillosis. Nat Commun 2018; 9:2636. [PMID: 29980664 PMCID: PMC6035256 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04912-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a severe infection that can occur in severely immunocompromised patients. Efficient immune recognition of Aspergillus is crucial to protect against infection, and previous studies suggested a role for NOD2 in this process. However, thorough investigation of the impact of NOD2 on susceptibility to aspergillosis is lacking. Common genetic variations in NOD2 has been associated with Crohn's disease and here we investigated the influence of these genetic variations on the anti-Aspergillus host response. A NOD2 polymorphism reduced the risk of IA after hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. Mechanistically, absence of NOD2 in monocytes and macrophages increases phagocytosis leading to enhanced fungal killing, conversely, NOD2 activation reduces the antifungal potential of these cells. Crucially, Nod2 deficiency results in resistance to Aspergillus infection in an in vivo model of pulmonary aspergillosis. Collectively, our data demonstrate that genetic deficiency of NOD2 plays a protective role during Aspergillus infection.
Collapse
|
25
|
Li L, Du Y, Xiang D, Chen L, Shi Z, Tian J, Chen X. Prediction of the anti-glioma therapeutic effects of temozolomide through in vivo molecular imaging of MMP expression. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2018; 9:3193-3207. [PMID: 29984093 PMCID: PMC6033562 DOI: 10.1364/boe.9.003193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Currently, there is no effective way to assess the therapeutic response of temozolomide (TMZ) for the glioma. In this study, the human U87MG-fLuc glioma animal models were set up and the antitumor efficacy of TMZ was evaluated using bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and MRI. Then, bioluminescence tomography (BLT) was reconstructed using an adaptive sparsity matching pursuit (ASMP) algorithm. Second, the expression level of the MMP-750 probe was examined with or without TMZ treatment using FMI. Third, the expression of MMP2 and MMP3 was specifically examined after treatment. The results showed that TMZ effectively inhibited glioma growth. The targeted imaging of MMP-750 was decreased during the treatment of glioma with TMZ. Moreover, the MMP2 and MMP3 expression was found to correlate with the inhibition effect of TMZ. Our study indicated that the therapeutic effects of TMZ can be effectively evaluated at an early stage using molecular imaging, and MMP targeting the fluorescence probe could be utilized for the prediction and assessment of the therapeutic effects of TMZ.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Li
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Soochow University, No. 1 Ten Azusa Street, Suzhou, 215006, China
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, The State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 95 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Yang Du
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, The State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 95 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Dehui Xiang
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Soochow University, No. 1 Ten Azusa Street, Suzhou, 215006, China
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Liang Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 12 Urumqi Road, Jingan District, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Zhifeng Shi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 12 Urumqi Road, Jingan District, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Jie Tian
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, The State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 95 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Xinjian Chen
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Soochow University, No. 1 Ten Azusa Street, Suzhou, 215006, China
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
A Multimodal Imaging Approach Enables In Vivo Assessment of Antifungal Treatment in a Mouse Model of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2018; 62:AAC.00240-18. [PMID: 29760132 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00240-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus causes life-threatening lung infections in immunocompromised patients. Mouse models are extensively used in research to assess the in vivo efficacies of antifungals. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the use of noninvasive imaging techniques to evaluate experimental infections. However, single imaging modalities have limitations concerning the type of information they can provide. In this study, magnetic resonance imaging and bioluminescence imaging were combined to obtain longitudinal information on the extent of developing lesions and fungal load in a leukopenic mouse model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). This multimodal imaging approach was used to assess changes occurring within lungs of infected mice receiving voriconazole treatment starting at different time points after infection. The results showed that IPA development depends on the inoculum size used to infect animals and that disease can be successfully prevented or treated by initiating intervention during early stages of infection. Furthermore, we demonstrated that a reduction in fungal load is not necessarily associated with the disappearance of lesions on anatomical lung images, especially when antifungal treatment coincides with immune recovery. In conclusion, multimodal imaging allows an investigation of different aspects of disease progression or recovery by providing complementary information on dynamic processes, which are highly useful for assessing the efficacy of (novel) therapeutic compounds in a time- and labor-efficient manner.
Collapse
|
27
|
A Novel Polyaminocarboxylate Compound To Treat Murine Pulmonary Aspergillosis by Interfering with Zinc Metabolism. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2018; 62:AAC.02510-17. [PMID: 29632009 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02510-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 03/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus can cause pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients and is associated with a high mortality rate due to a lack of reliable treatment options. This opportunistic pathogen requires zinc in order to grow and cause disease. Novel compounds that interfere with fungal zinc metabolism may therefore be of therapeutic interest. We screened chemical libraries containing 59,223 small molecules using a resazurin assay that compared their effects on an A. fumigatus wild-type strain grown under zinc-limiting conditions and on a zinc transporter knockout strain grown under zinc-replete conditions to identify compounds affecting zinc metabolism. After a first screen, 116 molecules were selected whose inhibitory effects on fungal growth were further tested by using luminescence assays and hyphal length measurements to confirm their activity, as well as by toxicity assays on HeLa cells and mice. Six compounds were selected following a rescreening, of which two were pyrazolones, two were porphyrins, and two were polyaminocarboxylates. All three groups showed good in vitro activity, but only one of the polyaminocarboxylates was able to significantly improve the survival of immunosuppressed mice suffering from pulmonary aspergillosis. This two-tier screening approach led us to the identification of a novel small molecule with in vivo fungicidal effects and low murine toxicity that may lead to the development of new treatment options for fungal infections by administration of this compound either as a monotherapy or as part of a combination therapy.
Collapse
|
28
|
Thornton CR. Molecular Imaging of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis Using ImmunoPET/MRI: The Future Looks Bright. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:691. [PMID: 29686661 PMCID: PMC5900000 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a life-threatening lung disease of immuno-compromised humans caused by the ubiquitous environmental mold Aspergillus. Biomarker tests for the disease lack sensitivity and specificity, and culture of the fungus from invasive lung biopsy is slow, insensitive, and undesirable in critically ill patients. A computed tomogram (CT) of the chest offers a simple non-intrusive diagnostic procedure for rapid decision making, and so is used in many hematology units to drive antifungal treatment. However, radiological indicators that raise the suspicion of IPA are either transient signs in the early stages of the disease or not specific for Aspergillus infection, with other angio-invasive molds or bacterial pathogens producing comparable radiological manifestations in a chest CT. Improvements to the specificity of radiographic imaging of IPA have been attempted by coupling CT and positron emission tomography (PET) with [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG), a marker of metabolic activity well suited to cancer imaging, but with limited use in invasive fungal disease diagnostics due to its inability to differentiate between infectious etiologies, cancer, and inflammation. Bioluminescence imaging using single genetically modified strains of Aspergillus fumigatus has enabled in vivo monitoring of IPA in animal models of disease. For in vivo detection of Aspergillus lung infections in humans, radiolabeled Aspergillus-specific monoclonal antibodies, and iron siderophores, hold enormous potential for clinical diagnosis. This review examines the different experimental technologies used to image IPA, and recent advances in state-of-the-art molecular imaging of IPA using antibody-guided PET/magnetic resonance imaging (immunoPET/MRI).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Thornton
- Department of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.,ISCA Diagnostics Ltd., Exeter, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Desoubeaux G, Cray C. Animal Models of Aspergillosis. Comp Med 2018; 68:109-123. [PMID: 29663936 PMCID: PMC5897967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Revised: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/09/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Aspergillosis is an airborne fungal disease caused by Aspergillus spp., a group of ubiquitous molds. This disease causes high morbidity and mortality in both humans and animals. The growing importance of this infection over recent decades has created a need for practical and reproducible models of aspergillosis. The use of laboratory animals provides a platform to understand fungal virulence and pathophysiology, assess diagnostic tools, and evaluate new antifungal drugs. In this review, we describe the fungus, various Aspergillus-related diseases in humans and animals and various experimental animal models. Overall, we highlight the advantages and limitations of the animal models, the experimental variables that can affect the course of the disease and the reproducibility of infection, and the critical need for standardization of the species, immunosuppressive drugs, route of infection, and diagnostic criteria to use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Desoubeaux
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Comparative Pathology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA; Parasitology-Mycology Service, Tropical Medicine Program, University Hospital of Tours, CEPR - Inserm U1100, Medical Faculty, François Rabelais University, Tours, France
| | - Carolyn Cray
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Comparative Pathology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA.,
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Gresnigt MS, Jaeger M, Subbarao Malireddi RK, Rasid O, Jouvion G, Fitting C, Melchers WJG, Kanneganti TD, Carvalho A, Ibrahim-Granet O, van de Veerdonk FL. The Absence of NOD1 Enhances Killing of Aspergillus fumigatus Through Modulation of Dectin-1 Expression. Front Immunol 2017; 8:1777. [PMID: 29326692 PMCID: PMC5733348 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the major life-threatening infections for which severely immunocompromised patients are at risk is invasive aspergillosis (IA). Despite the current treatment options, the increasing antifungal resistance and poor outcome highlight the need for novel therapeutic strategies to improve outcome of patients with IA. In the current study, we investigated whether and how the intracellular pattern recognition receptor NOD1 is involved in host defense against Aspergillus fumigatus. When exploring the role of NOD1 in an experimental mouse model, we found that Nod1−/− mice were protected against IA and demonstrated reduced fungal outgrowth in the lungs. We found that macrophages derived from bone marrow of Nod1−/− mice were more efficiently inducing reactive oxygen species and cytokines in response to Aspergillus. Most strikingly, these cells were highly potent in killing A. fumigatus compared with wild-type cells. In line, human macrophages in which NOD1 was silenced demonstrated augmented Aspergillus killing and NOD1 stimulation decreased fungal killing. The differentially altered killing capacity of NOD1 silencing versus NOD1 activation was associated with alterations in dectin-1 expression, with activation of NOD1 reducing dectin-1 expression. Furthermore, we were able to demonstrate that Nod1−/− mice have elevated dectin-1 expression in the lung and bone marrow, and silencing of NOD1 gene expression in human macrophages increases dectin-1 expression. The enhanced dectin-1 expression may be the mechanism of enhanced fungal killing of Nod1−/− cells and human cells in which NOD1 was silenced, since blockade of dectin-1 reversed the augmented killing in these cells. Collectively, our data demonstrate that NOD1 receptor plays an inhibitory role in the host defense against Aspergillus. This provides a rationale to develop novel immunotherapeutic strategies for treatment of aspergillosis that target the NOD1 receptor, to enhance the efficiency of host immune cells to clear the infection by increasing fungal killing and cytokine responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark S Gresnigt
- Unité de recherche Cytokines and Inflammation, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Laboratory for Experimental Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Martin Jaeger
- Laboratory for Experimental Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - R K Subbarao Malireddi
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Orhan Rasid
- Unité de recherche Cytokines and Inflammation, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Grégory Jouvion
- Unité Histopathologie Humaine et Modèles Animaux, Département Infection et Epidémiologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Catherine Fitting
- Unité de recherche Cytokines and Inflammation, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Willem J G Melchers
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | | | - Agostinho Carvalho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | | | - Frank L van de Veerdonk
- Laboratory for Experimental Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Avci P, Karimi M, Sadasivam M, Antunes-Melo WC, Carrasco E, Hamblin MR. In-vivo monitoring of infectious diseases in living animals using bioluminescence imaging. Virulence 2017; 9:28-63. [PMID: 28960132 PMCID: PMC6067836 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2017.1371897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional methods of localizing and quantifying the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in living experimental animal models of infections have mostly relied on sacrificing the animals, dissociating the tissue and counting the number of colony forming units. However, the discovery of several varieties of the light producing enzyme, luciferase, and the genetic engineering of bacteria, fungi, parasites and mice to make them emit light, either after administration of the luciferase substrate, or in the case of the bacterial lux operon without any exogenous substrate, has provided a new alternative. Dedicated bioluminescence imaging (BLI) cameras can record the light emitted from living animals in real time allowing non-invasive, longitudinal monitoring of the anatomical location and growth of infectious microorganisms as measured by strength of the BLI signal. BLI technology has been used to follow bacterial infections in traumatic skin wounds and burns, osteomyelitis, infections in intestines, Mycobacterial infections, otitis media, lung infections, biofilm and endodontic infections and meningitis. Fungi that have been engineered to be bioluminescent have been used to study infections caused by yeasts (Candida) and by filamentous fungi. Parasitic infections caused by malaria, Leishmania, trypanosomes and toxoplasma have all been monitored by BLI. Viruses such as vaccinia, herpes simplex, hepatitis B and C and influenza, have been studied using BLI. This rapidly growing technology is expected to continue to provide much useful information, while drastically reducing the numbers of animals needed in experimental studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pinar Avci
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,b Department of Dermatology , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Mahdi Karimi
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,c Department of Medical Nanotechnology , School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.,d Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran
| | - Magesh Sadasivam
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,e Amity Institute of Nanotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh , Noida , India
| | - Wanessa C Antunes-Melo
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,f University of Sao Paulo , Sao Carlos-SP , Brazil
| | - Elisa Carrasco
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,g Department of Biosciences , Durham University , Durham , United Kingdom
| | - Michael R Hamblin
- a Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,b Department of Dermatology , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA.,h Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology , Cambridge , MA , USA
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Valsecchi I, Sarikaya-Bayram Ö, Wong Sak Hoi J, Muszkieta L, Gibbons J, Prevost MC, Mallet A, Krijnse-Locker J, Ibrahim-Granet O, Mouyna I, Carr P, Bromley M, Aimanianda V, Yu JH, Rokas A, Braus GH, Saveanu C, Bayram Ö, Latgé JP. MybA, a transcription factor involved in conidiation and conidial viability of the human pathogenAspergillus fumigatus. Mol Microbiol 2017; 105:880-900. [DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - John Gibbons
- Department of Biological Sciences; Vanderbilt University; Nashville TN 37235 USA
| | | | - Adeline Mallet
- Plate-Forme de Microscopie Ultrastructurale; Institut Pasteur; Paris 75015 France
| | | | | | | | - Paul Carr
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group; Institute of Inflammation and Repair, University of Manchester; Manchester UK
| | - Michael Bromley
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group; Institute of Inflammation and Repair, University of Manchester; Manchester UK
| | | | - Jae-Hyuk Yu
- Department of Bacteriology and Genetics; University of Wisconsin; Madison WI 53706 USA
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences; Vanderbilt University; Nashville TN 37235 USA
| | - Gerhard H Braus
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics; Georg August University; Göttingen 37077 Germany
| | - Cosmin Saveanu
- Unité de Génétique des Interactions Macromoléculaires; CNRS UMR3525, Institut Pasteur; Paris France
| | - Özgür Bayram
- Department of Biology; Maynooth University; Maynooth Co. Kildare Ireland
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Genetics; Georg August University; Göttingen 37077 Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Wong SSW, Rasid O, Laskaris P, Fekkar A, Cavaillon JM, Steinbach WJ, Ibrahim-Granet O. Treatment of Cyclosporin A retains host defense against invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in a non-immunosuppressive murine model by preserving the myeloid cell population. Virulence 2017; 8:1744-1752. [PMID: 28594271 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2017.1339007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclosporin A (CsA) is widely used as an immunosuppressive agent for organ transplant recipients. CsA inhibits calcineurin, which is highly conserved in mammals and fungi, and thus affects both types of organism. In mammals, the immunosuppressive effect of CsA is via hampering T cell activation. In fungi, the growth inhibitory effect of CsA is via interference with hyphal growth. The aim of this study was to determine whether CsA renders mice susceptible to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) and whether it can protect immunosuppressed mice from infection. We therefore examined both the antifungal and the immunosuppressive activity of CsA in immunosuppressed and in immunocompetent mice infected with Aspergillus fumigatus to model IPA. We found that daily injections of CsA could not produce an antifungal effect sufficient to rescue immunosuppressed mice from lethal IPA. However, a 100% survival rate was obtained in non-immunosuppressed mice receiving daily CsA, indicating that CsA did not render the mice vulnerable to IPA. The lymphocyte subset was significantly suppressed by CsA, while the myeloid subset was not. Therefore, we speculate that CsA does not impair the host defense against IPA since the myeloid cells are preserved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Orhan Rasid
- b Unité Cytokines & Inflammation , Institut Pasteur , Paris , France
| | - Paris Laskaris
- b Unité Cytokines & Inflammation , Institut Pasteur , Paris , France
| | - Arnaud Fekkar
- c AP-HP , Groupe hospitalier La Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service de Parasitologie Mycologie , Paris , France.,d Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses , CIMI-Paris , Paris , France.,e Sorbonne Universités , UPMC Univ Paris 06 , Paris , France
| | | | - William J Steinbach
- f Department of Pediatrics , Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Duke University , NC , USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Desoubeaux G, Cray C. Rodent Models of Invasive Aspergillosis due to Aspergillus fumigatus: Still a Long Path toward Standardization. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:841. [PMID: 28559881 PMCID: PMC5432554 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis has been studied in laboratory by the means of plethora of distinct animal models. They were developed to address pathophysiology, therapy, diagnosis, or miscellaneous other concerns associated. However, there are great discrepancies regarding all the experimental variables of animal models, and a thorough focus on them is needed. This systematic review completed a comprehensive bibliographic analysis specifically-based on the technical features of rodent models infected with Aspergillus fumigatus. Out the 800 articles reviewed, it was shown that mice remained the preferred model (85.8% of the referenced reports), above rats (10.8%), and guinea pigs (3.8%). Three quarters of the models involved immunocompromised status, mainly by steroids (44.4%) and/or alkylating drugs (42.9%), but only 27.7% were reported to receive antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent from bacterial infection. Injection of spores (30.0%) and inhalation/deposition into respiratory airways (66.9%) were the most used routes for experimental inoculation. Overall, more than 230 distinct A. fumigatus strains were used in models. Of all the published studies, 18.4% did not mention usage of any diagnostic tool, like histopathology or mycological culture, to control correct implementation of the disease and to measure outcome. In light of these findings, a consensus discussion should be engaged to establish a minimum standardization, although this may not be consistently suitable for addressing all the specific aspects of invasive aspergillosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Desoubeaux
- Division of Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of MiamiMiami, FL, USA.,Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie-Médecine tropicale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de ToursTours, France.,Centre d'Etude des Pathologies Respiratoires (CEPR) Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1100/Équipe 3, Université François-RabelaisTours, France
| | - Carolyn Cray
- Division of Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of MiamiMiami, FL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Administration of Zinc Chelators Improves Survival of Mice Infected with Aspergillus fumigatus both in Monotherapy and in Combination with Caspofungin. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016; 60:5631-9. [PMID: 27401578 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00324-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 07/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus can infect immunocompromised patients, leading to high mortality rates due to the lack of reliable treatment options. This pathogen requires uptake of zinc from host tissues in order to successfully grow and cause virulence. Reducing the availability of that micronutrient could help treat A. fumigatus infections. In this study, we examined the in vitro effects of seven chelators using a bioluminescent strain of A. fumigatus 1,10-Phenanthroline and N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine (TPEN) proved to be the chelators most effective at inhibiting fungal growth. Intraperitoneal administration of either phenanthroline or TPEN resulted in a significant improvement in survival and decrease of weight loss and fungal burden for immunosuppressed mice intranasally infected with A. fumigatus In vitro both chelators had an indifferent effect when employed in combination with caspofungin. The use of TPEN in combination with caspofungin also significantly increased survival compared to that when using these drugs individually. Our results suggest that zinc chelation may be a valid strategy for dealing with A. fumigatus infections and that both phenanthroline and TPEN could potentially be used either independently or in combination with caspofungin, indicating that their use in combination with other antifungal treatments might also be applicable.
Collapse
|
36
|
Siopi M, Siafakas N, Vourli S, Mouton JW, Zerva L, Meletiadis J. Dose optimization of voriconazole/anidulafungin combination against Aspergillus fumigatus using an in vitro pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model and response surface analysis: clinical implications for azole-resistant aspergillosis. J Antimicrob Chemother 2016; 71:3135-3147. [PMID: 27494912 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkw276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Revised: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Combination therapy of voriconazole with an echinocandin is often employed in order to increase the efficacy of voriconazole monotherapy. METHODS Four clinical Aspergillus fumigatus isolates with different in vitro susceptibilities to voriconazole (MIC 0.125-2 mg/L) and anidulafungin (MEC 0.008-0.016 mg/L) were tested in an in vitro pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model simulating human serum concentrations of standard dosages of voriconazole and anidulafungin. Fungal growth was assessed using galactomannan production and quantitative PCR. Drug concentrations were determined with bioassays. Pharmacodynamic interactions were assessed using Bliss independence analysis (BI) and Loewe additivity-based canonical mixture response-surface non-linear regression analysis (LA). Probability of target attainment (PTA) was estimated with Monte Carlo analysis for different doses of anidulafungin (25, 50 and 100 mg) and azole resistance rates (5%-25%). RESULTS Synergy [BI 51% (8%-80%), LA 0.63 (0.38-0.79)] was found at low anidulafungin (fCmax/MEC <10) and voriconazole (fAUC/MIC <10) exposures, whereas antagonism [BI 12% (5%-18%, LA 1.12 (1.04-4.6)] was found at higher drug exposures. The largest increase in PTA was found with 25 mg of anidulafungin and voriconazole MIC distributions with high (>10%) resistance rates. PTAs for isolates with voriconazole MICs of 1, 2 and 4 mg/L was 78%, 12% and 0% with voriconazole monotherapy and 96%-100%, 68%-82% and 9%-20% with combination therapy, respectively. Optimal activity was associated with a voriconazole tCmin/MIC ratio of 1.5 for monotherapy and 0.75 for combination therapy. CONCLUSIONS The present study indicated that the combination of voriconazole with low-dose anidulafungin may increase the efficacy and reduce the cost and potential toxicity of antifungal therapy, particularly against azole-resistant A. fumigatus isolates and in patients with subtherapeutic serum levels. This hypothesis warrants further in vivo verification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Siopi
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Attikon University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Siafakas
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Attikon University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Sophia Vourli
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Attikon University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Johan W Mouton
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Loukia Zerva
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Attikon University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Joseph Meletiadis
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Attikon University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece .,Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Longitudinal, in vivo assessment of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in mice by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. J Transl Med 2016; 96:692-704. [PMID: 27019389 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2016.45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2015] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis is an emerging threat to public health due to the increasing use of immune suppressive drugs and the emergence of resistance against antifungal drugs. To deal with this threat, research on experimental disease models provides insight into the pathogenesis of infections caused by susceptible and resistant Aspergillus strains and by assessing their response to antifungal drugs. However, standard techniques used to evaluate infection in a preclinical setting are severely limited by their invasive character, thereby precluding evaluation of disease extent and therapy effects in the same animal. To enable non-invasive, longitudinal monitoring of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in mice, we optimized computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques for daily follow-up of neutropenic BALB/c mice intranasally infected with A. fumigatus spores. Based on the images, lung parameters (signal intensity, lung tissue volume and total lung volume) were quantified to obtain objective information on disease onset, progression and extent for each animal individually. Fungal lung lesions present in infected animals were successfully visualized and quantified by both CT and MRI. By using an advanced MR pulse sequence with ultrashort echo times, pathological changes within the infected lung became visually and quantitatively detectable at earlier disease stages, thereby providing valuable information on disease onset and progression with high sensitivity. In conclusion, these non-invasive imaging techniques prove to be valuable tools for the longitudinal evaluation of dynamic disease-related changes and differences in disease severity in individual animals that might be readily applied for rapid and cost-efficient drug screening in preclinical models in vivo.
Collapse
|
38
|
Gresnigt MS, Rekiki A, Rasid O, Savers A, Jouvion G, Dannaoui E, Parlato M, Fitting C, Brock M, Cavaillon JM, van de Veerdonk FL, Ibrahim-Granet O. Reducing hypoxia and inflammation during invasive pulmonary aspergillosis by targeting the Interleukin-1 receptor. Sci Rep 2016; 6:26490. [PMID: 27215684 PMCID: PMC4877709 DOI: 10.1038/srep26490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia as a result of pulmonary tissue damage due to unresolved inflammation during invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is associated with a poor outcome. Aspergillus fumigatus can exploit the hypoxic microenvironment in the lung, but the inflammatory response required for fungal clearance can become severely disregulated as a result of hypoxia. Since severe inflammation can be detrimental to the host, we investigated whether targeting the interleukin IL-1 pathway could reduce inflammation and tissue hypoxia, improving the outcome of IPA. The interplay between hypoxia and inflammation was investigated by in vivo imaging of hypoxia and measurement of cytokines in the lungs in a model of corticosteroid immunocompromised and in Cxcr2 deficient mice. Severe hypoxia was observed following Aspergillus infection in both models and correlated with development of pulmonary inflammation and expression of hypoxia specific transcripts. Treatment with IL-1 receptor antagonist reduced hypoxia and slightly, but significantly reduced mortality in immunosuppressed mice, but was unable to reduce hypoxia in Cxcr2(-/-) mice. Our data provides evidence that the inflammatory response during invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, and in particular the IL-1 axis, drives the development of hypoxia. Targeting the inflammatory IL-1 response could be used as a potential immunomodulatory therapy to improve the outcome of aspergillosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark S Gresnigt
- Unité de recherche Cytokines &Inflammation, Institut Pasteur, Paris.,Department of Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Orhan Rasid
- Unité de recherche Cytokines &Inflammation, Institut Pasteur, Paris
| | - Amélie Savers
- Fungal Genetics and Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, UK
| | - Grégory Jouvion
- Unité Histopathologie Humaine et Modèles Animaux, Institut Pasteur, Paris France
| | - Eric Dannaoui
- Paris-Descartes University, Faculty of Medicine, APHP, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, Parasitology-Mycology Unit, Microbiology department, Paris, France
| | - Marianna Parlato
- INSERM UMR S1163 Institut Imagine, Laboratoire d'Immunité Intestinale, Paris France
| | | | - Matthias Brock
- Fungal Genetics and Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, UK
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
39
|
Savers A, Rasid O, Parlato M, Brock M, Jouvion G, Ryffel B, Cavaillon JM, Eberl G, Ibrahim-Granet O. Infection-Mediated Priming of Phagocytes Protects against Lethal Secondary Aspergillus fumigatus Challenge. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153829. [PMID: 27078879 PMCID: PMC4831689 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Phagocytes restrict the germination of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia and prevent the establishment of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in immunecompetent mice. Here we report that immunecompetent mice recovering from a primary A. fumigatus challenge are protected against a secondary lethal challenge. Using RAGγc knock-out mice we show that this protection is independent of T, B and NK cells. In protected mice, lung phagocytes are recruited more rapidly and are more efficient in conidial phagocytosis and killing. Protection was also associated with an enhanced expression of CXCR2 and Dectin-1 on bone marrow phagocytes. We also show that protective lung cytokine and chemokine responses are induced more rapidly and with enhanced dynamics in protected mice. Our findings support the hypothesis that following a first encounter with a non-lethal dose of A. fumigatus conidia, the innate immune system is primed and can mediate protection against a secondary lethal infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amélie Savers
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Cytokines & Inflammation, Paris, France
- Fungal Genetics and Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Orhan Rasid
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Cytokines & Inflammation, Paris, France
| | - Marianna Parlato
- INSERM UMR S1163 -Institut Imagine, Laboratoire d’Immunité Intestinale, Paris, France
| | - Matthias Brock
- Fungal Genetics and Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Gregory Jouvion
- Institut Pasteur, Unité Histopathologie Humaine et Modèles Animaux, Paris, France
| | - Bernhard Ryffel
- INSERM, UMR 7355, Immunologie Moléculaire, Institut de Transgénose, Université d'Orléans et Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Orléans, France
| | | | - Gerard Eberl
- Institut Pasteur, Lymphoid Tissue Development Unit, Paris, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
40
|
Balouiri M, Sadiki M, Ibnsouda SK. Methods for in vitro evaluating antimicrobial activity: A review. J Pharm Anal 2016; 6:71-79. [PMID: 29403965 PMCID: PMC5762448 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpha.2015.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2484] [Impact Index Per Article: 310.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2015] [Revised: 11/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in researching and developing new antimicrobial agents from various sources to combat microbial resistance. Therefore, a greater attention has been paid to antimicrobial activity screening and evaluating methods. Several bioassays such as disk-diffusion, well diffusion and broth or agar dilution are well known and commonly used, but others such as flow cytofluorometric and bioluminescent methods are not widely used because they require specified equipment and further evaluation for reproducibility and standardization, even if they can provide rapid results of the antimicrobial agent's effects and a better understanding of their impact on the viability and cell damage inflicted to the tested microorganism. In this review article, an exhaustive list of in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods and detailed information on their advantages and limitations are reported.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mounyr Balouiri
- Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, B.P. 2202 Imouzzer Road, Fez, Morocco
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
41
|
Diverse Regulation of the CreA Carbon Catabolite Repressor in Aspergillus nidulans. Genetics 2016; 203:335-52. [PMID: 27017621 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.116.187872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Carbon catabolite repression (CCR) is a process that selects the energetically most favorable carbon source in an environment. CCR represses the use of less favorable carbon sources when a better source is available. Glucose is the preferential carbon source for most microorganisms because it is rapidly metabolized, generating quick energy for growth. In the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, CCR is mediated by the transcription factor CreA, a C2H2 finger domain DNA-binding protein. The aim of this work was to investigate the regulation of CreA and characterize its functionally distinct protein domains. CreA depends in part on de novo protein synthesis and is regulated in part by ubiquitination. CreC, the scaffold protein in the CreB-CreC deubiquitination (DUB) complex, is essential for CreA function and stability. Deletion of select protein domains in CreA resulted in persistent nuclear localization and target gene repression. A region in CreA conserved between Aspergillus spp. and Trichoderma reesei was identified as essential for growth on various carbon, nitrogen, and lipid sources. In addition, a role of CreA in amino acid transport and nitrogen assimilation was observed. Taken together, these results indicate previously unidentified functions of this important transcription factor. These novel functions serve as a basis for additional research in fungal carbon metabolism with the potential aim to improve fungal industrial applications.
Collapse
|
42
|
Krappmann S. Lightning up the worm: How to probe fungal virulence in an alternative mini-host by bioluminescence. Virulence 2015; 6:727-9. [PMID: 26537579 PMCID: PMC4826133 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2015.1103428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sven Krappmann
- a Mikrobiologisches Institut - Klinische Mikrobiologie; Immunologie und Hygiene; Universitätsklinikum Erlangen; Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg ; Erlangen , Germany.,b Medical Immunology Campus Erlangen; Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg ; Erlangen , Germany
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Afshari A, Uhde-Stone C, Lu B. A cooled CCD camera-based protocol provides an effective solution for in vitro monitoring of luciferase. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015; 458:543-548. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.01.150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
44
|
Abstract
Successful treatment of infectious diseases requires choice of the most suitable antimicrobial agent, comprising consideration of drug pharmacokinetics (PK), including penetration into infection site, pathogen susceptibility, optimal route of drug administration, drug dose, frequency of administration, duration of therapy, and drug toxicity. Antimicrobial pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) studies consider these variables and have been useful in drug development, optimizing dosing regimens, determining susceptibility breakpoints, and limiting toxicity of antifungal therapy. Here the concepts of antifungal PK/PD studies are reviewed, with emphasis on methodology and application. The initial sections of this review focus on principles and methodology. Then the pharmacodynamics of each major antifungal drug class (polyenes, flucytosine, azoles, and echinocandins) is discussed. Finally, the review discusses novel areas of pharmacodynamic investigation in the study and application of combination therapy.
Collapse
|
45
|
|
46
|
Jacobsen ID, Lüttich A, Kurzai O, Hube B, Brock M. In vivo imaging of disseminated murine Candida albicans infection reveals unexpected host sites of fungal persistence during antifungal therapy. J Antimicrob Chemother 2014; 69:2785-96. [PMID: 24951534 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dku198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Candida albicans is an important fungal pathogen that can cause life-threatening disseminated infections. To determine the efficacy of therapy in murine models, a determination of renal fungal burden as cfu is commonly used. However, this approach provides only a snapshot of the current situation in an individual animal and cryptic sites of infection may easily be missed. Thus, we aimed to develop real-time non-invasive imaging to monitor infection in vivo. METHODS Bioluminescent C. albicans reporter strains were developed based on a bioinformatical approach for codon optimization. The reporter strains were analysed in vitro and in vivo in the murine model of systemic candidiasis. RESULTS Reporter strains allowed the in vivo monitoring of infection and a determination of fungal burden, with a high correlation between bioluminescence and cfu count. We confirmed the kidney as the main target organ but additionally observed the translocation of C. albicans to the urinary bladder. The treatment of infected mice with caspofungin and fluconazole significantly improved the clinical outcome and clearance of C. albicans from the kidneys; however, unexpectedly, viable fungal cells persisted in the gall bladder. Fungi were secreted with bile and detected in the faeces, implicating the gall bladder as a reservoir for colonization by C. albicans after antifungal therapy. Bile extracts significantly decreased the susceptibility of C. albicans to various antifungals in vitro, thereby probably contributing to its persistence. CONCLUSIONS Using in vivo imaging, we identified cryptic sites of infection and persistence of C. albicans in the gall bladder during otherwise effective antifungal treatment. Bile appears to directly interfere with antifungal activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilse D Jacobsen
- Microbial Immunology, Hans Knoell Institute, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Beutenbergstrasse 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Anja Lüttich
- Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knoell Institute, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Beutenbergstrasse 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Oliver Kurzai
- Septomics Research Center, Friedrich-Schiller University Jena and Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Albert-Einstein Strasse 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Bernhard Hube
- Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knoell Institute, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Beutenbergstrasse 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany Center for Sepsis Control and Care, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Matthias Brock
- Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany Microbial Biochemistry and Physiology, Hans Knoell Institute, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Beutenbergstrasse 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| |
Collapse
|