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Mills KAM, Westermann F, Espinosa V, Rosiek E, Desai JV, Aufiero MA, Guo Y, Mitchell KA, Tuzlak S, De Feo D, Lionakis MS, Rivera A, Becher B, Hohl TM. GM-CSF-mediated epithelial-immune cell crosstalk orchestrates pulmonary immunity to Aspergillus fumigatus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.03.574062. [PMID: 38260364 PMCID: PMC10802277 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.03.574062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus causes life-threatening mold pneumonia in immune compromised patients, particularly in those with quantitative or qualitative defects in neutrophils. While innate immune cell crosstalk licenses neutrophil antifungal activity in the lung, the role of epithelial cells in this process is unknown. Here, we find that that surfactant protein C (SPC)-expressing lung epithelial cells integrate infection-induced IL-1 and type III interferon signaling to produce granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) preferentially at local sites of fungal infection and neutrophil influx. Using in vivo models that distinguish the role of GM-CSF during acute infection from its homeostatic function in alveolar macrophage survival and surfactant catabolism, we demonstrate that epithelial-derived GM-CSF increases the accumulation and fungicidal activity of GM-CSF-responsive neutrophils, with the latter being essential for host survival. Our findings establish SPC + epithelial cells as a central player in regulating the quality and strength of neutrophil-dependent immunity against inhaled mold pathogens. HIGHLIGHTS GM-CSF is essential for host defense against A. fumigatus in the lung IL-1 and IFN-λ promote GM-CSF production by lung epithelial cells in parallelEpithelial cell-derived GM-CSF increases neutrophil accumulation and fungal killing capacityEpithelial cells preferentially upregulate GM-CSF in local sites of inflammation. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
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Liu H, Shetty AC, Ibrahim AS, Filler SG, Bruno VM. Novel Host Pathways Govern Epithelial Cell Invasion of Aspergillus fumigatus. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0008423. [PMID: 37255456 PMCID: PMC10434228 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00084-23] [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: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis is initiated when Aspergillus fumigatus adheres to and invades the pulmonary epithelial cells that line the airways and alveoli. To gain deeper insight into how pulmonary epithelial cells respond to A. fumigatus invasion, we used transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) to determine the transcriptional response of the A549 type II alveolar epithelial cell line to infection with strains CEA10 and Af293, two clinical isolates of A. fumigatus. Upstream regulator analysis of the data indicated that while both strains activated virtually identical host cell signaling pathways after 16 h of infection, only strain CEA10 activated these pathways after 6 h of infection. Many of the pathways that were predicted to be activated by A. fumigatus, including the tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-1α (IL-1α), IL-1β, IL-17A, Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), and TLR4 pathways, are known to be critical for the host defense against this fungus. We also found that the platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF BB) and progesterone receptor (PGR) pathways were activated by A. fumigatus. Using pharmacologic inhibitors, we determined that blocking the PDGF receptor or PGR inhibited the endocytosis of both strains of A. fumigatus in an additive manner. Both the PDGF BB and PGR pathways are also predicted to be activated by infection of A549 cells with other molds, such as Rhizopus delemar and Rhizopus oryzae. Thus, these pathways may represent a common response of pulmonary epithelial cells to mold infection. IMPORTANCE Invasive aspergillosis is a deadly invasive fungal infection that initiates when Aspergillus fumigatus spores are inhaled and come into contact with the epithelial cells that line the airways and alveoli. Understanding this fungus-host interaction is important for the development of novel therapeutics. To gain a deeper understanding of how these airway epithelial cells respond to A. fumigatus during infection, we used RNA-seq to determine the transcriptional response of alveolar epithelial cells to infection with two different clinical isolates of A. fumigatus. Our analysis identified new host response pathways that have not previously been tied to infection with A. fumigatus. Pharmacological inhibition of two of these pathways inhibited the ability of A. fumigatus to invade airway epithelial cells. These two pathways are also predicted to be activated by infection with other filamentous fungi. Thus, these pathways may represent a common response of alveolar epithelial cells to mold infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Liu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, USA
| | - Amol C. Shetty
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ashraf S. Ibrahim
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Torrance, California, USA
| | - Scott G. Filler
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Torrance, California, USA
| | - Vincent M. Bruno
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Abbondante S, Leal SM, Clark HL, Ratitong B, Sun Y, Ma LJ, Pearlman E. Immunity to pathogenic fungi in the eye. Semin Immunol 2023; 67:101753. [PMID: 37060806 PMCID: PMC10508057 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2023.101753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
Fusarium, Aspergillus and Candida are important fungal pathogens that cause visual impairment and blindness in the USA and worldwide. This review will summarize the epidemiology and clinical features of corneal infections and discuss the immune and inflammatory responses that play an important role in clinical disease. In addition, we describe fungal virulence factors that are required for survival in infected corneas, and the activities of neutrophils in fungal killing, tissue damage and cytokine production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Abbondante
- Department of Ophthalmology, and Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Sixto M Leal
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Bridget Ratitong
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Ophthalmic Research, Cole Eye Institute and Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Li-Jun Ma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Eric Pearlman
- Department of Ophthalmology, and Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
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Mead ME, de Castro PA, Steenwyk JL, Gangneux JP, Hoenigl M, Prattes J, Rautemaa-Richardson R, Guegan H, Moore CB, Lass-Flörl C, Reizine F, Valero C, Van Rhijn N, Bromley MJ, Rokas A, Goldman GH, Gago S. COVID-19-Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis Isolates Are Genomically Diverse but Similar to Each Other in Their Responses to Infection-Relevant Stresses. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0512822. [PMID: 36946762 PMCID: PMC10100753 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.05128-22] [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: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Secondary infections caused by the pulmonary fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus are a significant cause of mortality in patients with severe coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). Even though epithelial cell damage and aberrant cytokine responses have been linked to susceptibility to COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA), little is known about the mechanisms underpinning copathogenicity. Here, we analyzed the genomes of 11 A. fumigatus isolates from patients with CAPA in three centers from different European countries. CAPA isolates did not cluster based on geographic origin in a genome-scale phylogeny of representative A. fumigatus isolates. Phenotypically, CAPA isolates were more similar to the A. fumigatus A1160 reference strain than to the Af293 strain when grown in infection-relevant stresses, except for interactions with human immune cells wherein macrophage responses were similar to those induced by the Af293 reference strain. Collectively, our data indicate that CAPA isolates are genomically diverse but are more similar to each other in their responses to infection-relevant stresses. A larger number of isolates from CAPA patients should be studied to better understand the molecular epidemiology of CAPA and to identify genetic drivers of copathogenicity and antifungal resistance in patients with COVID-19. IMPORTANCE Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) has been globally reported as a life-threatening complication in some patients with severe COVID-19. Most of these infections are caused by the environmental mold Aspergillus fumigatus, which ranks third in the fungal pathogen priority list of the WHO. However, little is known about the molecular epidemiology of Aspergillus fumigatus CAPA strains. Here, we analyzed the genomes of 11 A. fumigatus isolates from patients with CAPA in three centers from different European countries, and carried out phenotypic analyses with a view to understanding the pathophysiology of the disease. Our data indicate that A. fumigatus CAPA isolates are genomically diverse but are more similar to each other in their responses to infection-relevant stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E. Mead
- Department of Biological Sciences and Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Patrícia Alves de Castro
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jacob L. Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences and Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Gangneux
- University of Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, IRSET (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), Rennes, France
| | - Martin Hoenigl
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Biotech Med, Graz, Austria
| | - Juergen Prattes
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Riina Rautemaa-Richardson
- Mycology Reference Centre Manchester and Department of Infectious Diseases, Manchester University, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Hélène Guegan
- University of Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, IRSET (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), Rennes, France
| | - Caroline B. Moore
- Mycology Reference Centre Manchester and Department of Infectious Diseases, Manchester University, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Cornelia Lass-Flörl
- European Excellence Center for Medical Mycology (ECMM), Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Florian Reizine
- University of Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, IRSET (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), Rennes, France
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Rennes University Hospital, Rennes, France
| | - Clara Valero
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Norman Van Rhijn
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Michael J. Bromley
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences and Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sara Gago
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - on behalf of the ECMM CAPA Study Group
- Department of Biological Sciences and Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
- University of Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, IRSET (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), Rennes, France
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Biotech Med, Graz, Austria
- Mycology Reference Centre Manchester and Department of Infectious Diseases, Manchester University, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- European Excellence Center for Medical Mycology (ECMM), Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Rennes University Hospital, Rennes, France
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses Induced by Aspergillus fumigatus Conidia and Hyphae. Curr Microbiol 2023; 80:28. [PMID: 36474044 PMCID: PMC9734344 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-022-03102-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Previous research indicated that hyphae of Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) rather than conidia could successfully build a pulmonary aspergillosis model in immunocompetent mice. In this study, we compared the immune responses induced by hyphae and conidia to explore the possible mechanism of this striking phenomenon. Herein, a novel method was designed and adopted to quantify hyphal fragments. Murine macrophages RAW264.7 and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated by A. fumigatus hyphae and conidia in vitro, respectively, and then immunological reactions were measured. Male C57BL/6 mice were challenged with conidia and hyphae through intratracheal inoculation. Dynamic conditions of mice were recorded, and RNA-seq measured corresponding immune responses. The results of the study confirmed that hyphae could induce more intensive inflammation than conidia in vitro and in vivo. However, macrophages revealed a higher production of ROS and M1 polarisation in response to conidia stimuli. Additionally, conidia could promote Th1 cell differentiation, while hyphae could increase the CD4/CD8 ratio. RNA-seq validated the fact that those multiple immunologically relevant pathways were more strongly activated by hyphae than conidia, which also promoted Th2 cell differentiation and suppressed Th1 signalling. Both hyphae and conidia could activate Th17 signalling. In general, conidia and hyphae induced distinctly different host immune responses, and the immune responses induced by conidia played a better protective effect. Therefore, the unique function of hyphae in the spread and infection of Aspergillus should be emphasised, and more research is required to clarify the underlying mechanisms for better understanding and management of aspergillosis.
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Liu KW, Grau MS, Jones JT, Wang X, Vesely EM, James MR, Gutierrez-Perez C, Cramer RA, Obar JJ. Postinfluenza Environment Reduces Aspergillus fumigatus Conidium Clearance and Facilitates Invasive Aspergillosis In Vivo. mBio 2022; 13:e0285422. [PMID: 36377895 PMCID: PMC9765436 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02854-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a human fungal pathogen that is most often avirulent in immunecompetent individuals because the innate immune system is efficient at eliminating fungal conidia. However, recent clinical observations have shown that severe influenza A virus (IAV) infection can lead to secondary A. fumigatus infections with high mortality. Little is currently known about how IAV infection alters the innate antifungal immune response. Here, we established a murine model of IAV-induced A. fumigatus (IAV-Af) superinfection by inoculating mice with IAV followed 6 days later by A. fumigatus conidia challenge. We observed increased mortality in the IAV-Af-superinfected mice compared to mice challenged with either IAV or A. fumigatus alone. A. fumigatus conidia were able to germinate and establish a biofilm in the lungs of the IAV-Af superinfection group, which was not seen following fungal challenge alone. While we did not observe any differences in inflammatory cell recruitment in the IAV-Af superinfection group compared to single-infection controls, we observed defects in Aspergillus conidial uptake and killing by both neutrophils and monocytes after IAV infection. pHrodo Green zymosan bioparticle (pHrodo-zymosan) and CM-H2DCFDA [5-(and-6)-chloromethyl-2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate] staining, indicators of phagolysosome maturation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, respectively, revealed that the fungal killing defect was due in part to reduced phagolysosome maturation. Collectively, our data demonstrate that the ability of neutrophils and monocytes to kill and clear Aspergillus conidia is strongly reduced in the pulmonary environment of an IAV-infected lung, which leads to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and increased overall mortality in our mouse model, recapitulating what is observed clinically in humans. IMPORTANCE Influenza A virus (IAV) is a common respiratory virus that causes seasonal illness in humans, but can cause pandemics and severe infection in certain patients. Since the emergence of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic strains, there has been an increase in clinical reports of IAV-infected patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) developing secondary pulmonary aspergillosis. These cases of flu-Aspergillus superinfections are associated with worse clinical outcomes than secondary bacterial infections in the setting of IAV. To date, we have a limited understanding of the cause(s) of secondary fungal infections in immunocompetent hosts. IAV-induced modulation of cytokine production and innate immune cellular function generates a unique immune environment in the lung, which could make the host vulnerable to a secondary fungal infection. Our work shows that defects in phagolysosome maturation in neutrophils and monocytes after IAV infection impair the ability of these cells to kill A. fumigatus, thus leading to increased fungal germination and growth and subsequent invasive aspergillosis. Our work lays a foundation for future mechanistic studies examining the exact immune modulatory events occurring in the respiratory tract after viral infection leading to secondary fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ko-Wei Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Madeleine S. Grau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Jane T. Jones
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Xi Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Elisa M. Vesely
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Matthew R. James
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Cecilia Gutierrez-Perez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Robert A. Cramer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Joshua J. Obar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
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Idol RA, Bhattacharya S, Huang G, Song Z, Huttenlocher A, Keller NP, Dinauer MC. Neutrophil and Macrophage NADPH Oxidase 2 Differentially Control Responses to Inflammation and to Aspergillus fumigatus in Mice. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2022; 209:1960-1972. [PMID: 36426951 PMCID: PMC9643661 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an important opportunistic fungal pathogen and causes invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in conditions with compromised innate antifungal immunity, including chronic granulomatous disease, which results from inherited deficiency of the superoxide-generating leukocyte NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2). Derivative oxidants have both antimicrobial and immunoregulatory activity and, in the context of A. fumigatus, contribute to both fungal killing and dampening inflammation induced by fungal cell walls. As the relative roles of macrophage versus neutrophil NOX2 in the host response to A. fumigatus are incompletely understood, we studied mice with conditional deletion of NOX2. When NOX2 was absent in alveolar macrophages as a result of LysM-Cre-mediated deletion, germination of inhaled A. fumigatus conidia was increased. Reducing NOX2 activity specifically in neutrophils via S100a8 (MRP8)-Cre also increased fungal burden, which was inversely proportional to the level of neutrophil NOX2 activity. Moreover, diminished NOX2 in neutrophils synergized with corticosteroid immunosuppression to impair lung clearance of A. fumigatus. Neutrophil-specific reduction in NOX2 activity also enhanced acute inflammation induced by inhaled sterile fungal cell walls. These results advance understanding into cell-specific roles of NOX2 in the host response to A. fumigatus. We show that alveolar macrophage NOX2 is a nonredundant effector that limits germination of inhaled A. fumigatus conidia. In contrast, reducing NOX2 activity only in neutrophils is sufficient to enhance inflammation to fungal cell walls as well as to promote invasive A. fumigatus. This may be relevant in clinical settings with acquired defects in NOX2 activity due to underlying conditions, which overlap risk factors for invasive aspergillosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Idol
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Sourav Bhattacharya
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Guangming Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Zhimin Song
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Anna Huttenlocher
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Nancy P. Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Mary C. Dinauer
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Ratitong B, Marshall ME, Dragan MA, Anunciado CM, Abbondante S, Pearlman E. Differential Roles for IL-1α and IL-1β in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Corneal Infection. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2022; 209:548-558. [PMID: 35851538 PMCID: PMC9922050 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important cause of dermal, pulmonary, and ocular disease. Our studies have focused on P. aeruginosa infections of the cornea (keratitis) as a major cause of blinding microbial infections. The infection leads to an influx of innate immune cells, with neutrophils making up to 90% of recruited cells during early stages. We previously reported that the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1α and IL-1β were elevated during infection. Compared with wild-type (WT), infected Il1b-/- mice developed more severe corneal disease that is associated with impaired bacterial killing as a result of defective neutrophil recruitment. We also reported that neutrophils are an important source of IL-1α and IL-1β, which peaked at 24 h postinfection. To examine the role of IL-1α compared with IL-1β in P. aeruginosa keratitis, we inoculated corneas of C57BL/6 (WT), Il1a-/-, Il1b-/-, and Il1a-/-Il1b-/- (double-knockout) mice with 5 × 104 ExoS-expressing P. aeruginosa. Il1b-/- and double-knockout mice have significantly higher bacterial burden that was consistent with delayed neutrophil and monocyte recruitment to the corneas. Surprisingly, Il1a-/- mice had the opposite phenotype with enhanced bacteria clearance compared with WT mice. Although there were no significant differences in neutrophil recruitment, Il1a-/- neutrophils displayed a more proinflammatory transcriptomic profile compared to WT with elevations in C1q expression that likely caused the phenotypic differences observed. To our knowledge, our findings identify a novel, non-redundant role for IL-1α in impairing bacterial clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget Ratitong
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA
- Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Michaela E Marshall
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA; and
| | - Morgan A Dragan
- Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Charissa M Anunciado
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Serena Abbondante
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA; and
| | - Eric Pearlman
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA
- Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA; and
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Bergmann-Leitner ES, Bobrov AG, Bolton JS, Rouse MD, Heyburn L, Pavlovic R, Garry BI, Alamneh Y, Long J, Swierczewski B, Tyner S, Getnet D, Sajja VS, Antonic V. Blast Waves Cause Immune System Dysfunction and Transient Bone Marrow Failure in a Mouse Model. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:821169. [PMID: 35392409 PMCID: PMC8980552 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.821169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Explosive devices, either conventional or improvised, are common sources of injuries during combat, civil unrest, and terror attacks, resulting in trauma from exposure to blast. A blast wave (BW), a near-instantaneous rise in pressure followed by a negative pressure, propagates through the body in milliseconds and can affect physiology for days/months after exposure. Epidemiological data show that blast-related casualties result in significantly higher susceptibility to wound infections, suggesting long-lasting immune modulatory effects from blast exposure. The mechanisms involved in BW-induced immune changes are poorly understood. We evaluated the effects of BW on the immune system using an established murine model. Animals were exposed to BWs (using an Advanced Blast Simulator), followed by longitudinally sampling for 14 days. Blood, bone marrow, and spleen were analyzed for changes in the 1) complete blood count (CBC), and 2) composition of bone marrow cells (BMC) and splenocytes, and 3) concentrations of systemic cytokines/chemokines. Our data demonstrate that BW results in transient bone marrow failure and long-term changes in the frequency and profile of progenitor cell populations. Viability progressively decreased in hematopoietic stem cells and pluripotent progenitor cells. Significant decrease of CD4+ T cells in the spleen indicates reduced functionality of adaptive immune system. Dynamic changes in the concentrations of several cytokines and chemokines such as IL-1α and IL-17 occurred potentially contributing to dysregulation of immune response after trauma. This work lays the foundation for identifying the potential mechanisms behind BW’s immunosuppressive effects to inform the recognition of this compromised status is crucial for the development of therapeutic interventions for infections to reduce recovery time of wounded patients injured by explosive devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke S. Bergmann-Leitner
- Biologics Research and Development, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Elke S. Bergmann-Leitner, ; Venkatasivasai S. Sajja, ; Vlado Antonic,
| | - Alexander G. Bobrov
- Wound Infections Department, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Jessica S. Bolton
- Biologics Research and Development, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Michael D. Rouse
- Wound Infections Department, Naval Research Medical Center, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Lanier Heyburn
- Blast Induced Neurotrauma Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Radmila Pavlovic
- Wound Infections Department, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Brittany I. Garry
- Wound Infections Department, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Yonas Alamneh
- Wound Infections Department, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Joseph Long
- Blast Induced Neurotrauma Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Brett Swierczewski
- Bacterial Disease Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Stuart Tyner
- Military Infectious Diseases Research Program, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Derese Getnet
- Wound Infections Department, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Venkatasivasai S. Sajja
- Blast Induced Neurotrauma Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Elke S. Bergmann-Leitner, ; Venkatasivasai S. Sajja, ; Vlado Antonic,
| | - Vlado Antonic
- Wound Infections Department, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Elke S. Bergmann-Leitner, ; Venkatasivasai S. Sajja, ; Vlado Antonic,
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10
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Ortiz SC, Pennington K, Thomson DD, Bertuzzi M. Novel Insights into Aspergillus fumigatus Pathogenesis and Host Response from State-of-the-Art Imaging of Host-Pathogen Interactions during Infection. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:264. [PMID: 35330266 PMCID: PMC8954776 DOI: 10.3390/jof8030264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus spores initiate more than 3,000,000 chronic and 300,000 invasive diseases annually, worldwide. Depending on the immune status of the host, inhalation of these spores can lead to a broad spectrum of disease, including invasive aspergillosis, which carries a 50% mortality rate overall; however, this mortality rate increases substantially if the infection is caused by azole-resistant strains or diagnosis is delayed or missed. Increasing resistance to existing antifungal treatments is becoming a major concern; for example, resistance to azoles (the first-line available oral drug against Aspergillus species) has risen by 40% since 2006. Despite high morbidity and mortality, the lack of an in-depth understanding of A. fumigatus pathogenesis and host response has hampered the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the clinical management of fungal infections. Recent advances in sample preparation, infection models and imaging techniques applied in vivo have addressed important gaps in fungal research, whilst questioning existing paradigms. This review highlights the successes and further potential of these recent technologies in understanding the host-pathogen interactions that lead to aspergillosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien C. Ortiz
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Grafton Street, Manchester M13 9NT, UK; (S.C.O.); (K.P.)
| | - Katie Pennington
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Grafton Street, Manchester M13 9NT, UK; (S.C.O.); (K.P.)
| | - Darren D. Thomson
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK;
| | - Margherita Bertuzzi
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Grafton Street, Manchester M13 9NT, UK; (S.C.O.); (K.P.)
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11
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SAKrificing an Essential Stress-Sensing Pathway Improves Aspergillus fumigatus Germination. mSphere 2022; 7:e0001022. [PMID: 35080469 PMCID: PMC8791389 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00010-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections represent a major problem in human health. This is particularly the case of infections caused by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, affecting millions of people worldwide. While active germination of conidia is documented to be essential for the A. fumigatus pathogenicity in the context of chronic infections, the molecular mechanisms underlying this morphogenetic transition remain unclear. In a new report, Kirkland and colleagues shed light on a central role of a major stress-sensing pathway in orchestrating the germination process in A. fumigatus. This work provides insight into disruption of an essential cell signaling circuitry for an adequate and long-term adaptation of the fungus to the lung microenvironment.
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12
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Colabardini AC, Wang F, Dong Z, Pardeshi L, Rocha MC, Costa JH, dos Reis TF, Brown A, Jaber QZ, Fridman M, Fill T, Rokas A, Malavazi I, Wong KH, Goldman GH. Heterogeneity in the transcriptional response of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus to the antifungal agent caspofungin. Genetics 2022; 220:iyab183. [PMID: 34718550 PMCID: PMC8733440 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is the main causative agent of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), a severe disease that affects immunosuppressed patients worldwide. The fungistatic drug caspofungin (CSP) is the second line of therapy against IPA but has increasingly been used against clinical strains that are resistant to azoles, the first line antifungal therapy. In high concentrations, CSP induces a tolerance phenotype with partial reestablishment of fungal growth called CSP paradoxical effect (CPE), resulting from a change in the composition of the cell wall. An increasing number of studies has shown that different isolates of A. fumigatus exhibit phenotypic heterogeneity, including heterogeneity in their CPE response. To gain insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of CPE response heterogeneity, we analyzed the transcriptomes of two A. fumigatus reference strains, Af293 and CEA17, exposed to low and high CSP concentrations. We found that there is a core transcriptional response that involves genes related to cell wall remodeling processes, mitochondrial function, transmembrane transport, and amino acid and ergosterol metabolism, and a variable response related to secondary metabolite (SM) biosynthesis and iron homeostasis. Specifically, we show here that the overexpression of a SM pathway that works as an iron chelator extinguishes the CPE in both backgrounds, whereas iron depletion is detrimental for the CPE in Af293 but not in CEA17. We next investigated the function of the transcription factor CrzA, whose deletion was previously shown to result in heterogeneity in the CPE response of the Af293 and CEA17 strains. We found that CrzA constitutively binds to and modulates the expression of several genes related to processes involved in CSP tolerance and that crzA deletion differentially impacts the SM production and growth of Af293 and CEA17. As opposed to the ΔcrzACEA17 mutant, the ΔcrzAAf293 mutant fails to activate cell wall remodeling genes upon CSP exposure, which most likely severely affects its macrostructure and extinguishes its CPE. This study describes how heterogeneity in the response to an antifungal agent between A. fumigatus strains stems from heterogeneity in the function of a transcription factor and its downstream target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cristina Colabardini
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo CEP 14040-903, Brazil
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Zhiqiang Dong
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Lakhansing Pardeshi
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
- Genomics, Bioinformatics and Single Cell Analysis Core, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, 999078, China
| | - Marina Campos Rocha
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos CEP 13565-905, Brazil
| | - Jonas Henrique Costa
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo CEP 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Thaila Fernanda dos Reis
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo CEP 14040-903, Brazil
| | - Alec Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Qais Z Jaber
- School of Chemistry, Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Micha Fridman
- School of Chemistry, Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Taicia Fill
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo CEP 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Iran Malavazi
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos CEP 13565-905, Brazil
| | - Koon Ho Wong
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Gustavo Henrique Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo CEP 14040-903, Brazil
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13
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Kanjanapruthipong T, Sukphopetch P, Reamtong O, Isarangkul D, Muangkaew W, Thiangtrongjit T, Sansurin N, Fongsodsri K, Ampawong S. Cytoskeletal Alteration Is an Early Cellular Response in Pulmonary Epithelium Infected with Aspergillus fumigatus Rather than Scedosporium apiospermum. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022; 83:216-235. [PMID: 33890146 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01750-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis and scedosporiosis are life-threatening fungal infections with similar clinical manifestations in immunocompromised patients. Contrarily, Scedosporium apiospermum is susceptible to some azole derivative but often resistant to amphotericin B. Histopathological examination alone cannot diagnose these two fungal species. Pathogenesis studies could contribute to explore candidate protein markers for new diagnosis and treatment methods leading to a decrease in mortality. In the present study, proteomics was conducted to identify significantly altered proteins in A549 cells infected with or without Aspergillus fumigatus and S. apiospermum as measured at initial invasion. Protein validation was performed with immunogold labelling alongside immunohistochemical techniques in infected A549 cells and lungs from murine models. Further, cytokine production was measured, using the Bio-Plex-Multiplex immunoassay. The cytoskeletal proteins HSPA9, PA2G4, VAT1, PSMA2, PEX1, PTGES3, KRT1, KRT9, CLIP1 and CLEC20A were mainly changed during A. fumigatus infection, while the immunologically activated proteins WNT7A, GAPDH and ANXA2 were principally altered during S. apiospermum infection. These proteins are involved in fungal internalisation and structural destruction leading to pulmonary disorders. Interleukin (IL)-21, IL-1α, IL-22, IL-2, IL-8, IL-12, IL-17A, interferon-γ and tumour necrosis factor-α were upregulated in both aspergillosis and scedosporiosis, although more predominately in the latter, in accordance with chitin synthase-1 and matrix metalloproteinase levels. Our results demonstrated that during invasion, A. fumigatus primarily altered host cellular integrity, whereas S. apiospermum chiefly induced and extensively modulated host immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapanee Kanjanapruthipong
- Department of Tropical Pathology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Passanesh Sukphopetch
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Onrapak Reamtong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetic, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Duangnate Isarangkul
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, 272, Rama VI Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Watcharamat Muangkaew
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Tipparat Thiangtrongjit
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetic, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Nichapa Sansurin
- Northeast Laboratory Animal Center, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - Kamonpan Fongsodsri
- Department of Tropical Pathology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Sumate Ampawong
- Department of Tropical Pathology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
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14
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Host Lung Environment Limits Aspergillus fumigatus Germination through an SskA-Dependent Signaling Response. mSphere 2021; 6:e0092221. [PMID: 34878292 PMCID: PMC8653827 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00922-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus isolates display significant heterogeneity in growth, virulence, pathology, and inflammatory potential in multiple murine models of invasive aspergillosis. Previous studies have linked the initial germination of a fungal isolate in the airways to the inflammatory and pathological potential, but the mechanism(s) regulating A. fumigatus germination in the airways is unresolved. To explore the genetic basis for divergent germination phenotypes, we utilized a serial passaging strategy in which we cultured a slow germinating strain (AF293) in a murine-lung-based medium for multiple generations. Through this serial passaging approach, a strain emerged with an increased germination rate that induces more inflammation than the parental strain (herein named LH-EVOL for lung homogenate evolved). We identified a potential loss-of-function allele of Afu5g08390 (sskA) in the LH-EVOL strain. The LH-EVOL strain had a decreased ability to induce the SakA-dependent stress pathway, similar to AF293 ΔsskA and CEA10. In support of the whole-genome variant analyses, sskA, sakA, or mpkC loss-of-function strains in the AF293 parental strain increased germination both in vitro and in vivo. Since the airway surface liquid of the lungs contains low glucose levels, the relationship of low glucose concentration on germination of these mutant AF293 strains was examined; interestingly, in low glucose conditions, the sakA pathway mutants exhibited an enhanced germination rate. In conclusion, A. fumigatus germination in the airways is regulated by SskA through the SakA mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and drives enhanced disease initiation and inflammation in the lungs. IMPORTANCEAspergillus fumigatus is an important human fungal pathogen particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Initiation of growth by A. fumigatus in the lung is important for its pathogenicity in murine models. However, our understanding of what regulates fungal germination in the lung environment is lacking. Through a serial passage experiment using lung-based medium, we identified a new strain of A. fumigatus that has increased germination potential and inflammation in the lungs. Using this serially passaged strain, we found it had a decreased ability to mediate signaling through the osmotic stress response pathway. This finding was confirmed using genetic null mutants demonstrating that the osmotic stress response pathway is critical for regulating growth in the murine lungs. Our results contribute to the understanding of A. fumigatus adaptation and growth in the host lung environment.
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15
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Ewald J, Rivieccio F, Radosa L, Schuster S, Brakhage AA, Kaleta C. Dynamic optimization reveals alveolar epithelial cells as key mediators of host defense in invasive aspergillosis. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1009645. [PMID: 34898608 PMCID: PMC8699926 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is an important human fungal pathogen and its conidia are constantly inhaled by humans. In immunocompromised individuals, conidia can grow out as hyphae that damage lung epithelium. The resulting invasive aspergillosis is associated with devastating mortality rates. Since infection is a race between the innate immune system and the outgrowth of A. fumigatus conidia, we use dynamic optimization to obtain insight into the recruitment and depletion of alveolar macrophages and neutrophils. Using this model, we obtain key insights into major determinants of infection outcome on host and pathogen side. On the pathogen side, we predict in silico and confirm in vitro that germination speed is an important virulence trait of fungal pathogens due to the vulnerability of conidia against host defense. On the host side, we found that epithelial cells, which have been underappreciated, play a role in fungal clearance and are potent mediators of cytokine release. Both predictions were confirmed by in vitro experiments on established cell lines as well as primary lung cells. Further, our model affirms the importance of neutrophils in invasive aspergillosis and underlines that the role of macrophages remains elusive. We expect that our model will contribute to improvement of treatment protocols by focusing on the critical components of immune response to fungi but also fungal virulence traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Ewald
- Department of Bioinformatics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.,Center for Scalable Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (ScaDS.AI), University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Flora Rivieccio
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Lukáš Radosa
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Stefan Schuster
- Department of Bioinformatics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Axel A Brakhage
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Jena, Germany.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Christoph Kaleta
- Research Group Medical Systems Biology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
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16
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Ratitong B, Pearlman E. Pathogenic Aspergillus and Fusarium as important causes of blinding corneal infections - the role of neutrophils in fungal killing, tissue damage and cytokine production. Curr Opin Microbiol 2021; 63:195-203. [PMID: 34419783 PMCID: PMC10492570 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2021.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Filamentous fungi Aspergillus and Fusarium species are major causes of visual impairment and blindness in immune competent individuals. Once conidia penetrate the corneal epithelium and enter the stroma, they undergo germination, and exposure of cell wall components induces a pronounced neutrophil-rich cellular infiltrate. In this review, we discuss Aspergillus and novel Fusarium virulence factors that are required for corneal infection, and describe the multiple functions of neutrophils in limiting hyphal growth in the cornea. This review will also discuss the role of neutrophils as an important source of cytokines in fungal keratitis, and highlight recent studies identifying unique characteristics of neutrophil secretion of IL-1α and IL-1β.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget Ratitong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Eric Pearlman
- Department of Ophthalmology, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States.
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17
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Ralph BA, Lehoux M, Ostapska H, Snarr BD, Caffrey-Carr AK, Fraser R, Saleh M, Obar JJ, Qureshi ST, Sheppard DC. The IL-1 Receptor Is Required to Maintain Neutrophil Viability and Function During Aspergillus fumigatus Airway Infection. Front Immunol 2021; 12:675294. [PMID: 34322116 PMCID: PMC8312098 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.675294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus airway infections are associated with increased rates of hospitalizations and declining lung function in patients with chronic lung disease. While the pathogenesis of invasive A. fumigatus infections is well studied, little is known about the development and progression of airway infections. Previous studies have demonstrated a critical role for the IL-1 cytokines, IL-1α and IL-1β in enhancing pulmonary neutrophil recruitment during invasive aspergillosis. Here we use a mouse model of A. fumigatus airway infection to study the role of these IL-1 cytokines in immunocompetent mice. In the absence of IL-1 receptor signaling, mice exhibited reduced numbers of viable pulmonary neutrophils and increased levels of neutrophil apoptosis during fungal airway infection. Impaired neutrophil viability in these mice was associated with reduced pulmonary and systemic levels of G-CSF, and treatment with G-CSF restored both neutrophil viability and resistance to A. fumigatus airway infection. Taken together, these data demonstrate that IL-1 dependent G-CSF production plays a key role for host resistance to A. fumigatus airway infection through suppressing neutrophil apoptosis at the site of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Awr Ralph
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Program in Infectious Diseases and Immunology in Global Health, Centre for Translational Biology, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center (RI-MUHC), Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Melanie Lehoux
- Program in Infectious Diseases and Immunology in Global Health, Centre for Translational Biology, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center (RI-MUHC), Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Hanna Ostapska
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Program in Infectious Diseases and Immunology in Global Health, Centre for Translational Biology, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center (RI-MUHC), Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Brendan D Snarr
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Program in Infectious Diseases and Immunology in Global Health, Centre for Translational Biology, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center (RI-MUHC), Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Alayna K Caffrey-Carr
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Richard Fraser
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Maya Saleh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Joshua J Obar
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Salman T Qureshi
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Program in Translation Research in Respiratory Diseases and Department of Critical Care, Centre for Translational Biology, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center (RI-MUHC), Montréal, QC, Canada.,Meakins-Christie Laboratories, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Donald C Sheppard
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Program in Infectious Diseases and Immunology in Global Health, Centre for Translational Biology, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center (RI-MUHC), Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
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18
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Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species Enhance Alveolar Macrophage Activity against Aspergillus fumigatus but Are Dispensable for Host Protection. mSphere 2021; 6:e0026021. [PMID: 34077261 PMCID: PMC8265640 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00260-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is the most common cause of mold pneumonia worldwide, and a significant cause of infectious morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised individuals. The oxidative burst, which generates reactive oxidative species (ROS), plays a pivotal role in host defense against aspergillosis and induces regulated cell death in Aspergillus conidia, the infectious propagules. Beyond the well-established role of NADP (NADPH) oxidase in ROS generation by neutrophils and other innate effector cells, mitochondria represent a major ROS production site in many cell types, though it is unclear whether mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) contribute to antifungal activity in the lung. Following A. fumigatus infection, we observed that innate effector cells, including alveolar macrophages (AMs), monocyte-derived dendritic cells (Mo-DCS), and neutrophils, generated mtROS, primarily in fungus-infected cells. To examine the functional role of mtROS, specifically the H2O2 component, in pulmonary host defense against A. fumigatus, we infected transgenic mice that expressed a mitochondrion-targeted catalase. Using a reporter of fungal viability during interactions with leukocytes, mitochondrial H2O2 (mtH2O2) was essential for optimal AM, but not for neutrophil phagocytic and conidiacidal activity in the lung. Catalase-mediated mtH2O2 neutralization did not lead to invasive aspergillosis in otherwise immunocompetent mice and did not shorten survival in mice that lack NADPH oxidase function. Collectively, these studies indicate that mtROS-associated defects in AM antifungal activity can be functionally compensated by the action of NADPH oxidase and by nonoxidative effector mechanisms during murine A. fumigatus lung infection. IMPORTANCE Aspergillus fumigatus is a fungal pathogen that causes invasive disease in humans with defects in immune function. Airborne conidia, the infectious propagules, are ubiquitous and inhaled on a daily basis. In the respiratory tree, conidia are killed by the coordinated actions of phagocytes, including alveolar macrophages, neutrophils, and monocyte-derived dendritic cells. The oxidative burst represents a central killing mechanism and relies on the assembly of the NADPH oxidase complex on the phagosomal membrane. However, NADPH oxidase-deficient leukocytes have significant residual fungicidal activity in vivo, indicating the presence of alternative effector mechanisms. Here, we report that murine innate immune cells produce mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) in response to fungal interactions. Neutralizing the mtROS constituent hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) via a catalase expressed in mitochondria of innate immune cells substantially diminished fungicidal properties of alveolar macrophages, but not of other innate immune cells. These data indicate that mtH2O2 represent a novel AM killing mechanism against Aspergillus conidia. mtH2O2 neutralization is compensated by other killing mechanisms in the lung, demonstrating functional redundancy at the level of host defense in the respiratory tree. These findings have important implications for the development of host-directed therapies against invasive aspergillosis in susceptible patient populations.
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Ward RA, Thompson GR, Villani AC, Li B, Mansour MK, Wuethrich M, Tam JM, Klein BS, Vyas JM. The Known Unknowns of the Immune Response to Coccidioides. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7050377. [PMID: 34065016 PMCID: PMC8151481 DOI: 10.3390/jof7050377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Coccidioidomycosis, otherwise known as Valley Fever, is caused by the dimorphic fungi Coccidioides immitis and C. posadasii. While most clinical cases present with self-limiting pulmonary infection, dissemination of Coccidioides spp. results in prolonged treatment and portends higher mortality rates. While the structure, genome, and niches for Coccidioides have provided some insight into the pathogenesis of disease, the underlying immunological mechanisms of clearance or inability to contain the infection in the lung are poorly understood. This review focuses on the known innate and adaptive immune responses to Coccidioides and highlights three important areas of uncertainty and potential approaches to address them. Closing these gaps in knowledge may enable new preventative and therapeutic strategies to be pursued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A. Ward
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (R.A.W.); (M.K.M.)
| | - George R. Thompson
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA 96817, USA;
| | - Alexandra-Chloé Villani
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (A.-C.V.); (B.L.)
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Bo Li
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (A.-C.V.); (B.L.)
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Michael K. Mansour
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (R.A.W.); (M.K.M.)
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Marcel Wuethrich
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (M.W.); (B.S.K.)
| | - Jenny M. Tam
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bruce S. Klein
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (M.W.); (B.S.K.)
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Jatin M. Vyas
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (R.A.W.); (M.K.M.)
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-617-643-6444
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20
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Ratitong B, Marshall M, Pearlman E. β-Glucan-stimulated neutrophil secretion of IL-1α is independent of GSDMD and mediated through extracellular vesicles. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109139. [PMID: 34010648 PMCID: PMC8186457 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils are an important source of interleukin (IL)-1β and other cytokines because they are recruited to sites of infection and inflammation in high numbers. Although secretion of processed, bioactive IL-1β by neutrophils is dependent on NLRP3 and Gasdermin D (GSDMD), IL-1α secretion by neutrophils has not been reported. In this study, we demonstrate that neutrophils produce IL-1α following injection of Aspergillus fumigatus spores that express cell-surface β-Glucan. Although IL-1α secretion by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/ATP-activated macrophages and dendritic cells is GSDMD dependent, IL-1α secretion by β-Glucan-stimulated neutrophils occurs independently of GSDMD. Instead, we found that bioactive IL-1α is in exosomes that were isolated from cell-free media of β-Glucan-stimulated neutrophils. Further, the exosome inhibitor GW4869 significantly reduces IL-1α in extracellular vesicles (EVs) and total cell-free supernatant. Together, these findings identify neutrophils as a source of IL-1α and demonstrate a role for EVs, specifically exosomes, in neutrophil secretion of bioactive IL-1α. Neutrophils have functional NLRP3 and NLRC4 and are recognized as an important source of IL-1β. Ratitong et al. demonstrate that murine neutrophils also produce IL-1α. Unlike macrophages, neutrophil IL-1α is secreted in extracellular vesicles and is released independently of gasdermin D and cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget Ratitong
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Michaela Marshall
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Eric Pearlman
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
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21
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Griffiths JS, Camilli G, Kotowicz NK, Ho J, Richardson JP, Naglik JR. Role for IL-1 Family Cytokines in Fungal Infections. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:633047. [PMID: 33643264 PMCID: PMC7902786 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.633047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal pathogens kill approximately 1.5 million individuals per year and represent a severe disease burden worldwide. It is estimated over 150 million people have serious fungal disease such as recurrent mucosal infections or life-threatening systemic infections. Disease can ensue from commensal fungi or new infection and involves different fungal morphologies and the expression of virulence factors. Therefore, anti-fungal immunity is complex and requires coordination between multiple facets of the immune system. IL-1 family cytokines are associated with acute and chronic inflammation and are essential for the innate response to infection. Recent research indicates IL-1 cytokines play a key role mediating immunity against different fungal infections. During mucosal disease, IL-1R and IL-36R are required for neutrophil recruitment and protective Th17 responses, but function through different mechanisms. During systemic disease, IL-18 drives protective Th1 responses, while IL-33 promotes Th2 and suppresses Th1 immunity. The IL-1 family represents an attractive anti-fungal immunotherapy target. There is a need for novel anti-fungal therapeutics, as current therapies are ineffective, toxic and encounter resistance, and no anti-fungal vaccine exists. Furthering our understanding of the IL-1 family cytokines and their complex role during fungal infection may aid the development of novel therapies. As such, this review will discuss the role for IL-1 family cytokines in fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S Griffiths
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Giorgio Camilli
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Natalia K Kotowicz
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jemima Ho
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan P Richardson
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julian R Naglik
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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22
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Aspergillus fumigatus Strain-Specific Conidia Lung Persistence Causes an Allergic Broncho-Pulmonary Aspergillosis-Like Disease Phenotype. mSphere 2021; 6:6/1/e01250-20. [PMID: 33597172 PMCID: PMC8544898 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.01250-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a filamentous fungus which can cause multiple diseases in humans. Allergic broncho-pulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a disease diagnosed primarily in cystic fibrosis patients caused by a severe allergic response often to long-term A. fumigatus colonization in the lungs. Mice develop an allergic response to repeated inhalation of A. fumigatus spores; however, no strains have been identified that can survive long-term in the mouse lung and cause ABPA-like disease. We characterized A. fumigatus strain W72310, which was isolated from the expectorated sputum of an ABPA patient, by whole-genome sequencing and in vitro and in vivo viability assays in comparison to a common reference strain, CEA10. W72310 was resistant to leukocyte-mediated killing and persisted in the mouse lung longer than CEA10, a phenotype that correlated with greater resistance to oxidative stressors, hydrogen peroxide, and menadione, in vitro. In animals both sensitized and challenged with W72310, conidia, but not hyphae, were viable in the lungs for up to 21 days in association with eosinophilic airway inflammation, airway leakage, serum IgE, and mucus production. W72310-sensitized mice that were recall challenged with conidia had increased inflammation, Th1 and Th2 cytokines, and airway leakage compared to controls. Collectively, our studies demonstrate that a unique strain of A. fumigatus resistant to leukocyte killing can persist in the mouse lung in conidial form and elicit features of ABPA-like disease. IMPORTANCE Allergic broncho-pulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) patients often present with long-term colonization of Aspergillus fumigatus. Current understanding of ABPA pathogenesis has been complicated by a lack of long-term in vivo fungal persistence models. We have identified a clinical isolate of A. fumigatus, W72310, which persists in the murine lung and causes an ABPA-like disease phenotype. Surprisingly, while viable, W72310 showed little to no growth beyond the conidial stage in the lung. This indicates that it is possible that A. fumigatus can cause allergic disease in the lung without any significant hyphal growth. The identification of this strain of A. fumigatus can be used not only to better understand disease pathogenesis of ABPA and potential antifungal treatments but also to identify features of fungal strains that drive long-term fungal persistence in the lung. Consequently, these observations are a step toward helping resolve the long-standing question of when to utilize antifungal therapies in patients with ABPA and fungal allergic-type diseases.
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23
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Kowalski CH, Morelli KA, Stajich JE, Nadell CD, Cramer RA. A Heterogeneously Expressed Gene Family Modulates the Biofilm Architecture and Hypoxic Growth of Aspergillus fumigatus. mBio 2021; 12:e03579-20. [PMID: 33593969 PMCID: PMC8545126 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03579-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Aspergillus encompasses human pathogens such as Aspergillus fumigatus and industrial powerhouses such as Aspergillus niger In both cases, Aspergillus biofilms have consequences for infection outcomes and yields of economically important products. However, the molecular components influencing filamentous fungal biofilm development, structure, and function remain ill defined. Macroscopic colony morphology is an indicator of underlying biofilm architecture and fungal physiology. A hypoxia-locked colony morphotype of A. fumigatus has abundant colony furrows that coincide with a reduction in vertically oriented hyphae within biofilms and increased low oxygen growth and virulence. Investigation of this morphotype has led to the identification of the causative gene, biofilm architecture factor A (bafA), a small cryptic open reading frame within a subtelomeric gene cluster. BafA is sufficient to induce the hypoxia-locked colony morphology and biofilm architecture in A. fumigatus Analysis across a large population of A. fumigatus isolates identified a larger family of baf genes, all of which have the capacity to modulate hyphal architecture, biofilm development, and hypoxic growth. Furthermore, introduction of A. fumigatusbafA into A. niger is sufficient to generate the hypoxia-locked colony morphology, biofilm architecture, and increased hypoxic growth. Together, these data indicate the potential broad impacts of this previously uncharacterized family of small genes to modulate biofilm architecture and function in clinical and industrial settings.IMPORTANCE The manipulation of microbial biofilms in industrial and clinical applications remains a difficult task. The problem is particularly acute with regard to filamentous fungal biofilms for which molecular mechanisms of biofilm formation, maintenance, and function are only just being elucidated. Here, we describe a family of small genes heterogeneously expressed across Aspergillus fumigatus strains that are capable of modifying colony biofilm morphology and microscopic hyphal architecture. Specifically, these genes are implicated in the formation of a hypoxia-locked colony morphotype that is associated with increased virulence of A. fumigatus Synthetic introduction of these gene family members, here referred to as biofilm architecture factors, in both A. fumigatus and A. niger additionally modulates low oxygen growth and surface adherence. Thus, these genes are candidates for genetic manipulation of biofilm development in aspergilli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin H Kowalski
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Kaesi A Morelli
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Jason E Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Carey D Nadell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Robert A Cramer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
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24
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Bertuzzi M, van Rhijn N, Krappmann S, Bowyer P, Bromley MJ, Bignell EM. On the lineage of Aspergillus fumigatus isolates in common laboratory use. Med Mycol 2021; 59:7-13. [PMID: 32944768 PMCID: PMC7779236 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myaa075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The origin of isolates routinely used by the community of Aspergillus fumigatus researchers is periodically a matter of intense discussion at our centre, as the construction of recombinant isolates have sometimes followed convoluted routes, the documentation describing their lineages is fragmented, and the nomenclature is confusing. As an aide memoir, not least for our own benefit, we submit the following account and tabulated list of strains (Table 1) in an effort to collate all of the relevant information in a single, easily accessible document. To maximise the accuracy of this record we have consulted widely amongst the community of Medical Mycologists using these strains. All the strains described are currently available from one of these organisations, namely the Fungal Genetics Stock Centre (FGSC), FungiDB, Ensembl Fungi and The National Collection of Pathogenic Fungi (NCPF) at Public Health England. Display items from this manuscript are also featured on FungiDB. LAY ABSTRACT We present a concise overview on the definition, origin and unique genetic makeup of the Aspergillus fumigatus isolates routinely in use by the fungal research community, to aid researchers to describe past and new strains and the experimental differences observed more accurately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Bertuzzi
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, UK
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Biology, Medicine and Health. The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Norman van Rhijn
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, UK
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Biology, Medicine and Health. The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Sven Krappmann
- Institute of Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
| | - Paul Bowyer
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, UK
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Biology, Medicine and Health. The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Michael J Bromley
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, UK
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Biology, Medicine and Health. The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Elaine M Bignell
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Core Technology Facility, Manchester, UK
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Biology, Medicine and Health. The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
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25
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Seelbinder B, Wallstabe J, Marischen L, Weiss E, Wurster S, Page L, Löffler C, Bussemer L, Schmitt AL, Wolf T, Linde J, Cicin-Sain L, Becker J, Kalinke U, Vogel J, Panagiotou G, Einsele H, Westermann AJ, Schäuble S, Loeffler J. Triple RNA-Seq Reveals Synergy in a Human Virus-Fungus Co-infection Model. Cell Rep 2020; 33:108389. [PMID: 33207195 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
High-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is routinely applied to study diverse biological processes; however, when performed separately on interacting organisms, systemic noise intrinsic to RNA extraction, library preparation, and sequencing hampers the identification of cross-species interaction nodes. Here, we develop triple RNA-seq to simultaneously detect transcriptomes of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs) infected with the frequently co-occurring pulmonary pathogens Aspergillus fumigatus and human cytomegalovirus (CMV). Comparing expression patterns after co-infection with those after single infections, our data reveal synergistic effects and mutual interferences between host responses to the two pathogens. For example, CMV attenuates the fungus-mediated activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines through NF-κB (nuclear factor κB) and NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) cascades, while A. fumigatus impairs viral clearance by counteracting viral nucleic acid-induced activation of type I interferon signaling. Together, the analytical power of triple RNA-seq proposes molecular hubs in the differential moDC response to fungal/viral single infection or co-infection that contribute to our understanding of the etiology and, potentially, clearance of post-transplant infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastian Seelbinder
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Julia Wallstabe
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lothar Marischen
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Esther Weiss
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Wurster
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Lukas Page
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Claudia Löffler
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lydia Bussemer
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Schmitt
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Wolf
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Jörg Linde
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Luka Cicin-Sain
- Department of Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Hannover-Braunschweig Site, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany; Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School (MHH) Braunschweig, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jennifer Becker
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE-Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Hannover Medical School and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School (MHH), 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Ulrich Kalinke
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE-Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Hannover Medical School and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School (MHH), 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Jörg Vogel
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Gianni Panagiotou
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany; Department of Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
| | - Hermann Einsele
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander J Westermann
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sascha Schäuble
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Juergen Loeffler
- University Hospital Würzburg, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.
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26
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Wang X, Caffrey-Carr AK, Liu KW, Espinosa V, Croteau W, Dhingra S, Rivera A, Cramer RA, Obar JJ. MDA5 Is an Essential Sensor of a Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Associated with Vitality That Is Necessary for Host Resistance against Aspergillus fumigatus. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 205:3058-3070. [PMID: 33087405 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2000802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
RIG-I-like receptors (RLR) are cytosolic RNA sensors that signal through the MAVS adaptor to activate IFN responses against viruses. Whether the RLR family has broader effects on host immunity against other pathogen families remains to be fully explored. In this study, we demonstrate that MDA5/MAVS signaling was essential for host resistance against pulmonary Aspergillus fumigatus challenge through the regulation of antifungal leukocyte responses in mice. Activation of MDA5/MAVS signaling was driven by dsRNA from live A. fumigatus serving as a key vitality-sensing pattern recognition receptor. Interestingly, induction of type I IFNs after A. fumigatus challenge was only partially dependent on MDA5/MAVS signaling, whereas type III IFN expression was entirely dependent on MDA5/MAVS signaling. Ultimately, type I and III IFN signaling drove the expression of CXCL10. Furthermore, the MDA5/MAVS-dependent IFN response was critical for the induction of optimal antifungal neutrophil killing of A. fumigatus spores. In conclusion, our data broaden the role of the RLR family to include a role in regulating antifungal immunity against A. fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756
| | - Alayna K Caffrey-Carr
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59718; and
| | - Ko-Wei Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756
| | - Vanessa Espinosa
- Center for Immunity and Inflammation, Rutgers - New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103
| | - Walburga Croteau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756
| | - Sourabh Dhingra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756
| | - Amariliz Rivera
- Center for Immunity and Inflammation, Rutgers - New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103
| | - Robert A Cramer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756
| | - Joshua J Obar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756;
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27
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Obar JJ. Sensing the threat posed by Aspergillus infection. Curr Opin Microbiol 2020; 58:47-55. [PMID: 32898768 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2020.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian immune system can tune its inflammatory response to the threat level posed by an invading pathogen. It is well established that the host utilizes numerous 'patterns of pathogenicity', such as microbial growth, invasion, and viability, to achieve this tuning during bacterial infections. This review discusses how this notion fits during fungal infection, particularly regarding Aspergillus fumigatus infection. Moreover, how the environmental niches filled by A. fumigatus may drive the evolution of the fungal traits responsible for inducing the strain-specific inflammatory responses that have been experimentally observed will be discussed. Moving forward understanding the mechanisms of the fungal strain-specific inflammatory response due to the initial interactions with the host innate immune system will be essential for enhancing our therapeutic options for the treatment of invasive fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J Obar
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Hinman Box 7556, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA.
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28
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Vahsen T, Zapata L, Guabiraba R, Melloul E, Cordonnier N, Botterel F, Guillot J, Arné P, Risco-Castillo V. Cellular and molecular insights on the regulation of innate immune responses to experimental aspergillosis in chicken and turkey poults. Med Mycol 2020; 59:465-475. [PMID: 32844181 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myaa069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Across the world, many commercial poultry flocks and captive birds are threatened by infection with Aspergillus fumigatus. Susceptibility to aspergillosis varies among birds; among galliform birds specifically, morbidity and mortality rates seem to be greater in turkeys than in chickens. Little is known regarding the features of avian immune responses after inhalation of Aspergillus conidia, and to date, scarce information on inflammatory responses during aspergillosis exists. Thus, in the present study, we aimed to improve our understanding of the interactions between A. fumigatus and economically relevant galliform birds in terms of local innate immune responses. Intra-tracheal aerosolization of A. fumigatus conidia in turkey and chicken poults led to more severe clinical signs and lung lesions in turkeys, but leukocyte recovery from lung lavages was higher in chickens at 1dpi only. Interestingly, only chicken CD8+ T lymphocyte proportions increased after infection. Furthermore, the lungs of infected chickens showed an early upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, IFN-γ and IL-6, whereas in turkeys, most of these cytokines showed a downregulation or a delayed upregulation. These results confirmed the importance of an early pro-inflammatory response to ensure the development of an appropriate anti-fungal immunity to avoid Aspergillus dissemination in the respiratory tract. In conclusion, we show for the first time that differences in local innate immune responses between chickens and turkeys during aspergillosis may determine the outcome of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Vahsen
- Dynamic research group EA 7380, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, UPEC, USC ANSES, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Laura Zapata
- Dynamic research group EA 7380, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, UPEC, USC ANSES, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Elise Melloul
- Dynamic research group EA 7380, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, UPEC, USC ANSES, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Nathalie Cordonnier
- Biopôle Alfort, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Françoise Botterel
- Dynamic research group EA 7380, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, UPEC, USC ANSES, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Jacques Guillot
- Dynamic research group EA 7380, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, UPEC, USC ANSES, Maisons-Alfort, France.,Biopôle Alfort, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Pascal Arné
- Dynamic research group EA 7380, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, UPEC, USC ANSES, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Veronica Risco-Castillo
- Dynamic research group EA 7380, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, UPEC, USC ANSES, Maisons-Alfort, France.,Biopôle Alfort, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France
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29
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Malacco NLSDO, Souza JAM, Martins FRB, Rachid MA, Simplicio JA, Tirapelli CR, Sabino ADP, Queiroz-Junior CM, Goes GR, Vieira LQ, Souza DG, Pinho V, Teixeira MM, Soriani FM. Chronic ethanol consumption compromises neutrophil function in acute pulmonary Aspergillus fumigatus infection. eLife 2020; 9:58855. [PMID: 32701055 PMCID: PMC7398701 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic ethanol consumption is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, with higher risks to develop pulmonary infections, including Aspergillus infections. Mechanisms underlying increased susceptibility to infections are poorly understood. Chronic ethanol consumption induced increased mortality rates, higher Aspergillus fumigatus burden and reduced neutrophil recruitment into the airways. Intravital microscopy showed decrease in leukocyte adhesion and rolling after ethanol consumption. Moreover, downregulated neutrophil activation and increased levels of serum CXCL1 in ethanol-fed mice induced internalization of CXCR2 receptor in circulating neutrophils. Bone marrow-derived neutrophils from ethanol-fed mice showed lower fungal clearance and defective reactive oxygen species production. Taken together, results showed that ethanol affects activation, recruitment, phagocytosis and killing functions of neutrophils, causing susceptibility to pulmonary A. fumigatus infection. This study establishes a new paradigm in innate immune response in chronic ethanol consumers. Alcoholism is a chronic disease that has many damaging effects on the body. Over long periods, excessive alcohol intake weakens the immune system, putting consumers at increased risk of getting lung infections such as pneumonia. Some forms of pneumonia can be caused by the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. This microbe does not tend to be a problem for healthy individuals, but it can be fatal for those with impaired immune systems. Here, Malacco et al. wanted to find out why excessive alcohol consumers are more prone to pneumonia. To test this, the researchers used two groups of mice that were either fed plain water or water containing ethanol. After 12 weeks, both groups were infected with Aspergillus fumigatus. The results showed that alcohol-fed mice were more susceptible to the infection caused by strong inflammation of the lungs. Normally, the immune system confronts a lung infection by activating a group of defense cells called neutrophils, which travel through the blood system to the infection site. Once in the right spot, neutrophils get to work by releasing toxins that kill the fungus. Malacco et al. discovered that after chronic alcohol consumption, neutrophils were less reactive to inflammatory signals and less likely to reach the lungs. They were also less effective in dealing with the infection. Neutrophil released fewer toxins and were thus less able to kill the microbial cells. These findings demonstrate for the first time how alcohol can affect immune cells during infection and pave the way for new possibilities to prevent fatal lung infections in excessive alcohol consumers. A next step would be to identify how alcohol acts on other processes in the body and to find a way to modulate or even revert the changes it causes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Carlos Renato Tirapelli
- Department of Psychiatric Nursing and Human Sciences, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Adriano de Paula Sabino
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | | | - Leda Quercia Vieira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Danielle Glória Souza
- Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Pinho
- Department of Morphology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Mauro Martins Teixeira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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30
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Dutta O, Espinosa V, Wang K, Avina S, Rivera A. Dectin-1 Promotes Type I and III Interferon Expression to Support Optimal Antifungal Immunity in the Lung. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:321. [PMID: 32733815 PMCID: PMC7360811 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary infections with Aspergillus fumigatus (Af) are a significant cause of invasive fungal disease and lead to high morbidity and mortality in diverse populations throughout the world. Currently available antifungal drugs are often ineffective, thus contributing to unacceptably high mortality rates in patients suffering from invasive fungal infections. The use of cytokines as adjunctive immune therapies holds the promise of significantly improving patient outcomes in the future. In recent studies, we identified an essential role for type I and III interferons as regulators of optimal antifungal responses by pulmonary neutrophils during infection with Af. Although various membrane and cytosolic nucleic acid sensors are known to regulate interferon production in response to viruses, the pathways that regulate the production of these cytokines during fungal infection remain uncovered. In the current study, we demonstrate that dectin-1-mediated recognition of β-glucan on the cell wall of the clinically relevant fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus promotes the activation of a protective cascade of type I and III interferon expression. We further demonstrate that exogenous administration of type I and III interferons can rescue inadequate antifungal responses in dectin-1−/− mice, suggesting the potential therapeutic benefit of these cytokines as activators of antifungal defense in the context of innate defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orchi Dutta
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, United States.,Center for Immunity and Inflammation, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Vanessa Espinosa
- Center for Immunity and Inflammation, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Keyi Wang
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, United States.,Center for Immunity and Inflammation, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Samantha Avina
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, United States.,Center for Immunity and Inflammation, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Amariliz Rivera
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Immunity and Inflammation, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, United States
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31
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The Inhibitory Effect of Validamycin A on Aspergillus flavus. Int J Microbiol 2020; 2020:3972415. [PMID: 32676114 PMCID: PMC7336217 DOI: 10.1155/2020/3972415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus flavus is one of the most common isolates from patients with fungal infections. Aspergillus infection is usually treated with antifungal agents, but side effects of these agents are common. Trehalase is an essential enzyme involved in fungal metabolism, and the trehalase inhibitor, validamycin A, has been used to prevent fungal infections in agricultural products. In this study, we observed that validamycin A significantly increased trehalose levels in A. flavus conidia and delayed germination, including decreased fungal adherence. In addition, validamycin A and amphotericin B showed a combinatorial effect on A. flavus ATCC204304 and clinical isolates with high minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of amphotericin B using checkerboard assays. We observed that validamycin A and amphotericin B had a synergistic effect on A. flavus strains resistant to amphotericin B. The MICs in the combination of validamycin A and amphotericin B were at 0.125 μg/mL and 2 μg/mL, respectively. The FICI of validamycin A and amphotericin B of these clinical isolates was about 0.25-0.28 with synergistic effects. No drug cytotoxicity was observed in human bronchial epithelial cells treated with validamycin A using LDH-cytotoxicity assays. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that validamycin A inhibited the growth of A. flavus and delayed conidial germination. Furthermore, the combined effect of validamycin A with amphotericin B increased A. flavus killing, without significant cytotoxicity to human bronchial epithelial cells. We propose that validamycin A could potentially be used in vivo as an alternative treatment for A. flavus infections.
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32
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Bastos RW, Valero C, Silva LP, Schoen T, Drott M, Brauer V, Silva-Rocha R, Lind A, Steenwyk JL, Rokas A, Rodrigues F, Resendiz-Sharpe A, Lagrou K, Marcet-Houben M, Gabaldón T, McDonnell E, Reid I, Tsang A, Oakley BR, Loures FV, Almeida F, Huttenlocher A, Keller NP, Ries LNA, Goldman GH. Functional Characterization of Clinical Isolates of the Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen Aspergillus nidulans. mSphere 2020; 5:e00153-20. [PMID: 32269156 PMCID: PMC7142298 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00153-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus nidulans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen in patients with immunodeficiency, and virulence of A. nidulans isolates has mainly been studied in the context of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), with characterization of clinical isolates obtained from non-CGD patients remaining elusive. This study therefore carried out a detailed biological characterization of two A. nidulans clinical isolates (CIs), obtained from a patient with breast carcinoma and pneumonia and from a patient with cystic fibrosis that underwent lung transplantation, and compared them to the reference, nonclinical FGSC A4 strain. Both CIs presented increased growth in comparison to that of the reference strain in the presence of physiologically relevant carbon sources. Metabolomic analyses showed that the three strains are metabolically very different from each other in these carbon sources. Furthermore, the CIs were highly susceptible to cell wall-perturbing agents but not to other physiologically relevant stresses. Genome analyses identified several frameshift variants in genes encoding cell wall integrity (CWI) signaling components. Significant differences in CWI signaling were confirmed by Western blotting among the three strains. In vivo virulence studies using several different models revealed that strain MO80069 had significantly higher virulence in hosts with impaired neutrophil function than the other strains. In summary, this study presents detailed biological characterization of two A. nidulanssensu stricto clinical isolates. Just as in Aspergillus fumigatus, strain heterogeneity exists in A. nidulans clinical strains that can define virulence traits. Further studies are required to fully characterize A. nidulans strain-specific virulence traits and pathogenicity.IMPORTANCE Immunocompromised patients are susceptible to infections with opportunistic filamentous fungi from the genus Aspergillus Although A. fumigatus is the main etiological agent of Aspergillus species-related infections, other species, such as A. nidulans, are prevalent in a condition-specific manner. A. nidulans is a predominant infective agent in patients suffering from chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). A. nidulans isolates have mainly been studied in the context of CGD although infection with A. nidulans also occurs in non-CGD patients. This study carried out a detailed biological characterization of two non-CGD A. nidulans clinical isolates and compared the results to those with a reference strain. Phenotypic, metabolomic, and genomic analyses highlight fundamental differences in carbon source utilization, stress responses, and maintenance of cell wall integrity among the strains. One clinical strain had increased virulence in models with impaired neutrophil function. Just as in A. fumigatus, strain heterogeneity exists in A. nidulans clinical strains that can define virulence traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Wesley Bastos
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Clara Valero
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Lilian Pereira Silva
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Taylor Schoen
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Milton Drott
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Verônica Brauer
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Rafael Silva-Rocha
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Abigail Lind
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jacob L Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Fernando Rodrigues
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute/3B's Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Agustin Resendiz-Sharpe
- Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology and Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katrien Lagrou
- Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology and Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- National Reference Center for Mycosis, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marina Marcet-Houben
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain
- Life Sciences Program, Barcelona Supercomputing Centre, Barcelona, Spain
- Mechanisms of Disease Program, Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Gabaldón
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain
- Life Sciences Program, Barcelona Supercomputing Centre, Barcelona, Spain
- Mechanisms of Disease Program, Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Erin McDonnell
- Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ian Reid
- Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Adrian Tsang
- Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Berl R Oakley
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
| | - Flávio Vieira Loures
- Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São José dos Campos, Brazil
| | - Fausto Almeida
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Anna Huttenlocher
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Gustavo H Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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33
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Mackel JJ, Garth JM, Blackburn JP, Jones M, Steele C. 12/15-Lipoxygenase Deficiency Impairs Neutrophil Granulopoiesis and Lung Proinflammatory Responses to Aspergillus fumigatus. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 204:1849-1858. [PMID: 32102903 PMCID: PMC8771824 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1900808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Development of invasive aspergillosis correlates with impairments in innate immunity. We and others have recently shown that arachidonic acid metabolism pathways, specifically the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) pathways, participate in the induction of protective innate immune responses during invasive aspergillosis. Based on the high degree of cooperation and interconnection within the eicosanoid network, we hypothesized that 12/15-LOX is also active during invasive aspergillosis. We report in this study that mice deficient in the gene encoding 12/15-LOX (Alox15) are profoundly susceptible to invasive aspergillosis. Decreased survival correlated with increased fungal burden and evidence of increased lung damage. These defects were associated with very early (6 and 12 h) 12/15-LOX-dependent inflammatory cytokine (IL-1α, IL-1β, and TNF-α) and chemokine (CCL3 and CCL4) production. Neutrophil levels in the lung were blunted in the absence of 12/15-LOX, although neutrophil antifungal activity was intact. However, lower neutrophil levels in the lungs of Alox15−/− mice were not a result of impaired recruitment or survival; rather, Alox15−/− mice demonstrated impaired neutrophil granulopoiesis in the bone marrow intrinsically and after fungal exposure. Employing a lower inoculum to allow for better survival allowed the identification of 12/15-LOX-dependent induction of IL-17A and IL-22. Impaired IL-17A and IL-22 production correlated with reduced invariant NKT cell numbers as well as lower IL-23 levels. Together, these data indicate that 12/15-LOX is a critical player in induction of the earliest aspects of the innate immune response to Aspergillus fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J Mackel
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294; and
| | - Jaleesa M Garth
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294; and
| | - Jonathan P Blackburn
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294; and
| | - MaryJane Jones
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112
| | - Chad Steele
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112
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Hachim MY, Khalil BA, Elemam NM, Maghazachi AA. Pyroptosis: The missing puzzle among innate and adaptive immunity crosstalk. J Leukoc Biol 2020; 108:323-338. [PMID: 32083338 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.3mir0120-625r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Pyroptosis is a newly discovered programmed cell death with inflammasome formation. Pattern recognition receptors that identify repetitive motifs of prospective pathogens such as LPS of gram-negative bacteria are crucial to pyroptosis. Upon stimulation by pathogen-associated molecular patterns or damage-associated molecular patterns, proinflammatory cytokines, mainly IL-1 family members IL-1β and IL-18, are released through pyroptosis specific pore-forming protein, gasdermin D. Even though IL-1 family members are mainly involved in innate immunity, they can be factors in adaptive immunity. Given the importance of IL-1 family members in health and diseases, deciphering the role of pyroptosis in the regulation of innate and adaptive immunity is of great importance, especially with the recent progress in identifying the exact mechanism of such a pathway. In this review, we will focus on how the innate inflammatory mediators can regulate the adaptive immune system and vice versa via pyroptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmood Y Hachim
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, and the Sharjah Institute for Medical Research (SIMR), University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Bariaa A Khalil
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, and the Sharjah Institute for Medical Research (SIMR), University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Noha M Elemam
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, and the Sharjah Institute for Medical Research (SIMR), University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Azzam A Maghazachi
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, and the Sharjah Institute for Medical Research (SIMR), University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
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35
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Contributions of Spore Secondary Metabolites to UV-C Protection and Virulence Vary in Different Aspergillus fumigatus Strains. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.03415-19. [PMID: 32071276 PMCID: PMC7029147 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03415-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal spores contain secondary metabolites that can protect them from a multitude of abiotic and biotic stresses. Conidia (asexual spores) of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus synthesize several metabolites, including melanin, which has been reported to be important for virulence in this species and to be protective against UV radiation in other fungi. Here, we investigate the role of melanin in diverse isolates of A. fumigatus and find variability in its ability to protect spores from UV-C radiation or impact virulence in a zebrafish model of invasive aspergillosis in two clinical strains and one ISS strain. Further, we assess the role of other spore metabolites in a clinical strain of A. fumigatus and identify fumiquinazoline as an additional UV-C-protective molecule but not a virulence determinant. The results show differential roles of secondary metabolites in spore protection dependent on the environmental stress and strain of A. fumigatus. As protection from elevated levels of radiation is of paramount importance for future human outer space explorations, the discovery of small molecules with radiation-protective potential may result in developing novel safety measures for astronauts. Fungi are versatile organisms which thrive in hostile environments, including the International Space Station (ISS). Several isolates of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus have been found contaminating the ISS, an environment with increased exposure to UV radiation. Secondary metabolites (SMs) in spores, such as melanins, have been shown to protect spores from UV radiation in other fungi. To test the hypothesis that melanin and other known spore SMs provide UV protection to A. fumigatus isolates, we subjected SM spore mutants to UV-C radiation. We found that 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN)-melanin mutants of two clinical A. fumigatus strains (Af293 and CEA17) but not an ISS-isolated strain (IF1SW-F4) were more sensitive to UV-C than their respective wild-type (WT) strains. Because DHN-melanin has been shown to shield A. fumigatus from the host immune system, we examined all DHN mutants for virulence in the zebrafish model of invasive aspergillosis. Following recent studies highlighting the pathogenic variability of different A. fumigatus isolates, we found DHN-melanin to be a virulence factor in CEA17 and IF1SW-F4 but not Af293. Three additional spore metabolites were examined in Af293, where fumiquinazoline also showed UV-C-protective properties, but two other spore metabolites, monomethylsulochrin and fumigaclavine, provided no UV-C-protective properties. Virulence tests of these three SM spore mutants indicated a slight increase in virulence of the monomethylsulochrin deletion strain. Taken together, this work suggests differential roles of specific spore metabolites across Aspergillus isolates and by types of environmental stress.
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36
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Malacco NL, Souza JA, Mendes AC, Rachid MA, Kraemer LR, Mattos MS, Lima GN, Sousa LP, Souza DG, Pinho V, Teixeira MM, Russo RC, Soriani FM. Acute lung injury and repair induced by single exposure of Aspergillus fumigatus in immunocompetent mice. Future Microbiol 2020; 14:1511-1525. [PMID: 31913059 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2019-0214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: Characterize the course of acute Aspergillus fumigatus lung infection in immunocompetent mice, investigating the immunological, pathological and tissue functional modifications. Materials & methods: C57BL/6 mice were intranasally infected with A. fumigatus conidia and euthanized to access inflammatory parameters. Results: Mice infected with A. fumigatus showed an inoculum-dependent lethality and body weight loss. An intense proinflammatory cytokine release, neutrophil infiltrate and pulmonary dysfunction was also observed in the early phase of infection. In the late phase of infection, proresolving mediators release, apoptosis and efferocytosis increased and lung tissue architecture is restored. Conclusion: Our study characterized an immunocompetent model of acute pulmonary Aspergillus infection in mice and opened an array of possibilities for investigations on interactions of A. fumigatus with host-immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathália Lso Malacco
- Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Am Souza
- Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Aline C Mendes
- Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Milene A Rachid
- Laboratório de Patologia Celular e Molecular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Lucas R Kraemer
- Laboratório de Imunologia e Mecânica Pulmonar, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Matheus S Mattos
- Laboratório de Imunologia e Mecânica Pulmonar, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Graziele N Lima
- Laboratório de Sinalização da Inflamação, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Lirlândia P Sousa
- Laboratório de Sinalização da Inflamação, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Daniele G Souza
- Laboratório de Interação Microrganismo Hospedeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Pinho
- Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Mauro M Teixeira
- Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Remo C Russo
- Laboratório de Imunologia e Mecânica Pulmonar, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Frederico M Soriani
- Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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Caneppa A, de Meirelles JV, Rollin-Pinheiro R, Dutra Xisto MIDS, Liporagi-Lopes LC, Souza LD, Villela Romanos MT, Barreto-Bergter E. Structural Differences Influence Biological Properties of Glucosylceramides from Clinical and Environmental Isolates of Scedosporium aurantiacum and Pseudallescheria minutispora. J Fungi (Basel) 2019; 5:jof5030062. [PMID: 31311197 PMCID: PMC6787682 DOI: 10.3390/jof5030062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Scedosporium/Lomentospora complex is composed of filamentous fungi, including some clinically relevant species, such as Pseudallescheria boydii, Scedosporium aurantiacum, and Scedosporium apiospermum. Glucosylceramide (GlcCer), a conserved neutral glycosphingolipid, has been described as an important cell surface molecule playing a role in fungal morphological transition and pathogenesis. The present work aimed at the evaluation of GlcCer structures in S. aurantiacum and Pseudallescheria minutispora, a clinical and an environmental isolate, respectively, in order to determine their participation in fungal growth and host-pathogen interactions. Structural analysis by positive ion-mode ESI-MS (electrospray ionization mass spectrometer) revealed the presence of different ceramide moieties in GlcCer in these species. Monoclonal antibodies against Aspergillus fumigatus GlcCer could recognize S. aurantiacum and P. minutispora conidia, suggesting a conserved epitope in fungal GlcCer. In addition, these antibodies reduced fungal viability, enhanced conidia phagocytosis by macrophages, and decreased fungal survival inside phagocytic cells. Purified GlcCer from both species led to macrophage activation, increasing cell viability as well as nitric oxide and superoxide production in different proportions between the two species. These results evidenced some important properties of GlcCer from species of the Scedosporium/Lomentospora complex, as well as the effects of monoclonal anti-GlcCer antibodies on fungal cells and host-pathogen interaction. The differences between the two species regarding the observed biological properties suggest that variation in GlcCer structures and strain origin could interfere in the role of GlcCer in host-pathogen interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Caneppa
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro/RJ 21941-901, Brazil
| | - Jardel Vieira de Meirelles
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro/RJ 21941-901, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Rollin-Pinheiro
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro/RJ 21941-901, Brazil
| | - Mariana Ingrid da Silva Dutra Xisto
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro/RJ 21941-901, Brazil
| | - Livia Cristina Liporagi-Lopes
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro/RJ 21941-901, Brazil
| | - Lauro de Souza
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba/PR 81531-980, Brazil
| | - Maria Teresa Villela Romanos
- Departamento de Virologia, Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro/RJ 21941-901, Brazil
| | - Eliana Barreto-Bergter
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro/RJ 21941-901, Brazil.
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Mackel JJ, Steele C. Host defense mechanisms against Aspergillus fumigatus lung colonization and invasion. Curr Opin Microbiol 2019; 52:14-19. [PMID: 31103956 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The human lung is continually exposed to airborne conidia of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus (AF) and related species. The innate immune system efficiently eliminates inhaled AF conidia from the lung in normal individuals, but immunocompromised patients are at risk for highly lethal invasive aspergillosis (IA). Some individuals not at risk for IA may still suffer from failed clearance of AF in the form of noninvasive colonization associated with conditions such as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Understanding of normal innate immune function against AF as well as failures of these functions will enable better treatment of these patient groups. In this review, we will focus on recent research that elucidates mechanisms of host defense and their failures resulting in colonization as well as tissue invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J Mackel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Chad Steele
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States.
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39
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Ries LNA, Steenwyk JL, de Castro PA, de Lima PBA, Almeida F, de Assis LJ, Manfiolli AO, Takahashi-Nakaguchi A, Kusuya Y, Hagiwara D, Takahashi H, Wang X, Obar JJ, Rokas A, Goldman GH. Nutritional Heterogeneity Among Aspergillus fumigatus Strains Has Consequences for Virulence in a Strain- and Host-Dependent Manner. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:854. [PMID: 31105662 PMCID: PMC6492530 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Acquisition and subsequent metabolism of different carbon and nitrogen sources have been shown to play an important role in virulence attributes of the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus, such as the secretion of host tissue-damaging proteases and fungal cell wall integrity. We examined the relationship between the metabolic processes of carbon catabolite repression (CCR), nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR) and virulence in a variety of A. fumigatus clinical isolates. A considerable amount of heterogeneity with respect to the degree of CCR and NCR was observed and a positive correlation between NCR and virulence in a neutropenic mouse model of pulmonary aspergillosis (PA) was found. Isolate Afs35 was selected for further analysis and compared to the reference strain A1163, with both strains presenting the same degree of virulence in a neutropenic mouse model of PA. Afs35 metabolome analysis in physiological-relevant carbon sources indicated an accumulation of intracellular sugars that also serve as cell wall polysaccharide precursors. Genome analysis showed an accumulation of missense substitutions in the regulator of protease secretion and in genes encoding enzymes required for cell wall sugar metabolism. Based on these results, the virulence of strains Afs35 and A1163 was assessed in a triamcinolone murine model of PA and found to be significantly different, confirming the known importance of using different mouse models to assess strain-specific pathogenicity. These results highlight the importance of nitrogen metabolism for virulence and provide a detailed example of the heterogeneity that exists between A. fumigatus isolates with consequences for virulence in a strain-specific and host-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacob L. Steenwyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Patrícia Alves de Castro
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Fausto Almeida
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leandro José de Assis
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Yoko Kusuya
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Daisuke Hagiwara
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hiroki Takahashi
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Xi Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Joshua J. Obar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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40
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Menacing Mold: Recent Advances in Aspergillus Pathogenesis and Host Defense. J Mol Biol 2019; 431:4229-4246. [PMID: 30954573 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The genus Aspergillus is ubiquitous in the environment and contains a number of species, primarily A. fumigatus, that cause mold-associated disease in humans. Humans inhale several hundred to several thousand Aspergillus conidia (i.e., vegetative spores) daily and typically clear these in an asymptomatic manner. In immunocompromised individuals, Aspergillus conidia can germinate into tissue-invasive hyphae, disseminate, and cause invasive aspergillosis. In this review, we first discuss novel concepts in host defense against Aspergillus infections and emphasize new insights in fungal recognition and signaling, innate immune activation, and fungal killing. Second, the review focuses on novel concepts of Aspergillus pathogenesis and highlights emerging knowledge regarding fungal strain heterogeneity, stress responses, and metabolic adaptations on infectious outcomes. Mechanistic insight into the host-pathogen interplay is thus critical to define novel druggable fungal targets and to exploit novel immune-based strategies to improve clinical outcomes associated with aspergillosis in vulnerable patient populations.
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Malacco NLSDO, Rachid MA, Gurgel ILDS, Moura TR, Sucupira PHF, de Sousa LP, de Souza DDG, Russo RDC, Teixeira MM, Soriani FM. Eosinophil-Associated Innate IL-17 Response Promotes Aspergillus fumigatus Lung Pathology. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 8:453. [PMID: 30687649 PMCID: PMC6336733 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a common widespread microorganism with environmental, biological and clinical relevance. After inhalation, swollen conidia can germinate, colonize and invade pulmonary tissues. Eosinophils have been described as key cells in A. fumigatus lung infection. However, their specific role in protecting or damaging lung tissue as well as their relatioship among different A. fumigatus strains is poorly understood. Previously, it has been reported that eosinophils are able to produce IL-17 and mediate an innate response that protected mice from infection using Af293 and CEA10 strains. Here, we have developed a set of new experiments with the CEA17-derived A1163 strain of A. fumigatus. Using ΔdblGATA1 mice, we demonstrate that eosinophils produce IL-17 and are involved in control of neutrophil, macrophage and lymphocyte recruitment. We found that eosinophils also induce high levels of cytokines and chemokines, generating an intense inflammatory process. Eosinophils are responsible for increased pulmonary dysfunction and elevated lethality rates in mice. Curiously, fungal burden was not affected. To address the role of IL-17 signaling, pharmacological inhibition of this mediator in the airways with anti-IL-17 antibody was able to reduce inflammation in the airways and protect infected mice. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that eosinophils control IL-17-mediated response and contribute to lung pathology after A. fumigatus infection. Therefore, eosinophils may represent a potential target for controlling exacerbated inflammation and prevent tissue damage during this fungal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathália Luísa Sousa de Oliveira Malacco
- Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Milene Alvarenga Rachid
- Laboratório de Patologia Celular e Molecular, Departamento de Patologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Isabella Luisa da Silva Gurgel
- Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Tauany Rodrigues Moura
- Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Pedro Henrique Ferreira Sucupira
- Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Lirlândia Pires de Sousa
- Laboratório de Sinalização da Inflamação, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Daniele da Glória de Souza
- Laboratório de Interação Microrganismo Hospedeiro, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Remo de Castro Russo
- Laboratório de Imunologia e Mecânica Pulmonar, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Mauro Martins Teixeira
- Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Frederico Marianetti Soriani
- Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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42
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Rosowski EE, Knox BP, Archambault LS, Huttenlocher A, Keller NP, Wheeler RT, Davis JM. The Zebrafish as a Model Host for Invasive Fungal Infections. J Fungi (Basel) 2018; 4:jof4040136. [PMID: 30551557 PMCID: PMC6308935 DOI: 10.3390/jof4040136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The zebrafish has become a widely accepted model host for studies of infectious disease, including fungal infections. The species is genetically tractable, and the larvae are transparent and amenable to prolonged in vivo imaging and small molecule screening. The aim of this review is to provide a thorough introduction into the published studies of fungal infection in the zebrafish and the specific ways in which this model has benefited the field. In doing so, we hope to provide potential new zebrafish researchers with a snapshot of the current toolbox and prior results, while illustrating how the model has been used well and where the unfulfilled potential of this model can be found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E Rosowski
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53716, USA.
| | - Benjamin P Knox
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53716, USA.
| | - Linda S Archambault
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA.
| | - Anna Huttenlocher
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53716, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53792, USA.
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53716, USA.
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
| | - Robert T Wheeler
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA.
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA.
| | - J Muse Davis
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
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43
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Role of Common γ-Chain Cytokines in Lung Interleukin-22 Regulation after Acute Exposure to Aspergillus fumigatus. Infect Immun 2018; 86:IAI.00157-18. [PMID: 30104211 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00157-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans are constantly exposed to the opportunistic mold Aspergillus fumigatus, and disease caused by this pathogen is often determined by the magnitude of local and systemic immune responses. We have previously shown a protective role for interleukin-22 (IL-22) after acute A. fumigatus exposure. Here, employing IL-22Cre R26ReYFP reporter mice, we identified iNKT cells, γδ T cells, and type 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) as lung cell sources of IL-22 in response to acute A. fumigatus exposure. As these cells often utilize common γ-chain cytokines for their development or maintenance, we determined the role of IL-7, IL-21, and IL-15 in lung IL-22 induction and A. fumigatus lung clearance. We observed that IL-7, IL-21, and IL-15 were essential for, partially required for, or negatively regulated the production of IL-22, respectively. Deficiency in IL-7 and IL-21, but not IL-15R, resulted in impaired fungal clearance. Surprisingly, however, the absence of IL-7, IL-21, or IL-15R signaling had no effect on neutrophil recruitment. The levels of IL-1α, an essential anti-A. fumigatus proinflammatory cytokine, were increased in the absence of IL-7 and IL-15R but decreased in the absence of IL-21. IL-7 was responsible for maintaining lung iNKT cells and γδ T cells, whereas IL-21 was responsible for maintaining lung iNKT cells and ILC3s. In contrast, IL-15R deficiency had no effect on the absolute numbers of any IL-22 cell source, rather resulting in enhanced per cell production of IL-22 by iNKT cells and γδ T cells. Collectively, these results provide insight into how the IL-22 response in the lung is shaped after acute A. fumigatus exposure.
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44
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Rosowski EE, Raffa N, Knox BP, Golenberg N, Keller NP, Huttenlocher A. Macrophages inhibit Aspergillus fumigatus germination and neutrophil-mediated fungal killing. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007229. [PMID: 30071103 PMCID: PMC6091969 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
In immunocompromised individuals, Aspergillus fumigatus causes invasive fungal disease that is often difficult to treat. Exactly how immune mechanisms control A. fumigatus in immunocompetent individuals remains unclear. Here, we use transparent zebrafish larvae to visualize and quantify neutrophil and macrophage behaviors in response to different A. fumigatus strains. We find that macrophages form dense clusters around spores, establishing a protective niche for fungal survival. Macrophages exert these protective effects by inhibiting fungal germination, thereby inhibiting subsequent neutrophil recruitment and neutrophil-mediated killing. Germination directly drives fungal clearance as faster-growing CEA10-derived strains are killed better in vivo than slower-growing Af293-derived strains. Additionally, a CEA10 pyrG-deficient strain with impaired germination is cleared less effectively by neutrophils. Host inflammatory activation through Myd88 is required for killing of a CEA10-derived strain but not sufficient for killing of an Af293-derived strain, further demonstrating the role of fungal-intrinsic differences in the ability of a host to clear an infection. Altogether, we describe a new role for macrophages in the persistence of A. fumigatus and highlight the ability of different A. fumigatus strains to adopt diverse modes of virulence. Immunocompromised patients are susceptible to invasive fungal infections, including aspergillosis. However, healthy humans inhale spores of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus from the environment every day without becoming sick, and how the immune system clears this infection is still obscure. Additionally, there are many different strains of A. fumigatus, and whether the pathogenesis of these different strains varies is also largely unknown. To investigate these questions, we infected larval zebrafish with A. fumigatus spores derived from two genetically diverse strains. Larval zebrafish allow for visualization of fungal growth and innate immune cell behavior in live, intact animals. We find that differences in the rate of growth between strains directly affect fungal persistence. In both wild-type and macrophage-deficient zebrafish larvae, a fast-germinating strain is actually cleared better than a slow-germinating strain. This fungal killing is driven primarily by neutrophils while macrophages promote fungal persistence by inhibiting spore germination. Our experiments underline different mechanisms of virulence that pathogens can utilize—rapid growth versus dormancy and persistence—and inform future strategies for fighting fungal infections in susceptible immunocompromised patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E. Rosowski
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Raffa
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Benjamin P. Knox
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Netta Golenberg
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Nancy P. Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Anna Huttenlocher
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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45
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Acidic Mammalian Chitinase Negatively Affects Immune Responses during Acute and Chronic Aspergillus fumigatus Exposure. Infect Immun 2018; 86:IAI.00944-17. [PMID: 29712728 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00944-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chitin is a polysaccharide that provides structure and rigidity to the cell walls of fungi and insects. Mammals possess multiple chitinases, which function to degrade chitin, thereby supporting a role for chitinases in immune defense. However, chitin degradation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma. Here, we determined the impact of acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase) (Chia) deficiency on host defense during acute exposure to the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus as well as its contribution to A. fumigatus-associated allergic asthma. We demonstrate that chitin in the fungal cell wall was detected at low levels in A. fumigatus conidia, which emerged at the highest level during hyphal transition. In response to acute A. fumigatus challenge, Chia-/- mice unexpectedly demonstrated lower A. fumigatus lung burdens at 2 days postchallenge. The lower fungal burden correlated with decreased lung interleukin-33 (IL-33) levels yet increased IL-1β and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production, a phenotype that we reported previously to promote the induction of IL-17A and IL-22. During chronic A. fumigatus exposure, AMCase deficiency resulted in lower dynamic and airway lung resistance than in wild-type mice. Improved lung physiology correlated with attenuated levels of the proallergic chemokines CCL17 and CCL22. Surprisingly, examination of inflammatory responses during chronic exposure revealed attenuated IL-17A and IL-22 responses, but not type 2 responses, in the absence of AMCase. Collectively, these data suggest that AMCase functions as a negative regulator of immune responses during acute fungal exposure and is a contributor to fungal asthma severity, putatively via the induction of proinflammatory responses.
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46
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Caffrey-Carr AK, Hilmer KM, Kowalski CH, Shepardson KM, Temple RM, Cramer RA, Obar JJ. Host-Derived Leukotriene B 4 Is Critical for Resistance against Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis. Front Immunol 2018; 8:1984. [PMID: 29375586 PMCID: PMC5768911 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a mold that causes severe pulmonary infections. Our knowledge of how immune competent hosts maintain control of fungal infections while constantly being exposed to fungi is rapidly emerging. It is known that timely neutrophil recruitment to and activation in the lungs is critical to the host defense against development of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, but the inflammatory sequelae necessary remains to be fully defined. Here, we show that 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO) and Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) are critical for leukocyte recruitment and resistance to pulmonary A. fumigatus challenge in a fungal-strain-dependent manner. 5-LO activity was needed in radiosensitive cells for an optimal anti-fungal response and in vivo LTB4 production was at least partially dependent on myeloid-derived hypoxia inducible factor-1α. Overall, this study reveals a role for host-derived leukotriene synthesis in innate immunity to A. fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alayna K Caffrey-Carr
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Kimberly M Hilmer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Caitlin H Kowalski
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Kelly M Shepardson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Rachel M Temple
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Robert A Cramer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Joshua J Obar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, United States
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