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Muthukumarasamy N, Suzuki H. Longitudinal Epidemiology of Mucormycosis Within the Veterans Health Administration: A Retrospective Cohort Study Over a 20-Year Period. Mycoses 2024; 67:e13794. [PMID: 39239767 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2024] [Revised: 08/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mucormycosis is a rare but critical infection. Due to its rarity, there is scarce evidence about the longitudinal changes in the epidemiology of mucormycosis in the US. OBJECTIVES We investigated the longitudinal epidemiology, detailed clinical characteristics, treatment and outcomes of patients with mucormycosis within the US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) over 20-year period. PATIENTS/METHODS All adult patients who were admitted to an acute-care hospital with a diagnosis of mucormycosis within the VHA from January 2003 to December 2022. RESULTS Our study included 201 patients from 68 hospitals. Incidence rates of mucormycosis increased from 1.9 per 100,000 hospitalisations in 2003 to 3.3 per 100,000 hospitalisations in 2022, with a peak incidence at 5.9 per 100,000 hospitalisations in 2021, when the Delta wave of COVID-19 hit the US. Rhino-orbital (37.3%) and pulmonary mucormycosis (36.8%) were the most common types of infection. Diabetes mellitus (59.1%) and leukaemia (28.9%) were most common comorbidities predisposing to mucormycosis. Use of posaconazole or isavuconazole increased over time. The 90-day and 1-year mortalities were 35.3% and 49.8%, respectively. The mortality was lower in more recent years (2013-2017, 2018-2022) compared to earlier years (2003-2007). Age ≥65 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 3.47, 95% CI 1.59-7.40), leukaemia as a comorbidity (aOR: 2.66, 95% CI 1.22-5.89) and central nervous system infection (aOR: 10.59, 95% CI 2.81-44.57) were significantly associated with higher 90-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS Our longitudinal cohort study suggests the increasing incidence rates but lower mortality of mucormycosis over this 20-year period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirmal Muthukumarasamy
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Suzuki
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- Center for Access & Delivery Research & Evaluation (CADRE), Iowa City Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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Mursaleen S, Sarfraz A, Shehroz M, Zaman A, Rahman FU, Moura AA, Sheheryar S, Aziz S, Ullah R, Iqbal Z, Nishan U, Shah M, Sun W. Genome-level therapeutic targets identification and chimeric Vaccine designing against the Blastomyces dermatitidis. Heliyon 2024; 10:e36153. [PMID: 39224264 PMCID: PMC11367477 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Blastomyces dermatitidis is a thermally dimorphic fungus that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, including blastomycosis. After spore inhalation, a pulmonary infection develops, which can be asymptomatic and have lethal effects, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome. Its most common extra-pulmonary sites are the central nervous system, bones, skin, and genito-urinary systems. Currently, no vaccine has been approved by the FDA to prevent this infection. In the study, a peptide-based vaccine was developed against blastomycosis by using subtractive proteomics and reverse vaccinology approaches. It focuses on mining the whole genome of B. dermatitidis, identifying potential therapeutic targets, and pinpointing potential epitopes for both B- and T-cells that are immunogenic, non-allergenic, non-toxic, and highly antigenic. Multi-epitope constructs were generated by incorporating appropriate linker sequences. A linker (EAAAK) was also added to incorporate an adjuvant sequence to increase immunological potential. The addition of adjuvants and linkers ultimately resulted in the formation of a vaccine construct in which the number of amino acids was 243 and the molecular weight was 26.18 kDa. The designed antigenic and non-allergenic vaccine constructs showed suitable physicochemical properties. The vaccine's structures were predicted, and further analysis verified their interactions with the human TLR-4 receptor through protein-protein docking. Additionally, MD simulation showed a potent interaction between prioritized vaccine-receptor complexes. Immune simulation predicted that the final vaccine injections resulted in significant immune responses for the T- and B-cell immune responses. Moreover, in silico cloning ensured a high expression possibility of the lead vaccine in the E. coli (K12) vector. This study offers an initiative for the development of effective vaccines against B. dermatitidis; however, it is necessary to validate the designed vaccine's immunogenicity experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sawvara Mursaleen
- Department of Biochemistry, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan-66000, Pakistan
| | - Asifa Sarfraz
- Department of Biochemistry, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan-66000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Shehroz
- Department of Bioinformatics, Kohsar University Murree, Murree-47150, Pakistan
| | - Aqal Zaman
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan-66000, Pakistan
| | - Faiz U Rahman
- Department of Zoology, Shangla Campus, University of Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Arlindo A. Moura
- Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Sheheryar Sheheryar
- Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Shahid Aziz
- Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza 60451-970, Brazil
| | - Riaz Ullah
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University Riyadh Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Zafar Iqbal
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, King Saud University P.O. Box 7805, Riyadh, 11472, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Umar Nishan
- Department of Chemistry, Kohat University of Science & Technology, Kohat, Pakistan
| | - Mohibullah Shah
- Department of Biochemistry, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan-66000, Pakistan
| | - Wenwen Sun
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, Changzhou Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, 213004, China
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Prusty JS, Kumar A. LC-MS/MS profiling and analysis of Bacillus licheniformis extracellular proteins for antifungal potential against Candida albicans. J Proteomics 2024; 303:105228. [PMID: 38878881 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2024.105228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Candida albicans, a significant human pathogenic fungus, employs hydrolytic proteases for host invasion. Conventional antifungal agents are reported with resistance issues from around the world. This study investigates the role of Bacillus licheniformis extracellular proteins (ECP) as effective antifungal peptides (AFPs). The aim was to identify and characterize the ECP of B. licheniformis through LC-MS/MS and bioinformatics analysis. LC-MS/MS analysis identified 326 proteins with 69 putative ECP, further analyzed in silico. Of these, 21 peptides exhibited antifungal properties revealed by classAMP tool and are predominantly anionic. Peptide-protein docking revealed interactions between AFPs like Peptide chain release factor 1 (Q65DV1_Seq1: SASEQLSDAK) and Putative carboxy peptidase (Q65IF0_Seq7: SDSSLEDQDFILESK) with C. albicans virulent SAP5 proteins (PDB ID 2QZX), forming hydrogen bonds and significant Pi-Pi interactions. The identification of B. licheniformis ECP is the novelty of the study that sheds light on their antifungal potential. The identified AFPs, particularly those interacting with bonafide pharmaceutical targets SAP5 of C. albicans represent promising avenues for the development of antifungal treatments with AFPs that could be the pursuit of a novel therapeutic strategy against C. albicans. SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY: The purpose of this work was to carry out proteomic profiling of the secretome of B. licheniformis. Previously, the efficacy of Bacillus licheniformis extracellular proteins against Candida albicans was investigated and documented in a recently communicated manuscript, showcasing the antifungal activity of these proteins. In order to achieve high-throughput identification of ES (Excretory-secretory) proteins, the utilization of liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was utilized. There was a lack of comprehensive research on AFPs in B. licheniformis, nevertheless. The proteins secreted by B. licheniformis in liquid medium were initially discovered using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis and identification in order to immediately characterize the unidentified active metabolites in fermentation broth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti Sankar Prusty
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology, Raipur 492010, CG, India
| | - Awanish Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology, Raipur 492010, CG, India.
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Barbosa PF, Gonçalves DS, Ramos LS, Mello TP, Braga-Silva LA, Pinto MR, Taborda CP, Branquinha MH, Santos ALS. Saps1-3 Antigens in Candida albicans: Differential Modulation Following Exposure to Soluble Proteins, Mammalian Cells, and Infection in Mice. Infect Dis Rep 2024; 16:572-586. [PMID: 39051243 PMCID: PMC11270244 DOI: 10.3390/idr16040043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The secreted aspartic peptidases (Saps) of Candida albicans play crucial roles in various steps of fungal-host interactions. Using a flow cytometry approach, this study investigated the expression of Saps1-3 antigens after (i) incubation with soluble proteins, (ii) interaction with mammalian cells, and (iii) infection in immunosuppressed BALB/c mice. Supplementation strategies involving increasing concentrations of bovine serum albumin (BSA) added to yeast carbon base (YCB) medium as the sole nitrogenous source revealed a positive and significant correlation between BSA concentration and both the growth rate and the percentage of fluorescent cells (%FC) labeled with anti-Saps1-3 antibodies. Supplementing the YCB medium with various soluble proteins significantly modulated the expression of Saps1-3 antigens in C. albicans. Specifically, immunoglobulin G, gelatin, and total bovine/human sera significantly reduced the %FC, while laminin, human serum albumin, fibrinogen, hemoglobin, and mucin considerably increased the %FC compared to BSA. Furthermore, co-cultivating C. albicans yeasts with either live epithelial or macrophage cells induced the expression of Saps1-3 antigens in 78% (mean fluorescence intensity [MFI] = 152.1) and 82.7% (MFI = 178.2) of the yeast cells, respectively, compared to BSA, which resulted in 29.3% fluorescent cells (MFI = 50.9). Lastly, the yeasts recovered from the kidneys of infected immunosuppressed mice demonstrated a 4.8-fold increase in the production of Saps1-3 antigens (MFI = 246.6) compared to BSA, with 95.5% of yeasts labeled with anti-Saps1-3 antibodies. Altogether, these results demonstrated the positive modulation of Saps' expression in C. albicans by various key host proteinaceous components, as well as by in vitro and in vivo host challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro F. Barbosa
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes (LEAMER), Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes (IMPG), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil; (P.F.B.); (D.S.G.); (L.S.R.); (T.P.M.); (L.A.B.-S.)
| | - Diego S. Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes (LEAMER), Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes (IMPG), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil; (P.F.B.); (D.S.G.); (L.S.R.); (T.P.M.); (L.A.B.-S.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica (PPGBq), Instituto de Química (IQ), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, Brazil
| | - Lívia S. Ramos
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes (LEAMER), Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes (IMPG), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil; (P.F.B.); (D.S.G.); (L.S.R.); (T.P.M.); (L.A.B.-S.)
| | - Thaís P. Mello
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes (LEAMER), Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes (IMPG), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil; (P.F.B.); (D.S.G.); (L.S.R.); (T.P.M.); (L.A.B.-S.)
| | - Lys A. Braga-Silva
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes (LEAMER), Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes (IMPG), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil; (P.F.B.); (D.S.G.); (L.S.R.); (T.P.M.); (L.A.B.-S.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica (PPGBq), Instituto de Química (IQ), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, Brazil
| | - Marcia R. Pinto
- Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói 24210-130, Brazil;
| | - Carlos P. Taborda
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-060, Brazil;
| | - Marta H. Branquinha
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes (LEAMER), Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes (IMPG), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil; (P.F.B.); (D.S.G.); (L.S.R.); (T.P.M.); (L.A.B.-S.)
- Rede Micologia RJ—Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil
| | - André L. S. Santos
- Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes (LEAMER), Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes (IMPG), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil; (P.F.B.); (D.S.G.); (L.S.R.); (T.P.M.); (L.A.B.-S.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica (PPGBq), Instituto de Química (IQ), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, Brazil
- Rede Micologia RJ—Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil
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Yuan C, Wang Y, Zhang L, Wang D. Procatechuic acid and protocatechuic aldehyde increase survival of Caenorhabditis elegans after fungal infection and inhibit fungal virulence. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1396733. [PMID: 38841375 PMCID: PMC11150623 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1396733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Protocatechuic acid (PCA) and protocatechuic aldehyde (PAL) are important phenolic compounds in plants. We here investigated their possible beneficial effect against fungal infection and the underlying mechanism. The model animal of Caenorhabditis elegans was used as host, and Candida albicans was used as fungal pathogen. The nematodes were first infected with C. albicans, and the PCA and PAL treatment were then performed. Post-treatment with 10-100 μM PCA and PAL suppressed toxicity of C. albicans infection in reducing lifespan. Accompanied with this beneficial effect, treatment with 10-100 μM PCA and PAL inhibited C. albicans accumulation in intestinal lumen. In addition, treatment with 10-100 μM PCA and PAL suppressed the increase in expressions of antimicrobial genes caused by C. albicans infection. The beneficial effect of PCA and PAL against C. albicans infection depended on p38 MAPK and insulin signals. Moreover, although treatment with 10-100 μM PCA and PAL could not exhibit noticeable antifungal activity, PCA and PAL treatment obviously suppressed biofilm formation, inhibited hyphal growth, and reduced expressions of virulence genes (ALS3, CaVps34, Vma7, Vac1, and/or HWP1) related to biofilm formation and hyphal growth in C. albicans. Therefore, our data demonstrated the potential of PCA and PAL post-treatment against fungal infection and fungal virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Yuan
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuxing Wang
- Deaprtment of Biochemistry and Molecrla Biology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Le Zhang
- Deaprtment of Biochemistry and Molecrla Biology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dayong Wang
- Deaprtment of Biochemistry and Molecrla Biology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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Argüelles JC, Sánchez-Fresneda R, Argüelles A, Solano F. Natural Substances as Valuable Alternative for Improving Conventional Antifungal Chemotherapy: Lights and Shadows. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:334. [PMID: 38786689 PMCID: PMC11122340 DOI: 10.3390/jof10050334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Fungi are eukaryotic organisms with relatively few pathogenic members dangerous for humans, usually acting as opportunistic infections. In the last decades, several life-threatening fungal infections have risen mostly associated with the worldwide extension of chronic diseases and immunosuppression. The available antifungal therapies cannot combat this challenge because the arsenal of compounds is scarce and displays low selective action, significant adverse effects, and increasing resistance. A growing isolation of outbreaks triggered by fungal species formerly considered innocuous is being recorded. From ancient times, natural substances harvested from plants have been applied to folk medicine and some of them recently emerged as promising antifungals. The most used are briefly revised herein. Combinations of chemotherapeutic drugs with natural products to obtain more efficient and gentle treatments are also revised. Nevertheless, considerable research work is still necessary before their clinical use can be generally accepted. Many natural products have a highly complex chemical composition, with the active principles still partially unknown. Here, we survey the field underlying lights and shadows of both groups. More studies involving clinical strains are necessary, but we illustrate this matter by discussing the potential clinical applications of combined carnosic acid plus propolis formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Argüelles
- Área de Microbiología, Facultad Biología, University Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (J.C.A.); (R.S.-F.); (A.A.)
| | - Ruth Sánchez-Fresneda
- Área de Microbiología, Facultad Biología, University Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (J.C.A.); (R.S.-F.); (A.A.)
| | - Alejandra Argüelles
- Área de Microbiología, Facultad Biología, University Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (J.C.A.); (R.S.-F.); (A.A.)
| | - Francisco Solano
- Departamento Bioquímica, Biología Molecular B & Inmunología, Facultad Medicina, University Murcia, Campus El Palmar, 30112 Murcia, Spain
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Kim Y. Fisetin-Mediated Perturbations of Membrane Permeability and Intracellular pH in Candida albicans. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 34:783-794. [PMID: 38213272 PMCID: PMC11091701 DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2311.11027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
The antifungal activity of fisetin against Candida albicans is explored, elucidating a mechanism centered on membrane permeabilization and ensuing disruption of pH homeostasis. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of fisetin, indicative of its interaction with the fungal membrane, increases in the presence of ergosterol. Hoechst 33342 and propidium-iodide staining reveal substantial propidium-iodide accumulation in fisetin-treated C. albicans cells at their MIC, with crystal violet uptake assays confirming fisetin-induced membrane permeabilization. Leakage analysis demonstrates a significant release of DNA and proteins in fisetin-treated cells compared to controls, underscoring the antifungal effect through membrane disruption. Green fluorescence, evident in both the cytoplasm and vacuoles of fisetin-treated cells under BCECF, AM staining, stands in contrast to controls where only acidic vacuoles exhibit staining. Ratiometric pH measurements using BCECF, AM reveal a noteworthy reduction in intracellular pH in fisetin-treated cells, emphasizing its impact on pH homeostasis. DiBAC4(3) uptake assays demonstrate membrane hyperpolarization in fisetin-treated cells, suggesting potential disruptions in ion flux and cellular homeostasis. These results provide comprehensive insights into the antifungal mechanisms of fisetin, positioning it as a promising therapeutic agent against Candida infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Younhee Kim
- Department of Korean Medicine, Semyung University, Jecheon 27136, Republic of Korea
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Puumala E, Sychantha D, Lach E, Reeves S, Nabeela S, Fogal M, Nigam A, Johnson JW, Aspuru-Guzik A, Shapiro RS, Uppuluri P, Kalyaanamoorthy S, Magolan J, Whitesell L, Robbins N, Wright GD, Cowen LE. Allosteric inhibition of tRNA synthetase Gln4 by N-pyrimidinyl-β-thiophenylacrylamides exerts highly selective antifungal activity. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:760-775.e17. [PMID: 38402621 PMCID: PMC11031294 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2024.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Candida species are among the most prevalent causes of systemic fungal infections, which account for ∼1.5 million annual fatalities. Here, we build on a compound screen that identified the molecule N-pyrimidinyl-β-thiophenylacrylamide (NP-BTA), which strongly inhibits Candida albicans growth. NP-BTA was hypothesized to target C. albicans glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase, Gln4. Here, we confirmed through in vitro amino-acylation assays NP-BTA is a potent inhibitor of Gln4, and we defined how NP-BTA arrests Gln4's transferase activity using co-crystallography. This analysis also uncovered Met496 as a critical residue for the compound's species-selective target engagement and potency. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies demonstrated the NP-BTA scaffold is subject to oxidative and non-oxidative metabolism, making it unsuitable for systemic administration. In a mouse dermatomycosis model, however, topical application of the compound provided significant therapeutic benefit. This work expands the repertoire of antifungal protein synthesis target mechanisms and provides a path to develop Gln4 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Puumala
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - David Sychantha
- M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Lach
- M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Shawn Reeves
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Sunna Nabeela
- Division of Infectious Diseases, The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
| | - Meea Fogal
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - AkshatKumar Nigam
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jarrod W Johnson
- M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Alán Aspuru-Guzik
- Chemical Physics Theory Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada; Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 2E4, Canada; Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E5, Canada; Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E4, Canada; Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada; Lebovic Fellow, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada; Acceleration Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Rebecca S Shapiro
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Priya Uppuluri
- Division of Infectious Diseases, The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | | | - Jakob Magolan
- M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Luke Whitesell
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Nicole Robbins
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Gerard D Wright
- M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Leah E Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
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Zhang Z, Li P, Chen Y, Chen Y, Wang X, Shen S, Zhao Y, Zhu Y, Wang T. Mitochondria-mediated ferroptosis induced by CARD9 ablation prevents MDSCs-dependent antifungal immunity. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:210. [PMID: 38566195 PMCID: PMC10986078 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01581-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Caspase Recruitment Domain-containing protein 9 (CARD9) expressed in myeloid cells has been demonstrated to play an antifungal immunity role in protecting against disseminated candidiasis. Hereditary CARD9 ablation leads to fatal disseminated candidiasis. However, the myeloid cell types and molecular mechanisms implicated in CARD9 protecting against disseminated candidiasis remain wholly elusive. METHODS The role of CARD9 ablation in exacerbating disseminated candidiasis was determined in vivo and in vitro. The molecular mechanism by which CARD9 ablation promotes acute kidney injury in disseminated candidiasis was identified by RNA-sequencing analysis. The expression of mitochondrial proteins and ferroptosis-associated proteins were measured by Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot. RESULTS CARD9 ablation resulted in a reduced proportion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and a substantially lower expression of solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) in the kidneys, which increased susceptibility to acute kidney injury and renal ferroptosis during disseminated Candida tropicalis (C. tropicalis) infection. Moreover, CARD9-deficient MDSCs were susceptible to ferroptosis upon stimulation with C. tropicalis, which was attributed to augmented mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) caused by reduced SLC7A11 expression. Mechanistically, C-type lectin receptors (CLRs)-mediated recognition of C. tropicalis promoted the expression of SLC7A11 which was transcriptionally manipulated by the Syk-PKCδ-CARD9-FosB signaling axis in MDSCs. FosB enhanced SLC7A11 transcription by binding to the promoter of SLC7A11 in MDSCs stimulated with C. tropicalis. Mitochondrial OXPHOS, which was negatively regulated by SLC7A11, was responsible for inducing ferroptosis of MDSCs upon C. tropicalis stimulation. Finally, pharmacological inhibition of mitochondrial OXPHOS or ferroptosis significantly increased the number of MDSCs in the kidneys to augment host antifungal immunity, thereby attenuating ferroptosis and acute kidney injury exacerbated by CARD9 ablation during disseminated candidiasis. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, our findings show that CARD9 ablation enhances mitochondria-mediated ferroptosis in MDSCs, which negatively regulates antifungal immunity. We also identify mitochondria-mediated ferroptosis in MDSCs as a new molecular mechanism of CARD9 ablation-exacerbated acute kidney injury during disseminated candidiasis, thus targeting mitochondria-mediated ferroptosis is a novel therapeutic strategy for acute kidney injury in disseminated candidiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyong Zhang
- Department of Endodontic, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Research Institute of Stomatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Pengfei Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Ying Chen
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Yuxi Chen
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Xiuzhu Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Sunan Shen
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Yanan Zhu
- Department of Endodontic, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Research Institute of Stomatology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| | - Tingting Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Division of Immunology, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
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Darmani H, Al-Saleh DRH. Oral Rinses: Some Kill and Some Cripple Candida albicans. Med Princ Pract 2024; 33:000538368. [PMID: 38498997 PMCID: PMC11324223 DOI: 10.1159/000538368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Oral healthcare professionals play a crucial role in guiding patients toward evidence-based choices among the many available oral rinses. In this study, we explored how specific oral rinse formulations affect the viability and modulate critical virulence traits of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans. MATERIALS AND METHODS We assessed the effects of these oral rinses on the production of germ tube, production of phospholipase and hemolysin, as well as biofilm formation. RESULTS We found that oral rinses containing cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) and chlorhexidine (CHX) showed the greatest fungicidal activity with the lowest MFCs (0.38% and 0.78%, respectively). Oral rinses based on zinc chloride and sodium fluoride with Miswak bark extract (MIS) or essential oils (EO) had much lower fungicidal activity (8-16 times lower) compared to CHX and CPC. However, they had a significantly greater impact on the virulence traits of C. albicans. They reduced germ tube production by 86% - 89% (versus 42% for CHX and 29% for CPC), completely inhibited phospholipase and hemolysin production, and together with the CPC-based oral rinse, exerted the greatest reductions in biofilm formation across all tested concentrations. This was in contrast to both the controls and CHX, which had a minimal effect on biofilm formation. CONCLUSION By inhibiting the virulence factors the oral rinse can have a crippling effect on C. albicans, weakening this opportunistic pathogen and hindering its potential to cause infection.
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Puumala E, Fallah S, Robbins N, Cowen LE. Advancements and challenges in antifungal therapeutic development. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024; 37:e0014223. [PMID: 38294218 PMCID: PMC10938895 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00142-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Over recent decades, the global burden of fungal disease has expanded dramatically. It is estimated that fungal disease kills approximately 1.5 million individuals annually; however, the true worldwide burden of fungal infection is thought to be higher due to existing gaps in diagnostics and clinical understanding of mycotic disease. The development of resistance to antifungals across diverse pathogenic fungal genera is an increasingly common and devastating phenomenon due to the dearth of available antifungal classes. These factors necessitate a coordinated response by researchers, clinicians, public health agencies, and the pharmaceutical industry to develop new antifungal strategies, as the burden of fungal disease continues to grow. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the new antifungal therapeutics currently in clinical trials, highlighting their spectra of activity and progress toward clinical implementation. We also profile up-and-coming intracellular proteins and pathways primed for the development of novel antifungals targeting their activity. Ultimately, we aim to emphasize the importance of increased investment into antifungal therapeutics in the current continually evolving landscape of infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Puumala
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sara Fallah
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nicole Robbins
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Leah E. Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Conde-Torres D, Blanco-González A, Seco-González A, Suárez-Lestón F, Cabezón A, Antelo-Riveiro P, Piñeiro Á, García-Fandiño R. Unraveling lipid and inflammation interplay in cancer, aging and infection for novel theranostic approaches. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1320779. [PMID: 38361953 PMCID: PMC10867256 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1320779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The synergistic relationships between Cancer, Aging, and Infection, here referred to as the CAIn Triangle, are significant determinants in numerous health maladies and mortality rates. The CAIn-related pathologies exhibit close correlations with each other and share two common underlying factors: persistent inflammation and anomalous lipid concentration profiles in the membranes of affected cells. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the most pertinent interconnections within the CAIn Triangle, in addition to examining the relationship between chronic inflammation and specific lipidic compositions in cellular membranes. To tackle the CAIn-associated diseases, a suite of complementary strategies aimed at diagnosis, prevention, and treatment is proffered. Our holistic approach is expected to augment the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying these diseases and highlight the potential of shared features to facilitate the development of novel theranostic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Conde-Torres
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Facultade de Física, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Organic Chemistry Department, Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Alexandre Blanco-González
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Facultade de Física, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Organic Chemistry Department, Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- MD.USE Innovations S.L., Edificio Emprendia, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Alejandro Seco-González
- Organic Chemistry Department, Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Fabián Suárez-Lestón
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Facultade de Física, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Organic Chemistry Department, Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- MD.USE Innovations S.L., Edificio Emprendia, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Alfonso Cabezón
- Organic Chemistry Department, Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Paula Antelo-Riveiro
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Facultade de Física, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Organic Chemistry Department, Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Ángel Piñeiro
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Facultade de Física, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Rebeca García-Fandiño
- Organic Chemistry Department, Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Parihar R, Singh U, Das A, Baishya B, Singh V, Ahirwar SC, Islahi S, Sen M, Mittal V. Identification of primary metabolites in fungal species of Trichophyton mentagrophyte and Trichophyton rubrum by NMR spectroscopy. Mycoses 2024; 67:e13699. [PMID: 38366288 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Superficial mycoses are fungal infections limited to the outermost layers of the skin and its appendages. The chief causative agents of these mycoses are dermatophytes and yeasts. The diagnosis of dermatophytosis can be made by direct mycological examination with potassium hydroxide (10%-30%) of biological material obtained from patients with suspected mycosis, providing results more rapid than fungal cultures, which may take days or weeks. This information, together with clinical history and laboratory diagnosis, ensures that the appropriate treatment is initiated promptly. However, false negative results are obtained in 5%-15%, by conventional methods of diagnosis of dermatophytosis. OBJECTIVES To study the metabolic profiles of the commonly occurring dermatophytes by NMR spectroscopy. PATIENTS/MATERIALS We have used 1D and 2D Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) experiments along with Human Metabolome Database (HMDB) and Chenomx database search for identification of primary metabolites in the methanol extract of two fungal species: Trichophyton mentagrophyte (T. mentagrophyte) and Trichophyton rubrum (T. rubrum). Both standard strains and representative number of clinical isolates of these two species were investigated. Further, metabolic profiles obtained were analysed using multivariate analysis. RESULTS We have identified 23 metabolites in the T. mentagrophyte and another 23 metabolites in T. rubrum. Many important metabolites like trehalose, proline, mannitol, acetate, GABA and several other amino acids were detected, which provide the necessary components for fungal growth and metabolism. Altered metabolites were defined between Trichophyton mentagrophyte and T. rubrum strains. CONCLUSION We have detected many metabolites in the two fungal species T. mentagrophyte and T. rubrum by using NMR spectroscopy. NMR spectroscopy provides a holistic snapshot of the metabolome of an organism. Key metabolic differences were identified between the two fungal strains. We need to perform more studies on metabolite profiling of the samples from these species for their rapid diagnosis and prompt treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi Parihar
- Centre of Biomedical Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Department of Bioinformatics, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Upendra Singh
- Centre of Biomedical Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Anupam Das
- Department of Microbiology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Bikash Baishya
- Centre of Biomedical Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Vikramjeet Singh
- Department of Microbiology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - S C Ahirwar
- Department of Microbiology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sana Islahi
- Department of Microbiology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Manodeep Sen
- Department of Microbiology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Vineeta Mittal
- Department of Microbiology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Anand R, Kashif M, Pandit A, Babu R, Singh AP. Reprogramming in Candida albicans Gene Expression Network under Butanol Stress Abrogates Hyphal Development. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17227. [PMID: 38139056 PMCID: PMC10743114 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is the causative agent of invasive fungal infections. Its hyphae-forming ability is regarded as one of the important virulence factors. To unravel the impact of butanol on Candida albicans, it was placed in O+ve complete human serum with butanol (1% v/v). The Candida transcriptome under butanol stress was then identified by mRNA sequencing. Studies including electron microscopy demonstrated the inhibition of hyphae formation in Candida under the influence of butanol, without any significant alteration in growth rate. The numbers of genes upregulated in the butanol in comparison to the serum alone were 1061 (20 min), 804 (45 min), and 537 (120 min). Candida cells exhibited the downregulation of six hypha-specific transcription factors and the induction of four repressor/regulator genes. Many of the hypha-specific genes exhibited repression in the medium with butanol. The genes related to adhesion also exhibited repression, whereas, among the heat-shock genes, three showed inductions in the presence of butanol. The fungal-specific genes exhibited induction as well as repression in the butanol-treated Candida cells. Furthermore, ten upregulated genes formed the core stress gene set in the presence of butanol. In the gene ontology analysis, enrichment of the processes related to non-coding RNA, ribosome biosynthesis, and metabolism was observed in the induced gene set. On the other side, a few GO biological process terms, including biofilm formation and filamentous growth, were enriched in the repressed gene set. Taken together, under butanol stress, Candida albicans is unable to extend hyphae and shows growth by budding. Many of the genes with perturbed expression may have fitness or virulence attributes and may provide prospective sites of antifungal targets against C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Anand
- Infectious Disease Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi 110067, India; (R.A.)
| | - Mohammad Kashif
- Infectious Disease Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi 110067, India; (R.A.)
| | - Awadhesh Pandit
- Next Generation Sequencing Facility, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Ram Babu
- Department of Botany, Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India
| | - Agam P. Singh
- Infectious Disease Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi 110067, India; (R.A.)
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Román E, Prieto D, Hidalgo-Vico S, Alonso-Monge R, Pla J. The defective gut colonization of Candida albicans hog1 MAPK mutants is restored by overexpressing the transcriptional regulator of the white opaque transition WOR1. Virulence 2023; 14:2174294. [PMID: 36760104 PMCID: PMC9928469 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2174294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcriptional master regulator of the white opaque transition of Candida albicans WOR1 is important for the adaptation to the commensal lifestyle in the mammalian gut, a major source of invasive candidiasis. We have generated cells that overproduce Wor1 in mutants defective in the Hog1 MAP kinase, defective in several stress responses and unable to colonize the mice gut. WOR1 overexpression allows hog1 to be established as a commensal in the murine gut in a commensalism model and even compete with wild-type C. albicans cells for establishment. This increased fitness correlates with an enhanced ability to adhere to biotic surfaces as well as increased proteinase and phospholipase production and a decrease in filamentation in vitro. We also show that hog1 WOR1OE are avirulent in a systemic candidiasis model in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvira Román
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain,CONTACT Elvira Román
| | - Daniel Prieto
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Hidalgo-Vico
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rebeca Alonso-Monge
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Pla
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain,Jesús Pla Parasitología Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Wang L, Lu H, Jiang Y. Natural Polyketides Act as Promising Antifungal Agents. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1572. [PMID: 38002254 PMCID: PMC10669366 DOI: 10.3390/biom13111572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections present a significant risk to human health. The current arsenal of antifungal drugs is hindered by drug resistance, limited antifungal range, inadequate safety profiles, and low oral bioavailability. Consequently, there is an urgent imperative to develop novel antifungal medications for clinical application. This comprehensive review provides a summary of the antifungal properties and mechanisms exhibited by natural polyketides, encompassing macrolide polyethers, polyether polyketides, xanthone polyketides, linear polyketides, hybrid polyketide non-ribosomal peptides, and pyridine derivatives. Investigating natural polyketide compounds and their derivatives has demonstrated their remarkable efficacy and promising clinical application as antifungal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hui Lu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China;
| | - Yuanying Jiang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China;
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Periferakis AT, Periferakis A, Periferakis K, Caruntu A, Badarau IA, Savulescu-Fiedler I, Scheau C, Caruntu C. Antimicrobial Properties of Capsaicin: Available Data and Future Research Perspectives. Nutrients 2023; 15:4097. [PMID: 37836381 PMCID: PMC10574431 DOI: 10.3390/nu15194097] [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: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Capsaicin is a phytochemical derived from plants of the genus Capsicum and subject of intensive phytochemical research due to its numerous physiological and therapeutical effects, including its important antimicrobial properties. Depending on the concentration and the strain of the bacterium, capsaicin can exert either bacteriostatic or even bactericidal effects against a wide range of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, while in certain cases it can reduce their pathogenicity by a variety of mechanisms such as mitigating the release of toxins or inhibiting biofilm formation. Likewise, capsaicin has been shown to be effective against fungal pathogens, particularly Candida spp., where it once again interferes with biofilm formation. The parasites Toxoplasma gondi and Trypanosoma cruzi have been found to be susceptible to the action of this compound too while there are also viruses whose invasiveness is significantly dampened by it. Among the most encouraging findings are the prospects for future development, especially using new formulations and drug delivery mechanisms. Finally, the influence of capsaicin in somatostatin and substance P secretion and action, offers an interesting array of possibilities given that these physiologically secreted compounds modulate inflammation and immune response to a significant extent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aristodemos-Theodoros Periferakis
- Department of Physiology, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Elkyda, Research & Education Centre of Charismatheia, 17675 Athens, Greece
| | - Argyrios Periferakis
- Department of Physiology, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Elkyda, Research & Education Centre of Charismatheia, 17675 Athens, Greece
- Akadimia of Ancient Greek and Traditional Chinese Medicine, 16675 Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Periferakis
- Akadimia of Ancient Greek and Traditional Chinese Medicine, 16675 Athens, Greece
- Pan-Hellenic Organization of Educational Programs (P.O.E.P), 17236 Athens, Greece
| | - Ana Caruntu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, “Carol Davila” Central Military Emergency Hospital, 010825 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Titu Maiorescu” University, 031593 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ioana Anca Badarau
- Department of Physiology, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ilinca Savulescu-Fiedler
- Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Coltea Clinical Hospital, 030167 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Internal Medicine, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian Scheau
- Department of Physiology, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, “Foisor” Clinical Hospital of Orthopaedics, Traumatology and Osteoarticular TB, 021382 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Constantin Caruntu
- Department of Physiology, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Dermatology, ‘Prof. N.C. Paulescu’ National Institute of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, 011233 Bucharest, Romania
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Abdella B, Abdella M, ElSharif HA, ElAhwany AMD, El-Sersy NA, Ghozlan HA, Sabry SA. Identification of potent anti-Candida metabolites produced by the soft coral associated Streptomyces sp. HC14 using chemoinformatics. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12564. [PMID: 37532728 PMCID: PMC10397342 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39568-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is the most common pathogen responsible for both spontaneous and recurrent candidiasis. The available treatment of Candida infections has several adverse effects, and the development of new drugs is critical. The current study looked at the synthesis of anti-Candida metabolites by Streptomyces sp. HC14 recovered from a soft coral. Using the Plackett Burman design, the medium composition was formulated to maximize production. Using GC-MS, the compounds have been identified, and a cheminformatics approach has been used to identify the potential source of activity. The compounds that showed high potential for activity were identified as pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione, hexahydro-3-(phenylmethyl)-3 and di-n-octyl based on their docking score against the cytochrome monooxygenase (CYP51) enzyme in Candida albicans. As a result of their discovery, fewer molecules need to be chemically synthesized, and fermentation optimization maximizes their synthesis, providing a strong foundation for the development of novel anti-Candida albicans agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahaa Abdella
- Faculty of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, 33516, Egypt.
| | - Mohamed Abdella
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21511, Egypt
| | - Hafed A ElSharif
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21511, Egypt
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, University of Benghazi, Benghazi, Libya
| | - Amani M D ElAhwany
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21511, Egypt
| | - Nermeen A El-Sersy
- Marine Microbiology Laboratory, National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, NIOF, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Hanan A Ghozlan
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21511, Egypt.
| | - Soraya A Sabry
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21511, Egypt
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Liu Z, Basso P, Hossain S, Liston SD, Robbins N, Whitesell L, Noble SM, Cowen LE. Multifactor transcriptional control of alternative oxidase induction integrates diverse environmental inputs to enable fungal virulence. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4528. [PMID: 37500616 PMCID: PMC10374912 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40209-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic flexibility enables fungi to invade challenging host environments. In Candida albicans, a common cause of life-threatening infections in humans, an important contributor to flexibility is alternative oxidase (Aox) activity. Dramatic induction of this activity occurs under respiratory-stress conditions, which impair the classical electron transport chain (ETC). Here, we show that deletion of the inducible AOX2 gene cripples C. albicans virulence in mice by increasing immune recognition. To investigate further, we examined transcriptional regulation of AOX2 in molecular detail under host-relevant, ETC-inhibitory conditions. We found that multiple transcription factors, including Rtg1/Rtg3, Cwt1/Zcf11, and Zcf2, bind and regulate the AOX2 promoter, conferring thousand-fold levels of inducibility to AOX2 in response to distinct environmental stressors. Further dissection of this complex promoter revealed how integration of stimuli ranging from reactive species of oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur to reduced copper availability is achieved at the transcriptional level to regulate AOX2 induction and enable pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongle Liu
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Pauline Basso
- UCSF Department of Microbiology & Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Saif Hossain
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sean D Liston
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nicole Robbins
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Luke Whitesell
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Suzanne M Noble
- UCSF Department of Microbiology & Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- UCSF Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Leah E Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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20
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Morovati H, Kord M, Ahmadikia K, Eslami S, Hemmatzadeh M, Kurdestani KM, Khademi M, Darabian S. A Comprehensive Review of Identification Methods for Pathogenic Yeasts: Challenges and Approaches. Adv Biomed Res 2023; 12:187. [PMID: 37694259 PMCID: PMC10492613 DOI: 10.4103/abr.abr_375_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Given the increasing incidence of yeast infections and the presence of drug-resistant isolates, accurate identification of the pathogenic yeasts is essential for the management of yeast infections. In this review, we tried to introduce the routine and novel techniques applied for yeast identification. Laboratory identification methods of pathogenic yeast are classified into three categories; I. conventional methods, including microscopical and culture-base methods II. biochemical/physiological-processes methods III. molecular methods. While conventional and biochemical methods require more precautions and are not specific in some cases, molecular diagnostic methods are the optimum tools for diagnosing pathogenic yeasts in a short time with high accuracy and specificity, and having various methods that cover different purposes, and affordable costs for researchers. Nucleotide sequencing is a reference or gold standard for identifying pathogenic yeasts. Since it is an expensive method, it is not widely used in developing countries. However, novel identification techniques are constantly updated, and we recommend further studies in this field. The results of this study will guide researchers in finding more accurate diagnostic method(s) for their studies in a short period of time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid Morovati
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Kord
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kazem Ahmadikia
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saba Eslami
- Central Research Laboratory, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Hemmatzadeh
- Department of Mycology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kian M. Kurdestani
- Department of Microbiology, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran
| | | | - Sima Darabian
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
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21
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Lee Y, Robbins N, Cowen LE. Molecular mechanisms governing antifungal drug resistance. NPJ ANTIMICROBIALS AND RESISTANCE 2023; 1:5. [PMID: 38686214 PMCID: PMC11057204 DOI: 10.1038/s44259-023-00007-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Fungal pathogens are a severe public health problem. The leading causative agents of systemic fungal infections include species from the Candida, Cryptococcus, and Aspergillus genera. As opportunistic pathogens, these fungi are generally harmless in healthy hosts; however, they can cause significant morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Despite the profound impact of pathogenic fungi on global human health, the current antifungal armamentarium is limited to only three major classes of drugs, all of which face complications, including host toxicity, unfavourable pharmacokinetics, or limited spectrum of activity. Further exacerbating this issue is the growing prevalence of antifungal-resistant infections and the emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens. In this review, we discuss the diverse strategies employed by leading fungal pathogens to evolve antifungal resistance, including drug target alterations, enhanced drug efflux, and induction of cellular stress response pathways. Such mechanisms of resistance occur through diverse genetic alterations, including point mutations, aneuploidy formation, and epigenetic changes given the significant plasticity observed in many fungal genomes. Additionally, we highlight recent literature surrounding the mechanisms governing resistance in emerging multidrug-resistant pathogens including Candida auris and Candida glabrata. Advancing our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms by which fungi adapt to the challenge of antifungal exposure is imperative for designing therapeutic strategies to tackle the emerging threat of antifungal resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjin Lee
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1 Canada
| | - Nicole Robbins
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1 Canada
| | - Leah E. Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1 Canada
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22
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Ng AWR, Li L, Ng EWL, Li C, Qiao Y. Molecular Docking Reveals Critical Residues in Candida albicans Cyr1 for Peptidoglycan Recognition and Hyphal Growth. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:1362-1371. [PMID: 37318518 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The key virulent characteristic of Candida albicans, the major fungal pathogen in humans, lies in its ability to switch between the benign yeast state and the invasive hyphal form upon exposure to specific stimuli. Among the numerous hyphal-inducing signals, bacterial peptidoglycan fragments (PGNs) represent the most potent inducers of C. albicans hyphal growth. The sole adenylyl cyclase Cyr1 in C. albicans is a known sensor for PGNs and activates downstream signaling of hyphal growth, yet the molecular details of PGN-Cyr1 interactions have remained unclear. In this study, we performed in silico docking of a PGN motif to the modeled structure of the Cyr1 leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain and uncovered four putative PGN-interacting residues in Cyr1_LRR. The critical roles of these residues in PGN binding and supporting C. albicans hyphal growth were demonstrated by in-gel fluorescence binding assay and hyphal induction assay, respectively. Remarkably, the C. albicans mutant harboring the cyr1 variant allele that is defective for PGN recognition exhibits significantly reduced cytotoxicity in macrophage infection assay. Overall, our work offered important insights into the molecular recognition of PGNs by C. albicans Cyr1 sensor protein, establishing that disruption of PGN recognition by Cyr1 results in defective hyphal growth and reduced virulence of C. albicans. Our findings provide an exciting starting point for the future development of Cyr1 antagonists as novel anti-virulence therapeutics to combat C. albicans invasive growth and infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allan Wee Ren Ng
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore S637371, Singapore
| | - Lanxin Li
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore S637371, Singapore
| | - Evan Wei Long Ng
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore S637371, Singapore
| | - Chenyu Li
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore S637371, Singapore
| | - Yuan Qiao
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore S637371, Singapore
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23
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Chen Y, Gao Y, Yuan M, Zheng Z, Yin J. Anti- Candida albicans Effects and Mechanisms of Theasaponin E1 and Assamsaponin A. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119350. [PMID: 37298302 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is an opportunistic human fungal pathogen, and its drug resistance is becoming a serious problem. Camellia sinensis seed saponins showed inhibitory effects on resistant Candida albicans strains, but the active components and mechanisms are unclear. In this study, the effects and mechanisms of two Camellia sinensis seed saponin monomers, theasaponin E1 (TE1) and assamsaponin A (ASA), on a resistant Candida albicans strain (ATCC 10231) were explored. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of TE1 and ASA were equivalent. The time-kill curves showed that the fungicidal efficiency of ASA was higher than that of TE1. TE1 and ASA significantly increased the cell membrane permeability and disrupted the cell membrane integrity of C. albicans cells, probably by interacting with membrane-bound sterols. Moreover, TE1 and ASA induced the accumulation of intracellular ROS and decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential. Transcriptome and qRT-PCR analyses revealed that the differentially expressed genes were concentrated in the cell wall, plasma membrane, glycolysis, and ergosterol synthesis pathways. In conclusion, the antifungal mechanisms of TE1 and ASA included the interference with the biosynthesis of ergosterol in fungal cell membranes, damage to the mitochondria, and the regulation of energy metabolism and lipid metabolism. Tea seed saponins have the potential to be novel anti-Candida albicans agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tea Biology and Resources Utilization, Tea Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture, 9 South Meiling Road, Hangzhou 310008, China
- Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Ying Gao
- Key Laboratory of Tea Biology and Resources Utilization, Tea Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture, 9 South Meiling Road, Hangzhou 310008, China
| | - Mingan Yuan
- Jinhua Academy of Agricultural Science, Jinhua 321000, China
| | - Zhaisheng Zheng
- Jinhua Academy of Agricultural Science, Jinhua 321000, China
| | - Junfeng Yin
- Key Laboratory of Tea Biology and Resources Utilization, Tea Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture, 9 South Meiling Road, Hangzhou 310008, China
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24
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Evans B, Spell E, Bernstein D. C. albicans UME7 deletion does not have major impacts on white opaque switching, filamentation, or virulence. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000826. [PMID: 37303958 PMCID: PMC10251200 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
C. albicans is the most prevalent human fungal pathogen, and can be especially dangerous to immunocompromised individuals. One key aspect of C. albicans virulence is morphological plasticity. C. albicans can undergo a number of distinct morphological changes and these changes are controlled by complex transcriptional networks. The transcription factor Ume6 is an important member of these networks, playing an essential role mediating filamentation. C. albicans , however encodes a second UME6 homolog, UME7 . UME7 is highly conserved in the CTG fungal clade, but the role of UME7 in C. albicans biology is unknown. Here we truncate and delete C. albicans UME7 . We find Ume7 is dispensable for growth and filamentation. We also find that deletion does not have major consequences on virulence or white opaque switching. Our results suggest that under standard laboratory conditions deletion of UME7 does not have large effects on C. albicans phenotype leaving its role in C. albicans biology undefined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Evans
- Biology, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, United States
| | - Evan Spell
- Biology, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, United States
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25
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Evans B, Spell E, Bernstein D. Characterization of the role of Ume6 C-terminal tail in C. albicans morphological plasticity. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000827. [PMID: 37303960 PMCID: PMC10251201 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
C. albicans is an important human fungal pathogen and filamentation is essential for its virulence. Ume6 is a transcription factor critical for filamentation. Ume6 is composed of three domains, a long N terminal domain, Zn-finger domain, and a C-terminal domain. Previously, it was shown that the Zn-finger domain is essential for filamentation, as removal of this domain led to a lack of filamentation. However, the role for the C-terminal domain has not been defined. We find deletion of the C-terminal domain leads to a filamentation defect and the defect is not as severe as removal of the Zn-finger or ume6 deletion. We mutated a number of residues in the C-terminal domain to try to identify specific residues important for filamentation, but all of our mutants displayed wild type filamentation. Alpha fold predictions suggest the C-terminal domain forms a single alpha helix that is predicted to interact with the Zn-finger domain via hydrogen bond. Our data suggests the C-terminal domain binds the Zn-finger domain and through this interaction is important for filamentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Evans
- Biology, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, United States
| | - Evan Spell
- Biology, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, United States
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26
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Elias D, Tóth Hervay N, Bujdos M, Gbelska Y. Essential Role of CgErg6p in Maintaining Oxidative Stress Tolerance and Iron Homeostasis in Candida glabrata. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9050579. [PMID: 37233290 DOI: 10.3390/jof9050579] [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: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The human pathogenic fungus Candida glabrata is the second leading cause of candidemia, a life-threatening invasive mycosis. Clinical outcomes are complicated by reduced susceptibility of C. glabrata to azoles together with its ability to evolve stable resistance to both azoles and echinocandins following drug exposure. Compared to other Candida spp., C. glabrata displays robust oxidative stress resistance. In this study, we investigated the impact of CgERG6 gene deletion on the oxidative stress response in C. glabrata. CgERG6 gene encodes sterol-24-C-methyltransferase, which is involved in the final steps of ergosterol biosynthesis. Our previous results showed that the Cgerg6Δ mutant has a lower ergosterol content in its membranes. Here, we show that the Cgerg6Δ mutant displays increased susceptibility to oxidative stress inducing agents, such as menadione, hydrogen peroxide and diamide, accompanied with increased intracellular ROS production. The Cgerg6Δ mutant is not able to tolerate higher concentrations of iron in the growth media. We observed increased expression of transcription factors, CgYap1p, CgMsn4p and CgYap5p, together with increased expression of catalase encoding the CgCTA1 gene and vacuolar iron transporter CgCCC1 in the Cgerg6Δ mutant cells. However, it seems that the CgERG6 gene deletion does not influence the function of mitochondria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Elias
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovicova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Nora Tóth Hervay
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovicova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Marek Bujdos
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Laboratory Research on Geomaterials, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovicova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Yvetta Gbelska
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovicova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
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27
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Campbell AP, Qiu L, Dillman JR, Trout AT, Szabo S, Lopez-Nunez OF, Pugmire BS, Schapiro AH. Endemic mycoses in children in North America: a review of radiologic findings. Pediatr Radiol 2023; 53:984-1004. [PMID: 36922418 PMCID: PMC10017348 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-023-05636-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Clinically significant endemic mycoses (fungal infections) in the United States (U.S.) include Blastomyces dermatitidis, Histoplasma capsulatum, and Coccidioides immitis/posadasii. While the majority of infections go clinically unnoticed, symptomatic disease can occur in immunocompromised or hospitalized patients, and occasionally in immune-competent individuals. Clinical manifestations vary widely and their diagnosis may require fungal culture, making the rapid diagnosis a challenge. Imaging can be helpful in making a clinical diagnosis prior to laboratory confirmation, as well as assist in characterizing disease extent and severity. In this review, we discuss the three major endemic fungal infections that occur in the U.S., including mycology, epidemiology, clinical presentations, and typical imaging features with an emphasis on the pediatric population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham P Campbell
- Department of Radiology, MLC 5031, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Lisa Qiu
- Department of Radiology, MLC 5031, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Jonathan R Dillman
- Department of Radiology, MLC 5031, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Andrew T Trout
- Department of Radiology, MLC 5031, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Sara Szabo
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Oscar F Lopez-Nunez
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Brian S Pugmire
- Department of Radiology, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Andrew H Schapiro
- Department of Radiology, MLC 5031, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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28
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Muñoz-Megías ML, Sánchez-Fresneda R, Solano F, Maicas S, Martínez-Esparza M, Argüelles JC. The antifungal effect induced by itraconazole in Candida parapsilosis largely depends on the oxidative stress generated at the mitochondria. Curr Genet 2023; 69:165-173. [PMID: 37119267 PMCID: PMC10163099 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-023-01269-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
In Candida parapsilosis, homozygous disruption of the two genes encoding trehalase activity increased the susceptibility to Itraconazole compared with the isogenic parental strain. The fungicidal effect of this azole can largely be counteracted by preincubating growing cells with rotenone and the protonophore 2,4-Dinitrophenol. In turn, measurement of endogenous reactive oxygen species formation by flow cytometry confirmed that Itraconazole clearly induced an internal oxidative stress, which can be significantly abolished in rotenone-exposed cells. Analysis of the antioxidant enzymatic activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase pointed to a moderate decrease of catalase in trehalase-deficient mutant cells compared to the wild type, with an additional increase upon addition of rotenone. These enzymatic changes were imperceptible in the case of superoxide dismutase. Alternative assays with Voriconazole led to a similar profile in the results regarding cell growth and antioxidant activities. Collectively, our data suggest that the antifungal action of Itraconazole on C. parapsilosis is dependent on a functional mitochondrial activity. They also suggest that the central metabolic pathways in pathogenic fungi should be considered as preferential antifungal targets in new research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mª Luz Muñoz-Megías
- Facultad de Biología, Área de Microbiología, Universidad de Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Ruth Sánchez-Fresneda
- Facultad de Biología, Área de Microbiología, Universidad de Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Francisco Solano
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Biología Molecular B & Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Campus de Ciencias de La Salud, Universidad de Murcia, 30120, Murcia, Spain
| | - Sergi Maicas
- Departamento de Microbiología & Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Universitat de València, Burjassot, 46100, Valencia, Spain
| | - María Martínez-Esparza
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Biología Molecular B & Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Campus de Ciencias de La Salud, Universidad de Murcia, 30120, Murcia, Spain
| | - Juan-Carlos Argüelles
- Facultad de Biología, Área de Microbiología, Universidad de Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
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29
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Assa D, Voorhies M, Sil A. Chemical stimuli override a temperature-dependent morphological program by reprogramming the transcriptome of a fungal pathogen. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.21.537729. [PMID: 37131633 PMCID: PMC10153268 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.21.537729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The human fungal pathogen Histoplasma changes its morphology in response to temperature. At 37°C it grows as a budding yeast whereas at room temperature it transitions to hyphal growth. Prior work has demonstrated that 15-20% of transcripts are temperature-regulated, and that transcription factors Ryp1-4 are necessary to establish yeast growth. However, little is known about transcriptional regulators of the hyphal program. To identify TFs that regulate filamentation, we utilize chemical inducers of hyphal growth. We show that addition of cAMP analogs or an inhibitor of cAMP breakdown overrides yeast morphology, yielding inappropriate hyphal growth at 37°C. Additionally, butyrate supplementation triggers hyphal growth at 37°C. Transcriptional profiling of cultures filamenting in response to cAMP or butyrate reveals that a limited set of genes respond to cAMP while butyrate dysregulates a larger set. Comparison of these profiles to previous temperature- or morphology-regulated gene sets identifies a small set of morphology-specific transcripts. This set contains 9 TFs of which we characterized three, STU1 , FBC1 , and PAC2 , whose orthologs regulate development in other fungi. We found that each of these TFs is individually dispensable for room-temperature (RT) induced filamentation but each is required for other aspects of RT development. FBC1 and PAC2 , but not STU1 , are necessary for filamentation in response to cAMP at 37°C. Ectopic expression of each of these TFs is sufficient to induce filamentation at 37°C. Finally, PAC2 induction of filamentation at 37°C is dependent on STU1 , suggesting these TFs form a regulatory circuit that, when activated at RT, promotes the hyphal program. Importance Fungal illnesses pose a significant disease burden. However, the regulatory circuits that govern the development and virulence of fungi remain largely unknown. This study utilizes chemicals that can override the normal growth morphology of the human pathogen Histoplasma . Using transcriptomic approaches, we identify novel regulators of hyphal morphology and refine our understanding of the transcriptional circuits governing morphology in Histoplasma .
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30
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Argüelles A, Sánchez-Fresneda R, Guirao-Abad JP, Lozano JA, Solano F, Argüelles JC. Insight into the Antifungal Effects of Propolis and Carnosic Acid—Extension to the Pathogenic Yeast Candida glabrata: New Propolis Fractionation and Potential Synergistic Applications. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9040442. [PMID: 37108897 PMCID: PMC10143237 DOI: 10.3390/jof9040442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungi have traditionally been considered opportunistic pathogens in primary infections caused by virulent bacteria, protozoan, or viruses. Consequently, antimycotic chemotherapy is clearly less developed in comparison to its bacterial counterpart. Currently, the three main families of antifungals (polyenes, echinocandins, and azoles) are not sufficient to control the enormous increase in life-threatening fungal infections recorded in recent decades. Natural substances harvested from plants have traditionally been utilized as a successful alternative. After a wide screening of natural agents, we have recently obtained promising results with distinct formulations of carnosic acid and propolis on the prevalent fungal pathogens Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. Here, we extended their use to the treatment against the emerging pathogenic yeast Candida glabrata, which displayed lower susceptibility in comparison to the fungi mentioned above. Taking into account the moderate antifungal activity of both natural agents, the antifungal value of these combinations has been improved through the obtention of the hydroethanolic fractions of propolis. In addition, we have demonstrated the potential clinical application of new therapeutical designs based on sequential pre-treatments with carnosic/propolis mixtures, followed by exposure to amphotericin B. This approach increased the toxic effect induced by this polyene.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ruth Sánchez-Fresneda
- Vitalgaia España S.L., 30005 Murcia, Spain
- Área de Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, 30071 Murcia, Spain
| | - José P. Guirao-Abad
- Vitalgaia España S.L., 30005 Murcia, Spain
- Área de Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, 30071 Murcia, Spain
| | - José Antonio Lozano
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular B e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Murcia, 30120 Murcia, Spain
| | - Francisco Solano
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular B e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Murcia, 30120 Murcia, Spain
| | - Juan-Carlos Argüelles
- Área de Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, 30071 Murcia, Spain
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Dalyan Cilo B. Species Distribution and Antifungal Susceptibilities of Candida Species Isolated From Blood Culture. Cureus 2023; 15:e38183. [PMID: 37252597 PMCID: PMC10224711 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.38183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Candida species (spp.) are among the leading agents of bloodstream infections. Candidemias are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Having an understanding of Candida epidemiology and antifungal susceptibility patterns in each center is crucial in guiding the management of candidemia. In this study, the species distribution and antifungal susceptibility of Candida spp. isolated from blood culture at the University of Health Sciences, Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Training & Research Hospital were examined and the first data on the epidemiology of candidemia in our center were presented. Methods A total of 236 Candida strains isolated from blood cultures in our hospital over a four-year period were analyzed and their antifungal susceptibilities were studied retrospectively. Strains were identified at the species complex (SC) level by the germ tube test, morphology in cornmeal-tween 80 medium, and the automated VITEK 2 Compact (bioMérieux, Marcy-l'Étoile, France) system. Antifungal susceptibility tests were performed on VITEK 2 Compact (bioMérieux, Marcy-l'Étoile, France) system. The susceptibilities of the strains to fluconazole, voriconazole, micafungin, and amphotericin B were determined according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines and epidemiologic cut-off values. Results Of the Candida (C.) strains, 131 were C. albicans (55.5%), 40 were C. parapsilosis SC (16.9%), 21 were C. tropicalis (8.9%), 19 were C. glabrata SC (8.1%), eight were C. lusitaniae (3.4%), seven were C. kefyr (3.0%), six were C. krusei (2.6%), two were C. guilliermondii (0.8%) and two were C. dubliniensis (0.8%). Amphotericin B resistance was not detected in Candida strains. Micafungin susceptibility was 98.3%, and four C. parapsilosis SC strains (10%) were intermediate (I) to micafungin. Fluconazole susceptibility was 87.2%. Apart from C. krusei strains which intrinsically resistant to fluconazole, three C. parapsilosis (7.5%), one C. glabrata SC (5.3%) strain were resistant (R) to fluconazole, and one C. lusitaniae (12.5%) strain was wild-type (WT). Voriconazole susceptibility of Candida strains was 98.6%. Two C. parapsilosis SC strains were I to voriconazole, while one strain was R. Conclusion In this study, the first epidemiological data of candidemia agents in our hospital were presented. It was determined that rare and naturally resistant species did not cause any problem in our center yet. C. parapsilosis SC strains showed decreased susceptibility to fluconazole, whereas Candida strains were highly susceptible to the four antifungals tested. Close monitoring of these data will help guide the treatment of candidemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burcu Dalyan Cilo
- Section of Medical Mycology, University of Health Sciences, Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Training & Research Hospital, Bursa, TUR
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Zheng L, Xu Y, Dong Y, Ma X, Wang C, Yang F, Guo L. Chromosome 1 trisomy confers resistance to aureobasidin A in Candida albicans. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1128160. [PMID: 37007527 PMCID: PMC10063858 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1128160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionCandida albicans is a prevalent opportunistic human fungal pathogen. However, there are currently very few antifungal treatments available. Inositol phosphoryl ceramide synthase is an essential and fungal-specific protein that also provides a novel and promising antifungal target. Aureobasidin A is a widely used inhibitor of inositol phosphoryl ceramide synthase, however the mechanism of resistance to aureobasidin A is largely unknown in pathogenic fungi.MethodsHere we investigated how C. albicans adapted to low and high concentrations of aureobasidin A.Results and discussionsWe identified trisomy of chromosome 1 as the predominant mechanism of rapid adaptation. Resistance to aureobasidin A was unstable because of the inherent instability of aneuploids. Importantly, chromosome 1 trisomy simultaneously regulated genes which were associated with aureobasidin A resistance that are on this aneuploid chromosome as well as on other chromosomes. Furthermore, the pleiotropic effect of aneuploidy caused altered resistance not only to aureobasidin A but also to other antifungal drugs including caspofungin and 5-flucytosine. We posit aneuploidy provides a rapid and reversible mechanism of development of drug resistance and cross resistance in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Zheng
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yi Xu
- Department of Pharmacy, The 960 Hospital of PLA, Jinan, China
| | - Yubo Dong
- Department of Pharmacy, The 960 Hospital of PLA, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaowen Ma
- Department of Pharmacy, The 960 Hospital of PLA, Jinan, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, The 960 Hospital of PLA, Jinan, China
| | - Feng Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Liangsheng Guo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Liangsheng Guo,
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Antifungal effect of the liposome encapsulation of the Trans- Caryophylene and its association with fluconazole. Chem Biol Interact 2023; 373:110377. [PMID: 36754224 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Trans-Caryophyllene (TC), a sesquiterpene, with proven biological activities, which in this work was tested alone, encapsulated in liposomes and associated with Fluconazole in vitro in an attempt to enhance the effect of the drug. Liposomes were characterized from vesicle size, polydispersity index, and Zeta potential, and imaging by scanning electron microscopy. Antifungal assays were performed against Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis and Candida krusei by microdilution to determine the IC50 values and the viability curve. The Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) was performed by subcultivation in solid medium and the inhibitory effect of the association of TC and Fluconazole and tests to verify morphological changes was performed in micro-cultivation chambers based on concentrations on microdilution plates. The corresponding IC50 data of the substances ranged from 34.4 to 65249 μg/mL, considerably high values compared to the control (Fluconazole). The MFC of all compounds showing fungistatic effect. The performance of the compounds on the cell viability curve was similar in all tested strains, as they showed no antifungal potential when compared to the control (FCZ), when associated with FCZ they showed no significant antifungal activity. The free and liposomal TC also managed to restrict 100% of the fungal dimorphism, in both concentrations, against C. albicans, and against C. tropicalis the isolated TC did not show a significant inhibitory effect; however, against the C. krusei strain inhibited 100% in filamentous growth in both concentrations, which is statistically relevant. The liposomes were homogeneous, with vesicles with diameters of 185.46 nm for the control and 143.8 nm for the liposomal TC, and a surface charge potential of - 42.6 mV. By scanning microscopy, the spherical shapes of the vesicles were verified.
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[Chinese expert consensus for invasive fungal disease in patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(2023)]. ZHONGHUA XUE YE XUE ZA ZHI = ZHONGHUA XUEYEXUE ZAZHI 2023; 44:92-97. [PMID: 36948861 PMCID: PMC10033276 DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0253-2727.2023.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
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Andersone A, Janceva S, Lauberte L, Ramata-Stunda A, Nikolajeva V, Zaharova N, Rieksts G, Telysheva G. Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Bacterial, and Anti-Fungal Activity of Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins and Extracts Obtained from Lignocellulosic Agricultural Waste. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 28:molecules28020863. [PMID: 36677921 PMCID: PMC9861313 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28020863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
It has now been proven that many pathogens that cause infections and inflammation gradually mutate and become resistant to antibiotics. Chemically synthesized drugs treating inflammation most often only affect symptoms, but side effects could lead to the failure of human organs' functionality. On the other hand, plant-derived natural compounds have a long-term healing effect. It was shown that sea buckthorn (SBT) twigs are a rich source of biologically active compounds, including oligomeric proanthocyanidins (PACs). This study aimed to assess the anti-pathogenic and anti-inflammatory activity of water/ethanol extracts and PACs obtained from the lignocellulosic biomass of eight SBT cultivars. The anti-pathogenic activity of extracts and PACs was studied against pathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus and fungus Candida albicans in 96-well plates by the two-fold serial broth microdilution method. The anti-bacterial activity of purified PACs was 4 and 10 times higher than for water and water/ethanol extracts, respectively, but the extracts had higher anti-fungal activity. Purified PACs showed the ability to reduce IL-8 and IL-6 secretion from poly-I:C-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. For the extracts and PACs of SBT cultivar 'Maria Bruvele' in the concentration range 0.0313-4.0 mg/mL, no toxic effect was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Andersone
- Laboratory of Lignin Chemistry, Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia
- Ekokompozit Ltd., Dzerbenes Street 27, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia
| | - Sarmite Janceva
- Laboratory of Lignin Chemistry, Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +371-25148850
| | - Liga Lauberte
- Laboratory of Finished Dosage Forms, Riga Stradins University, LV-1007 Riga, Latvia
| | - Anna Ramata-Stunda
- Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
| | - Vizma Nikolajeva
- Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
| | - Natalija Zaharova
- Laboratory of Lignin Chemistry, Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia
- Ekokompozit Ltd., Dzerbenes Street 27, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia
| | - Gints Rieksts
- Laboratory of Lignin Chemistry, Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia
- Laboratory of Heat and Mass Transfer, The Institute of Physics of University of Latvia, LV-2169 Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Galina Telysheva
- Laboratory of Lignin Chemistry, Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia
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Lahiri D, Nag M, Dey A, Sarkar T, Pati S, Nirmal NP, Ray RR, Upadhye VJ, Pandit S, Moovendhan M, Kavisri M. Marine bioactive compounds as antibiofilm agent: a metabolomic approach. Arch Microbiol 2023; 205:54. [PMID: 36602609 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-03391-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The ocean is a treasure trove of both living and nonliving creatures, harboring incredibly diverse group of organisms. A plethora of marine sourced bioactive compounds are discovered over the past few decades, many of which are found to show antibiofilm activity. These are of immense clinical significance since the formation of microbial biofilm is associated with the development of high antibiotic resistance. Biofilms are also responsible to bring about problems associated with industries. In fact, the toilets and wash-basins also show degradation due to development of biofilm on their surfaces. Antimicrobial resistance exhibited by the biofilm can be a potent threat not only for the health care unit along with industries and daily utilities. Various recent studies have shown that the marine members of various kingdom are capable of producing antibiofilm compounds. Many such compounds are with unique structural features and metabolomics approaches are essential to study such large sets of metabolites. Associating holobiome metabolomics with analysis of their chemical attribute may bring new insights on their antibiofilm effect and their applicability as a substitute for conventional antibiotics. The application of computer-aided drug design/discovery (CADD) techniques including neural network approaches and structured-based virtual screening, ligand-based virtual screening in combination with experimental validation techniques may help in the identification of these molecules and evaluation of their drug like properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dibyajit Lahiri
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Engineering & Management, Kolkata, 700160, West Bengal, India
| | - Moupriya Nag
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Engineering & Management, Kolkata, 700160, West Bengal, India
| | - Ankita Dey
- Department of Biotechnology, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, Haringhata, West Bengal, India
| | - Tanmay Sarkar
- Department of Food Processing Technology, Malda Polytechnic, West Bengal State Council of Technical Education, Government of West Bengal, Malda, 732102, West Bengal, India
| | - Siddhartha Pati
- Nat Nov Bioscience Private Limited, Balasore, 756001, Odisha, India
| | - Nilesh P Nirmal
- Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, 999 Phutthamonthon 4 Road, Salaya, 73170, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
| | - Rina Rani Ray
- Department of Biotechnology, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, Haringhata, West Bengal, India.
| | - Vijay Jagdish Upadhye
- Center of Research for Development (CR4D), Parul Institute of Applied Sciences (PIAS), Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
| | - Soumya Pandit
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Basic Sciences and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida, 201306, India
| | - M Moovendhan
- Centre for Ocean Research (DST-FIST Sponsored Centre) MoES-Earth Science & Technology Cell, Col. Dr. Jeppiaar Research Park, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, 600119, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - M Kavisri
- Department of Civil Engineering, School of Building and Environment, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, 600119, India
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Salah H, Houbraken J, Boekhout T, Almaslamani M, Taj-Aldeen SJ. Molecular epidemiology of clinical filamentous fungi in Qatar beyond Aspergillus and Fusarium with notes on the rare species. Med Mycol 2023; 61:6967136. [PMID: 36592959 PMCID: PMC9874029 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myac098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to an increasing number of patients at risk (i.e., those with a highly compromised immune system and/or receiving aggressive chemotherapy treatment), invasive fungal infections (IFI) are increasingly being reported and associated with high mortality rates. Aspergillus spp., particularly A. fumigatus, is the major cause of IFI caused by filamentous fungi around the world followed by Fusarium spp., however, other fungi are emerging as human pathogens. The aim of this study was to explore the epidemiology and prevalence of the non-Aspergillus and non-Fusarium filamentous fungi in human clinical samples over an 11-year period in Qatar using molecular techniques. We recovered 53 filamentous fungal isolates from patients with various clinical conditions. Most patients were males (75.5%), 9.4% were immunocompromised, 20.7% had IFI, and 11.3% died within 30 days of diagnosis. The fungal isolates were recovered from a variety of clinical samples, including the nasal cavity, wounds, respiratory samples, body fluids, eye, ear, tissue, abscess, and blood specimens. Among the fungi isolated, 49% were dematiaceous fungi, followed by Mucorales (30%), with the latter group Mucorales being the major cause of IFI (5/11, 45.5%). The current study highlights the epidemiology and spectrum of filamentous fungal genera, other than Aspergillus and Fusarium, recovered from human clinical samples in Qatar, excluding superficial infections, which can aid in the surveillance of uncommon and emerging mycoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Husam Salah
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Husam Salah, M.Sc. Division
of Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Hamad Medical
Corporation, Doha, Qatar, PO Box 3050. Tel: +97-444-391-047. E-mail: ;
| | - Jos Houbraken
- Applied and Industrial Mycology, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity
Institute, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Teun Boekhout
- Yeast Research, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute,
Utrecht, Netherlands,Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of
Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The
Netherlands
| | | | - Saad J Taj-Aldeen
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and
Pathology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha,
Qatar,Department of Biology, College of Science, University of
Babylon, Hilla, Iraq
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Sun Q, Dong B, Yang D, Yu J, Ren T, Wang T, Yang L, Lu Y, Su C. Zcf24, a zinc-finger transcription factor, is required for lactate catabolism and inhibits commensalism in Candida albicans. Mol Microbiol 2023; 119:112-125. [PMID: 36545847 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Candida albicans is a normal resident of humans and also a prevalent fungal pathogen. Lactate, a nonfermentative carbon source available in numerous anatomical niches, can be used by C. albicans as a carbon source. However, the key regulator(s) involved in this process remain unknown. Here, through a genetic screen, we report the identification of a transcription factor Zcf24 that is specifically required for lactate utilization in C. albicans. Zcf24 is responsible for the induction of CYB2, a gene encoding lactate dehydrogenase that is essential for lactate catabolism, in response to lactate. Chromatin immunoprecipitation showed a significantly higher signal of Zcf24 on the CYB2 promoter in lactate-grown cells than that in glucose-grown cells. Genome-wide transcription profiling indicates that, in addition to CYB2, Zcf24 regulates genes involved in the β-oxidation of fatty acids, iron transport, and drug transport. Surprisingly, deleting ZCF24 confers enhanced commensal fitness. This could be attributed to Crz1-activated β-glucan masking in the zcf24 mutant. The orthologs of Zcf24 are distributed in species most closely to C. albicans and some filamentous fungal species. Altogether, Zcf24 is the first transcription factor identified to date that regulates lactate catabolism in C. albicans and it is also involved in the regulation of commensalism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiangqiang Sun
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Bin Dong
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Dandan Yang
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Yu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Tianhao Ren
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Tianxu Wang
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lianjuan Yang
- Shanghai Dermatology Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Lu
- College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chang Su
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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Vu K, Buckley BJ, Bujaroski RS, Blumwald E, Kelso MJ, Gelli A. Antifungal activity of 6-substituted amiloride and hexamethylene amiloride (HMA) analogs. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1101568. [PMID: 36923593 PMCID: PMC10009331 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1101568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections have become an increasing threat as a result of growing numbers of susceptible hosts and diminishing effectiveness of antifungal drugs due to multi-drug resistance. This reality underscores the need to develop novel drugs with unique mechanisms of action. We recently identified 5-(N,N-hexamethylene)amiloride (HMA), an inhibitor of human Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1, as a promising scaffold for antifungal drug development. In this work, we carried out susceptibility testing of 45 6-substituted HMA and amiloride analogs against a panel of pathogenic fungi. A series of 6-(2-benzofuran)amiloride and HMA analogs that showed up to a 16-fold increase in activity against Cryptococcus neoformans were identified. Hits from these series showed broad-spectrum activity against both basidiomycete and ascomycete fungal pathogens, including multidrug-resistant clinical isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiem Vu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, Genome and Biomedical Sciences Facility, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Benjamin J. Buckley
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Richard S. Bujaroski
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Science (ATMCF), Monash University, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Eduardo Blumwald
- Department of Plant Sciences, PRB Building, University of California, Davis, CA, Australia
| | - Michael J. Kelso
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Angie Gelli
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, Genome and Biomedical Sciences Facility, Davis, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Angie Gelli,
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Robbins N, Ketela T, Kim SH, Cowen LE. Chemical-Genetic Approaches for Exploring Mode of Action of Antifungal Compounds in the Fungal Pathogen Candida albicans. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2658:145-165. [PMID: 37024700 PMCID: PMC11019913 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3155-3_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Candida albicans is a prevalent fungal pathogen of humans that can cause both superficial and life-threatening disease, primarily in immunocompromised populations. Currently, antifungal drug classes available to treat fungal infections remain limited and the emergence of drug-resistant strains threatens antifungal efficacy, necessitating the discovery and development of additional therapeutics. The construction of the C. albicans double-barcoded heterozygous deletion collection (DBC) enables the rapid and systematic assessment of haploinsufficiency phenotypes in a pooled format. Specifically, this functional genomics resource can be used to identify heterozygous deletion mutants that are hypersensitive to compounds in order to define putative cellular targets and/or other modifiers of compound activity. Here, we describe protocols to characterize the mode of action of small molecules using the C. albicans DBC, including how to prepare compound-treated cultures, isolate genomic DNA, amplify strain-specific barcodes, and prepare DNA libraries for high-throughput sequencing. This technique provides a powerful approach to elucidate the compound mechanism of action in order to bolster the antifungal pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Robbins
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Troy Ketela
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sang Hu Kim
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Leah E Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Zhang L, Xiao J, Du M, Lei W, Yang W, Xue X. Post-translational modifications confer amphotericin B resistance in Candida krusei isolated from a neutropenic patient. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1148681. [PMID: 36936926 PMCID: PMC10015421 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1148681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neutropenia is a common complication in the treatment of hematological diseases and the most common predisposing factor for invasion by fungi, such as Candida krusei. Recent studies have shown that C. krusei, a life-threatening pathogen, has developed resistance to amphotericin B (AMB). However, the mechanisms that led to the rapid emergence of this AMB-resistant phenotype are unclear. In this study, we found the sensitivity for AMB could be promoted by inhibiting histone acyltransferase activity and western blot analysis revealed differences in the succinylation levels of C. krusei isolated from immunocompromised patients and of the corresponding AMB-resistant mutant. By comparative succinyl-proteome analysis, we identified a total of 383 differentially expressed succinylated sites in with 344 sites in 134 proteins being upregulated in the AMB-resistant mutant, compared to 39 sites in 23 proteins in the wild-type strain. These differentially succinylated proteins were concentrated in the ribosome and cell wall. The critical pathways associated with these proteins included those involved in glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, the ribosome, and fructose and mannose metabolism. In particular, AMB resistance was found to be associated with enhanced ergosterol synthesis and aberrant amino acid and glucose metabolism. Analysis of whole-cell proteomes, confirmed by parallel reaction monitoring, showed that the key enzyme facilitating lysine acylation was significantly upregulated in the AMB-resistant strain. Our results suggest that lysine succinylation may play an indispensable role in the development of AMB resistance in C. krusei. Our study provides mechanistic insights into the development of drug resistance in fungi and can aid in efforts to stifle the emergence of AMB-resistant pathogenic fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Institute of Dermatology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinzhou Xiao
- Institute of Dermatology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingwei Du
- Department of Cardiology, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Clinical Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenzhi Lei
- Institute of Dermatology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Wenzhi Lei, ; Weiwei Yang, ; Xiaochun Xue,
| | - Weiwei Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Lung Transplantation, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Wenzhi Lei, ; Weiwei Yang, ; Xiaochun Xue,
| | - Xiaochun Xue
- Department of Pharmacy, 905th Hospital of PLA Navy, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Wenzhi Lei, ; Weiwei Yang, ; Xiaochun Xue,
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Zaongo SD, Ouyang J, Isnard S, Zhou X, Harypursat V, Cui H, Routy JP, Chen Y. Candida albicans can foster gut dysbiosis and systemic inflammation during HIV infection. Gut Microbes 2023; 15:2167171. [PMID: 36722096 PMCID: PMC9897780 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2023.2167171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans (C. albicans) is a ubiquitous fungal commensal component of the human microbiota, and under certain circumstances, such as during an immunocompromised state, it may initiate different types of infection. Moreover, C. albicans continuously and reciprocally interacts with the host immune system as well as with other elements of the gut microbiota, thus contributing significantly to both gut homeostasis and host immunity. People living with HIV (PLWH), including those receiving antiretroviral therapy, are characterized by a depletion of CD4 + T-cells and dysbiosis in their gut. C. albicans colonization is frequent in PLWH, causing both a high prevalence and high morbidity. Gut barrier damage and elevated levels of microbial translocation are also fairly common in this population. Herein, we take a closer look at the reciprocity among C. albicans, gut microbiota, HIV, and the host immune system, thus throwing some light on this complex interplay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvere D Zaongo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China,Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Ouyang
- Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Stéphane Isnard
- Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program, Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada,Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada,Canadian HIV Trials Network, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Xin Zhou
- Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China,Cancer Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Vijay Harypursat
- Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- Cancer Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jean-Pierre Routy
- Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program, Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada,Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada,Division of Hematology, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Yaokai Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China,Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China,CONTACT Yaokai Chen Department of Infectious Diseases, Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China
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43
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Wagner AS, Vogel AK, Lumsdaine SW, Phillips EK, Willems HME, Peters BM, Reynolds TB. Mucosal Infection with Unmasked Candida albicans Cells Impacts Disease Progression in a Host Niche-Specific Manner. Infect Immun 2022; 90:e0034222. [PMID: 36374100 PMCID: PMC9753624 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00342-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Shielding the immunogenic cell wall epitope β(1, 3)-glucan under an outer layer of mannosylated glycoproteins is an essential virulence factor deployed by Candida albicans during systemic infection. Accordingly, mutants with increased β(1, 3)-glucan exposure (unmasking) display increased immunostimulatory capabilities in vitro and attenuated virulence during systemic infection in mice. However, little work has been done to assess the impact of increased unmasking during the two most common manifestations of candidiasis, namely, oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). We have shown previously that the expression of a single hyperactive allele of the MAP3K STE11ΔN467 induces unmasking via the Cek1 MAPK pathway, attenuates fungal burden, and prolongs survival during systemic infection in mice. Here, we expand on these findings and show that infection with an unmasked STE11ΔN467 mutant also impacts disease progression during OPC and VVC murine infection models. Male mice sublingually infected with the STE11ΔN467 mutant showed a significant reduction in tongue fungal burden at 2 days postinfection and a modest reduction at 5 days postinfection. However, we find that selection for STE11ΔN467 suppressor mutants that no longer display increased unmasking occurs within the oral cavity and is likely responsible for the restoration of fungal burden trends to wild-type levels later in the infection. In the VVC infection model, no attenuation in fungal burden was observed. However, polymorphonuclear cell recruitment and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels within the vaginal lumen, markers of immunopathogenesis, were increased in mice infected with unmasked STE11ΔN467 cells. Thus, our data suggest a niche-specific impact for unmasking on disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S. Wagner
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Amanda K. Vogel
- Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences, College of Graduate Health Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | | | - Elise K. Phillips
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Hubertine M. E. Willems
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Brian M. Peters
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Todd B. Reynolds
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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44
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Rizzo M, Soisangwan N, Vega-Estevez S, Price RJ, Uyl C, Iracane E, Shaw M, Soetaert J, Selmecki A, Buscaino A. Stress combined with loss of the Candida albicans SUMO protease Ulp2 triggers selection of aneuploidy via a two-step process. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010576. [PMID: 36574460 PMCID: PMC9829183 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
A delicate balance between genome stability and instability ensures genome integrity while generating genetic diversity, a critical step for evolution. Indeed, while excessive genome instability is harmful, moderated genome instability can drive adaptation to novel environments by maximising genetic variation. Candida albicans, a human fungal pathogen that colonises different parts of the human body, adapts rapidly and frequently to different hostile host microenvironments. In this organism, the ability to generate large-scale genomic variation is a key adaptative mechanism triggering dangerous infections even in the presence of antifungal drugs. Understanding how fitter novel karyotypes are selected is key to determining how C. albicans and other microbial pathogens establish infections. Here, we identified the SUMO protease Ulp2 as a regulator of C. albicans genome integrity through genetic screening. Deletion of ULP2 leads to increased genome instability, enhanced genome variation and reduced fitness in the absence of additional stress. The combined stress caused by the lack of ULP2 and antifungal drug treatment leads to the selection of adaptive segmental aneuploidies that partially rescue the fitness defects of ulp2Δ/Δ cells. Short and long-read genomic sequencing demonstrates that these novel genotypes are selected via a two-step process leading to the formation of novel chromosomal fragments with breakpoints at microhomology regions and DNA repeats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzia Rizzo
- University of Kent, School of Biosciences, Kent Fungal Group, Canterbury Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Natthapon Soisangwan
- University of Minnesota, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Samuel Vega-Estevez
- University of Kent, School of Biosciences, Kent Fungal Group, Canterbury Kent, United Kingdom
| | | | - Chloe Uyl
- University of Kent, School of Biosciences, Kent Fungal Group, Canterbury Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Elise Iracane
- University of Kent, School of Biosciences, Kent Fungal Group, Canterbury Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Matt Shaw
- University of Kent, School of Biosciences, Kent Fungal Group, Canterbury Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Soetaert
- Blizard Advanced Light Microscopy (BALM), Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Selmecki
- University of Minnesota, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Alessia Buscaino
- University of Kent, School of Biosciences, Kent Fungal Group, Canterbury Kent, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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45
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Hossain S, Robbins N, Cowen LE. The GARP complex is required for filamentation in Candida albicans. Genetics 2022; 222:iyac152. [PMID: 36226807 PMCID: PMC9713427 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac152] [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: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes superficial infections in immunocompetent individuals, as well as life-threatening systemic disease in immunocompromised patients. A key virulence trait of this pathogen is its ability to transition between yeast and filamentous morphologies. A functional genomic screen to identify novel regulators of filamentation previously revealed VPS53 as being important for morphogenesis. Vps53 belongs to the Golgi-associated retrograde protein (GARP) complex, which mediates retrograde trafficking from the endosome to the trans-Golgi network. Here, we explored the role of the entire GARP complex in regulating morphogenesis. Deletion of any of the four genes encoding GARP complex subunits severely impaired filamentation in response to diverse filament-inducing cues, including upon internalization by macrophages. Genetic pathway analysis revealed that while hyperactivation of protein kinase A (PKA) signaling is insufficient to drive filamentation in GARP complex mutants, these strains are capable of filamentation upon overexpression of transcriptional activators or upon deletion of transcriptional repressors of hyphal morphogenesis. Finally, compromise of the GARP complex induced lipotoxicity, and pharmacological inhibition of sphingolipid biosynthesis phenocopied genetic compromise of the GARP complex by impairing filamentation. Together, this work identifies the GARP complex as an important mediator of filamentation in response to multiple inducing cues, maps genetic circuitry important for filamentation upon compromise of GARP function, and supports a model whereby GARP deficiency impairs lipid homeostasis, which is important for supporting filamentous growth in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saif Hossain
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nicole Robbins
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Leah E Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Periferakis A, Periferakis K, Badarau IA, Petran EM, Popa DC, Caruntu A, Costache RS, Scheau C, Caruntu C, Costache DO. Kaempferol: Antimicrobial Properties, Sources, Clinical, and Traditional Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315054. [PMID: 36499380 PMCID: PMC9740324 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Flavonoids are a category of plant-derived compounds which exhibit a large number of health-related effects. One of the most well-known and studied flavonoids is kaempferol, which can be found in a wide variety of herbs and plant families. Apart from their anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory effects, kaempferol and its associated compounds also exhibit antibacterial, antifungal, and antiprotozoal activities. The development of drugs and treatment schemes based on these compounds is becoming increasingly important in the face of emerging resistance of numerous pathogens as well as complex molecular interactions between various drug therapies. In addition, many of the kaempferol-containing plants are used in traditional systems all over the world for centuries to treat numerous conditions. Due to its variety of sources and associated compounds, some molecular mechanisms of kaempferol antimicrobial activity are well known while others are still under analysis. This paper thoroughly documents the vegetal and food sources of kaempferol as well as the most recent and significant studies regarding its antimicrobial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Argyrios Periferakis
- Department of Physiology, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Akadimia of Ancient Greek and Traditional Chinese Medicine, 16675 Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Periferakis
- Akadimia of Ancient Greek and Traditional Chinese Medicine, 16675 Athens, Greece
- Pan-Hellenic Organization of Educational Programs (P.O.E.P), 17236 Athens, Greece
- Orasis Acupuncture Institute, 11526 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioana Anca Badarau
- Department of Physiology, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Elena Madalina Petran
- Department of Biochemistry, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Toxicology, Grigore Alexandrescu Emergency Children’s Hospital, 011743 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Delia Codruta Popa
- Department of Biochemistry, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Hematology, Fundeni Clinical Institute, 022328 Bucharest, Romania
- Correspondence: (D.C.P.); (C.S.)
| | - Ana Caruntu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, ‘Dr. Carol Davila’ Central Military Emergency Hospital, 010825 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dental Medicine, ‘Titu Maiorescu’ University, 031593 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Raluca Simona Costache
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine Clinic, ‘Dr. Carol Davila’ Central Military Emergency Hospital, 010825 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian Scheau
- Department of Physiology, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Correspondence: (D.C.P.); (C.S.)
| | - Constantin Caruntu
- Department of Physiology, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Dermatology, ‘Prof. N.C. Paulescu’ National Institute of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, 011233 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Daniel Octavian Costache
- Department of Dermatology, ‘Dr. Carol Davila’ Central Military Emergency Hospital, 010825 Bucharest, Romania
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47
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Meyahnwi D, Siraw BB, Reingold A. Epidemiologic features, clinical characteristics, and predictors of mortality in patients with candidemia in Alameda County, California; a 2017–2020 retrospective analysis. BMC Infect Dis 2022; 22:843. [DOI: 10.1186/s12879-022-07848-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Bloodstream infections caused by Candida species are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide, with an ever-changing epidemiology. We conducted this study to assess trends in the epidemiologic features, risk factors and Candida species distribution in candidemia patients in Alameda County, California.
Methods
We analyzed data collected from patients in Alameda County, California between 2017 and 2020 as part of the California Emerging Infections Program (CEIP). This is a laboratory-based, active surveillance program for candidemia. In our study, we included incident cases only.
Results
During the 4-year period from January 1st, 2017, to December 31st, 2020, 392 incident cases of candidemia were identified. The mean crude annual cumulative incidence was 5.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (range 5.0–6.5 cases per 100,000 population). Candida glabrata was the most common Candida species and was present as the only Candida species in 149 cases (38.0%), followed by Candida albicans, 130 (33.2%). Mixed Candida species were present in 13 patients (3.3%). Most of the cases of candidemia occurred in individuals with one or more underlying conditions. Multivariate regression models showed that age ≥ 65 years (RR 1.66, CI 1.28–2.14), prior administration of systemic antibiotic therapy, (RR 1.84, CI 1.06–3.17), cirrhosis of the liver, (RR 2.01, CI 1.51–2.68), and prior admission to the ICU (RR1.82, CI 1.36–2.43) were significant predictors of mortality.
Conclusions
Non-albicans Candida species currently account for the majority of candidemia cases in Alameda County.
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Kubiński K, Masłyk M, Janeczko M, Goldeman W, Nasulewicz-Goldeman A, Psurski M, Martyna A, Boguszewska-Czubara A, Cebula J, Goszczyński TM. Metallacarborane Derivatives as Innovative Anti- Candida albicans Agents. J Med Chem 2022; 65:13935-13945. [PMID: 36217958 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Infections caused by Candida species have increased significantly in the past decades and are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, resulting in serious public health problems. Currently, conventional antifungals are often ineffective as Candida spp. have developed growing resistance to systemic drugs. Since inorganic metallacarboranes are known to affect cellular events, new derivatives of these abiotic compounds were tested against Candida albicans. Compounds based on cobalt bis-dicarbollide [COSAN] were studied on Candida albicans strains, including a panel of 100 clinical isolates. The presented data prove that metallacarborane derivatives are effective against clinical isolates of Candida albicans, even those resistant to systemic drugs, and show synergistic potential in combination with amphotericin B, and low toxicity against human cells and Danio rerio embryos. This paper is a consequential step in the investigations of the broad spectrum and valuable future medical applications of metallacarboranes, especially in the fight against drug-resistant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Kubiński
- Department of Molecular Biology, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1i, 20-708 Lublin, Poland
| | - Maciej Masłyk
- Department of Molecular Biology, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1i, 20-708 Lublin, Poland
| | - Monika Janeczko
- Department of Molecular Biology, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1i, 20-708 Lublin, Poland
| | - Waldemar Goldeman
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Anna Nasulewicz-Goldeman
- Laboratory of Experimental Anticancer Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Mateusz Psurski
- Laboratory of Experimental Anticancer Therapy, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Martyna
- Department of Molecular Biology, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1i, 20-708 Lublin, Poland
| | - Anna Boguszewska-Czubara
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 4A Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Jakub Cebula
- Laboratory of Biomedical Chemistry, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Tomasz M Goszczyński
- Laboratory of Biomedical Chemistry, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wrocław, Poland
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Calcineurin Inhibitors Synergize with Manogepix to Kill Diverse Human Fungal Pathogens. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8101102. [PMID: 36294667 PMCID: PMC9605145 DOI: 10.3390/jof8101102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections have mortality rates of 30–90%, depending on patient co-morbidities and the causative pathogen. The frequent emergence of drug resistance reduces the efficacy of currently approved treatment options, highlighting an urgent need for antifungals with new modes of action. Addressing this need, fosmanogepix (N-phosphonooxymethylene prodrug of manogepix; MGX) is the first in a new class of gepix drugs, and acts as a broad-spectrum, orally bioavailable inhibitor of the essential fungal glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) acyltransferase Gwt1. MGX inhibits the growth of diverse fungal pathogens and causes accumulation of immature GPI-anchored proteins in the fungal endoplasmic reticulum. Relevant to the ongoing clinical development of fosmanogepix, we report a synergistic, fungicidal interaction between MGX and inhibitors of the protein phosphatase calcineurin against important human fungal pathogens. To investigate this synergy further, we evaluated a library of 124 conditional expression mutants covering 95% of the genes encoding proteins involved in GPI-anchor biosynthesis or proteins predicted to be GPI-anchored. Strong negative chemical-genetic interactions between the calcineurin inhibitor FK506 and eleven GPI-anchor biosynthesis genes were identified, indicating that calcineurin signalling is required for fungal tolerance to not only MGX, but to inhibition of the GPI-anchor biosynthesis pathway more broadly. Depletion of these GPI-anchor biosynthesis genes, like MGX treatment, also exposed fungal cell wall (1→3)-β-D-glucans. Taken together, these findings suggest the increased risk of invasive fungal infections associated with use of calcineurin inhibitors as immunosuppressants may be mitigated by their synergistic fungicidal interaction with (fos)manogepix and its ability to enhance exposure of immunostimulatory glucans.
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50
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Cohen A, Jeng EE, Voorhies M, Symington J, Ali N, Rodriguez RA, Bassik MC, Sil A. Genome-scale CRISPR screening reveals that C3aR signaling is critical for rapid capture of fungi by macrophages. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010237. [PMID: 36174103 PMCID: PMC9578593 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The fungal pathogen Histoplasma capsulatum (Hc) invades, replicates within, and destroys macrophages. To interrogate the molecular mechanisms underlying this interaction, we conducted a host-directed CRISPR-Cas9 screen and identified 361 genes that modify macrophage susceptibility to Hc infection, greatly expanding our understanding of host gene networks targeted by Hc. We identified pathways that have not been previously implicated in Hc interaction with macrophages, including the ragulator complex (involved in nutrient stress sensing), glycosylation enzymes, protein degradation machinery, mitochondrial respiration genes, solute transporters, and the ER membrane complex (EMC). The highest scoring protective hits included the complement C3a receptor (C3aR), a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) that recognizes the complement fragment C3a. Although it is known that complement components react with the fungal surface, leading to opsonization and release of small peptide fragments such as C3a, a role for C3aR in macrophage interactions with fungi has not been elucidated. We demonstrated that whereas C3aR is dispensable for macrophage phagocytosis of bacteria and latex beads, it is critical for optimal macrophage capture of pathogenic fungi, including Hc, the ubiquitous fungal pathogen Candida albicans, and the causative agent of Valley Fever Coccidioides posadasii. We showed that C3aR localizes to the early phagosome during Hc infection where it coordinates the formation of actin-rich membrane protrusions that promote Hc capture. We also showed that the EMC promotes surface expression of C3aR, likely explaining its identification in our screen. Taken together, our results provide new insight into host processes that affect Hc-macrophage interactions and uncover a novel and specific role for C3aR in macrophage recognition of fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Cohen
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Edwin E. Jeng
- Stanford University, Department of Genetics, Palo Alto, California, United States of America
| | - Mark Voorhies
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Jane Symington
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Nebat Ali
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Rosa A. Rodriguez
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Michael C. Bassik
- Stanford University, Department of Genetics, Palo Alto, California, United States of America
| | - Anita Sil
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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