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Li C, Meng Y, Li H, Du W, Gao X, Suo C, Gao Y, Ni Y, Sun T, Yang S, Lan T, Xin M, Ding C. Immunization with a heat-killed prm1 deletion strain protects the host from Cryptococcus neoformans infection. Emerg Microbes Infect 2023; 12:2244087. [PMID: 37526401 PMCID: PMC10431737 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2244087] [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: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Systemic infection with Cryptococcus neoformans, a dangerous and contagious pathogen found throughout the world, frequently results in lethal cryptococcal pneumonia and meningoencephalitis, and no effective treatments and vaccination of cryptococcosis are available. Here, we describe Prm1, a novel regulator of C. neoformans virulence. C. neoformans prm1Δ cells exhibit extreme sensitivity to various environmental stress conditions. Furthermore, prm1Δ cells show deficiencies in the biosynthesis of chitosan and mannoprotein, which in turn result in impairment of cell wall integrity. Treatment of mice with heat-killed prm1Δ cells was found to facilitate the host immunological defence against infection with wild-type C. neoformans. Further investigation demonstrated that prm1Δ cells strongly promote pulmonary production of interferon-γ, leading to activation of macrophage M1 differentiation and inhibition of M2 polarization. Therefore, our findings suggest that C. neoformans Prm1 may be a viable target for the development of anti-cryptococcosis medications and, cells lacking Prm1 represent a promising candidate for a vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Li
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yang Meng
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hailong Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei Du
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xindi Gao
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chenhao Suo
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yiru Gao
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yue Ni
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tianshu Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Mechanisms Research and Precision Diagnosis of Invasive Fungal Diseases, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Scientific Research, Central Laboratory, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Sheng Yang
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tian Lan
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Meiling Xin
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chen Ding
- College of Life and Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
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Clinical Challenges of Emerging and Re-Emerging Yeast Infections in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10112223. [PMID: 36363816 PMCID: PMC9695014 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10112223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
During the geological eras, some fungi, through adaptation and/or environmental/ecological pressure, interacted directly and indirectly with humans, through occasionally harmful interaction interdependent on the individual’s immunological condition. Infections caused by yeasts are underreported, subjugated, and underdiagnosed, and treatment is restricted to a few drugs, even after the significant progress of medicine and pharmacology. In the last centuries, antagonistically, there has been an exponential increase of immunocompromised individuals due to the use of immunosuppressive drugs such as corticosteroids, increased cases of transplants, chemotherapeutics, autoimmune diseases, neoplasms, and, more recently, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This review aims to survey emerging and re-emerging yeast infections in the current clinical context. Currently, there is an immense clinical challenge for the rapid and correct diagnosis and treatment of systemic mycoses caused by yeasts due to the terrible increase in cases in the current context of COVID-19.
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Marincu I, Citu C, Vidican I, Bratosin F, Mares M, Suciu O, Frent S, Bota AV, Timircan M, Bratu ML, Grigoras ML. Clinical Profile of 24 AIDS Patients with Cryptococcal Meningitis in the HAART Era: A Report from an Infectious Diseases Tertiary Hospital in Western Romania. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 12:diagnostics12010054. [PMID: 35054221 PMCID: PMC8774555 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12010054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Management of cryptococcal infections among patients suffering from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) represents a medical challenge. This retrospective study aims to describe the disease management and outcomes among 24 AIDS patients who suffered from Cryptococcus neoformans meningitis. The parameters evaluated from our patients’ database records include epidemiological data, clinical manifestations, biochemical and microbiological analysis of patients’ cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), treatment profiles, and disease outcomes. All patients included in the study had a lymphocyte count of less than 200 CD4/mm3. Of the 24 patients included in this study, five had been diagnosed with HIV infection since childhood, after receiving HIV-infected blood transfusions. The most prominent symptom was fatigue in 62.5% of patients, followed by nausea/vomiting and headache. Seven patients had liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, while Kaposi sarcoma and cerebral toxoplasmosis were found in two patients. Six out of 24 patients died due to bacterial sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). High intracranial pressure was the strongest predictive factor for mortality (OR = 2.9), followed by ARDS (OR = 1.8), seizures at disease onset (OR = 1.4), and diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.2). Interestingly, patients younger than 40 years old had a significantly lower survival rate than that of the older patients. Before developing Cryptococcal meningitis, all patients had low adherence to the early ART treatment scheme and skipped the follow-up visits. All patients received a combination of amphotericin B and flucytosine as induction therapy, adding fluconazole for maintenance. Simultaneously, AIDS HAART was initiated at diagnosis of the cryptococcal infection. A combined regimen of antifungals and highly active antiretroviral therapy showed improved patient recovery with minor side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iosif Marincu
- Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (I.V.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (O.S.); (S.F.); (A.V.B.); (M.T.); (M.L.B.); (M.L.G.)
| | - Cosmin Citu
- Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (I.V.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (O.S.); (S.F.); (A.V.B.); (M.T.); (M.L.B.); (M.L.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +40-722-322-877
| | - Iulia Vidican
- Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (I.V.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (O.S.); (S.F.); (A.V.B.); (M.T.); (M.L.B.); (M.L.G.)
| | - Felix Bratosin
- Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (I.V.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (O.S.); (S.F.); (A.V.B.); (M.T.); (M.L.B.); (M.L.G.)
| | - Mihai Mares
- Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (I.V.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (O.S.); (S.F.); (A.V.B.); (M.T.); (M.L.B.); (M.L.G.)
| | - Oana Suciu
- Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (I.V.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (O.S.); (S.F.); (A.V.B.); (M.T.); (M.L.B.); (M.L.G.)
| | - Stefan Frent
- Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (I.V.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (O.S.); (S.F.); (A.V.B.); (M.T.); (M.L.B.); (M.L.G.)
| | - Adrian Vasile Bota
- Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (I.V.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (O.S.); (S.F.); (A.V.B.); (M.T.); (M.L.B.); (M.L.G.)
| | - Madalina Timircan
- Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (I.V.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (O.S.); (S.F.); (A.V.B.); (M.T.); (M.L.B.); (M.L.G.)
| | - Melania Lavinia Bratu
- Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (I.V.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (O.S.); (S.F.); (A.V.B.); (M.T.); (M.L.B.); (M.L.G.)
- Department of Psychology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Mirela Loredana Grigoras
- Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (I.M.); (I.V.); (F.B.); (M.M.); (O.S.); (S.F.); (A.V.B.); (M.T.); (M.L.B.); (M.L.G.)
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