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Liu F, Zeng M, Zhou X, Huang F, Song Z. Aspergillus fumigatus escape mechanisms from its harsh survival environments. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:53. [PMID: 38175242 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12952-z] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous pathogenic mold and causes several diseases, including mycotoxicosis, allergic reactions, and systemic diseases (invasive aspergillosis), with high mortality rates. In its ecological niche, the fungus has evolved and mastered many reply strategies to resist and survive against negative threats, including harsh environmental stress and deficiency of essential nutrients from natural environments, immunity responses and drug treatments in host, and competition from symbiotic microorganisms. Hence, treating A. fumigatus infection is a growing challenge. In this review, we summarized A. fumigatus reply strategies and escape mechanisms and clarified the main competitive or symbiotic relationships between A. fumigatus, viruses, bacteria, or fungi in host microecology. Additionally, we discussed the contemporary drug repertoire used to treat A. fumigatus and the latest evidence of potential resistance mechanisms. This review provides valuable knowledge which will stimulate further investigations and clinical applications for treating and preventing A. fumigatus infections. KEY POINTS: • Harsh living environment was a great challenge for A. fumigatus survival. • A. fumigatus has evolved multiple strategies to escape host immune responses. • A. fumigatus withstands antifungal drugs via intrinsic escape mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyan Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng Zeng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 402160, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue Zhou
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China
| | - Fujiao Huang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhangyong Song
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China.
- Molecular Biotechnology Platform, Public Center of Experimental Technology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, People's Republic of China.
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Wang H, Chen Q, Liu Q, Luo C. Master regulator: p53's pivotal role in steering NK-cell tumor patrol. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1428653. [PMID: 39185404 PMCID: PMC11344261 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1428653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The p53 protein, encoded by TP53, is a tumor suppressor that plays a critical role in regulating apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, and angiogenesis in tumor cells via controlling various downstream signals. Natural killer (NK) cell-mediated immune surveillance is a vital self-defense mechanism against cancer and other diseases, with NK cell activity regulated by various mechanisms. Among these, p53 plays a significant role in immune regulation by maintaining the homeostasis and functionality of NK cells. It enhances the transcriptional activity of NK cell-activating ligands and downregulates inhibitory ligands to boost NK cell activation and tumor-killing efficacy. Additionally, p53 influences NK cell cytotoxicity by promoting apoptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis in different tumor cells. p53 is involved in the regulation of NK cell activity and effector functions through multiple pathways. p53 also plays a pivotal role in the tumor microenvironment (TME), regulating the activity of NK cells. NK cells are critical components of the TME and are capable of directly killing tumor cells. And p53 mutates in numerous cancers, with the most common alteration being a missense mutation. These mutations are commonly associated with poor survival rates in patients with cancer. This review details p53's role in NK cell tumor immunosurveillance, summarizing how p53 enhances NK cell recognition and tumor destruction. We also explore the potential applications of p53 in tumor immunotherapy, discussing strategies for modulating p53 to enhance NK cell function and improve the efficacy of tumor immunotherapy, along with the associated challenges. Understanding the interaction between p53 and NK cells within the TME is crucial for advancing NK cell-based immunotherapy and developing p53-related novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Changjiang Luo
- Department of General Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
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Zhu Z, He L, Bai Y, Xia L, Sun X, Qi C. Yeast β-glucan modulates macrophages and improves antitumor NK-cell responses in cancer. Clin Exp Immunol 2023; 214:50-60. [PMID: 37455659 PMCID: PMC10711352 DOI: 10.1093/cei/uxad080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
As the largest proportion of myeloid immune cells in tumors, macrophages play an important role in tumor growth and regression according to their different phenotypes, thus reprogramming macrophages has become a new research direction for cancer immunotherapy. Yeast-derived whole β-glucan particles (WGPs) can induce M0 macrophages to differentiate into M1 macrophages and convert M2 macrophages and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) into M1 macrophages. In vitro, studies have confirmed that WGP-treated macrophages increase the activating receptors in natural killer cells (NK cells) and enhance the cytotoxicity of NK cells. The extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) signaling pathway is involved in WGP-mediated regulation of the macrophage phenotype. Further in vivo studies show that oral WGP can significantly delay tumor growth, which is related to the increased proportion of macrophages and NK cells, the macrophage phenotype reversal, and the enhancement of NK cell immune function. NK-cell depletion reduces the therapeutic efficacy of WGP in tumor-bearing mice. These findings revealed that in addition to T cells, NK cells also participate in the antitumor process of WGP. It was confirmed that WGP regulates the macrophage phenotype to regulate NK-cell function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhichao Zhu
- Laboratory of Oncology, Medical Research Center, The Affiliated Changzhou Second People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China
| | - Liuyang He
- Laboratory of Oncology, Medical Research Center, The Affiliated Changzhou Second People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China
| | - Yu Bai
- Laboratory of Oncology, Medical Research Center, The Affiliated Changzhou Second People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China
| | - Lei Xia
- Laboratory of Oncology, Medical Research Center, The Affiliated Changzhou Second People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China
| | - Xiao Sun
- Laboratory of Oncology, Medical Research Center, The Affiliated Changzhou Second People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China
| | - Chunjian Qi
- Laboratory of Oncology, Medical Research Center, The Affiliated Changzhou Second People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China
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Wurster S, Watowich SS, Kontoyiannis DP. Checkpoint inhibitors as immunotherapy for fungal infections: Promises, challenges, and unanswered questions. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1018202. [PMID: 36389687 PMCID: PMC9640966 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1018202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Opportunistic fungal infections have high mortality in patients with severe immune dysfunction. Growing evidence suggests that the immune environment of invasive fungal infections and cancers share common features of immune cell exhaustion through activation of immune checkpoint pathways. This observation gave rise to several preclinical studies and clinical case reports describing blockade of the Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 and Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Antigen 4 immune checkpoint pathways as an adjunct immune enhancement strategy to treat opportunistic fungal infections. The first part of this review summarizes the emerging evidence for contributions of checkpoint pathways to the immunopathology of fungal sepsis, opportunistic mold infections, and dimorphic fungal infections. We then review the potential merits of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as an antifungal immunotherapy, including the incomplete knowledge of the mechanisms involved in both immuno-protective effects and toxicities. In the second part of this review, we discuss the limitations of the current evidence and the many unknowns about ICIs as an antifungal immune enhancement strategy. Based on these gaps of knowledge and lessons learned from cancer immunology studies, we outline a research agenda to determine a "sweet spot" for ICIs in medical mycology. We specifically discuss the importance of more nuanced animal models, the need to study ICI-based combination therapy, potential ICI resistance, the role of the immune microenvironment, and the impact of ICIs given as part of oncological therapies on the natural immunity to various pathogenic fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Wurster
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Stephanie S. Watowich
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Dimitrios P. Kontoyiannis
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
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Bachiller M, Battram AM, Perez-Amill L, Martín-Antonio B. Natural Killer Cells in Immunotherapy: Are We Nearly There? Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E3139. [PMID: 33120910 PMCID: PMC7694052 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12113139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are potent anti-tumor and anti-microbial cells of our innate immune system. They are equipped with a vast array of receptors that recognize tumor cells and other pathogens. The innate immune activity of NK cells develops faster than the adaptive one performed by T cells, and studies suggest an important immunoregulatory role for each population against the other. The association, observed in acute myeloid leukemia patients receiving haploidentical killer-immunoglobulin-like-receptor-mismatched NK cells, with induction of complete remission was the determinant to begin an increasing number of clinical studies administering NK cells for the treatment of cancer patients. Unfortunately, even though transfused NK cells demonstrated safety, their observed efficacy was poor. In recent years, novel studies have emerged, combining NK cells with other immunotherapeutic agents, such as monoclonal antibodies, which might improve clinical efficacy. Moreover, genetically-modified NK cells aimed at arming NK cells with better efficacy and persistence have appeared as another option. Here, we review novel pre-clinical and clinical studies published in the last five years administering NK cells as a monotherapy and combined with other agents, and we also review chimeric antigen receptor-modified NK cells for the treatment of cancer patients. We then describe studies regarding the role of NK cells as anti-microbial effectors, as lessons that we could learn and apply in immunotherapy applications of NK cells; these studies highlight an important immunoregulatory role performed between T cells and NK cells that should be considered when designing immunotherapeutic strategies. Lastly, we highlight novel strategies that could be combined with NK cell immunotherapy to improve their targeting, activity, and persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Beatriz Martín-Antonio
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (M.B.); (A.M.B.); (L.P.-A.)
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Heung LJ. Monocytes and the Host Response to Fungal Pathogens. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:34. [PMID: 32117808 PMCID: PMC7031161 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Monocytes and their derivatives, including macrophages and dendritic cells, play diverse roles in the response to fungal pathogens. Sensing of fungi by monocytes triggers signaling pathways that mediate direct effects like phagocytosis and cytokine production. Monocytes can also present fungal antigens to elicit adaptive immune responses. These monocyte-mediated pathways may be either beneficial or harmful to the host. In some instances, fungi have developed mechanisms to evade the consequences of monocyte activation and subvert these cells to promote disease. Thus, monocytes are critically involved in mediating the outcomes of these often highly fatal infections. This review will highlight the roles of monocytes in the immune response to some of the major fungi that cause invasive human disease, including Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, Candida, Histoplasma, Blastomyces, and Coccidioides, and discuss potential strategies to manipulate monocyte responses in order to enhance anti-fungal immunity in susceptible hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena J Heung
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Rodríguez A, Guillemyn B, Coucke P, Vaneechoutte M. Nucleic acids enrichment of fungal pathogens to study host-pathogen interactions. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18037. [PMID: 31792282 PMCID: PMC6889467 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54608-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections, ranging from superficial to life-threatening infections, represent a major public health problem that affects 25% of the worldwide population. In this context, the study of host-pathogen interactions within the host is crucial to advance antifungal therapy. However, since fungal cells are usually outnumbered by host cells, the fungal transcriptome frequently remains uncovered. We compared three different methods to selectively lyse human cells from in vitro mixes, composed of Candida cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In order to prevent transcriptional modification, the mixes were stored in RNAlater. We evaluated the enrichment of fungal cells through cell counting using microscopy and aimed to further enrich fungal nucleic acids by centrifugation and by reducing contaminant nucleic acids from the host. We verified the enrichment of fungal DNA and RNA through qPCR and RT-qPCR respectively and confirmed that the resulting RNA has high integrity scores, suitable for downstream applications. The enrichment method provided here, i.e., lysis with Buffer RLT followed by centrifugation, may contribute to increase the proportion of nucleic acids from fungi in clinical samples, thus promoting more comprehensive analysis of fungal transcriptional profiles. Although we focused on C. albicans, the enrichment may be applicable to other fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Rodríguez
- Laboratory Bacteriology Research, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, 9000, Belgium.
| | - Brecht Guillemyn
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent, Ghent University Hospital, Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Paul Coucke
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent, Ghent University Hospital, Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Mario Vaneechoutte
- Laboratory Bacteriology Research, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
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Saini S, Poelmans J, Korf H, Dooley JL, Liang S, Manshian BB, Verbeke R, Soenen SJ, Vande Velde G, Lentacker I, Lagrou K, Liston A, Gysemans C, De Smedt SC, Himmelreich U. Longitudinal In Vivo Assessment of Host-Microbe Interactions in a Murine Model of Pulmonary Aspergillosis. iScience 2019; 20:184-194. [PMID: 31581067 PMCID: PMC6817634 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2019.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus is ubiquitous in nature and the most common cause of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in patients with a compromised immune system. The development of IPA in patients under immunosuppressive treatment or in patients with primary immunodeficiency demonstrates the importance of the host immune response in controlling aspergillosis. However, study of the host-microbe interaction has been hampered by the lack of tools for their non-invasive assessment. We developed a methodology to study the response of the host's immune system against IPA longitudinally in vivo by using fluorine-19 magnetic resonance imaging (19F MRI). We showed the advantage of a perfluorocarbon-based contrast agent for the in vivo labeling of macrophages and dendritic cells, permitting quantification of pulmonary inflammation in different murine IPA models. Our findings reveal the potential of 19F MRI for the assessment of rapid kinetics of innate immune response against IPA and the permissive niche generated through immunosuppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shweta Saini
- Biomedical MRI/Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jennifer Poelmans
- Biomedical MRI/Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hannelie Korf
- Laboratory of Hepatology, CHROMETA Department, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - James L Dooley
- Laboratory of Genetics of Autoimmunity (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sayuan Liang
- Biomedical MRI/Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Philips Research China, Shanghai, China
| | - Bella B Manshian
- Biomedical MRI/Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rein Verbeke
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Stefaan J Soenen
- Biomedical MRI/Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Greetje Vande Velde
- Biomedical MRI/Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ine Lentacker
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Katrien Lagrou
- Clinical Bacteriology and Mycology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Adrian Liston
- Laboratory of Genetics of Autoimmunity (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Conny Gysemans
- Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Uwe Himmelreich
- Biomedical MRI/Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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