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Kuo A, Hla T. Regulation of cellular and systemic sphingolipid homeostasis. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024:10.1038/s41580-024-00742-y. [PMID: 38890457 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00742-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
One hundred and fifty years ago, Johann Thudichum described sphingolipids as unusual "Sphinx-like" lipids from the brain. Today, we know that thousands of sphingolipid molecules mediate many essential functions in embryonic development and normal physiology. In addition, sphingolipid metabolism and signalling pathways are dysregulated in a wide range of pathologies, and therapeutic agents that target sphingolipids are now used to treat several human diseases. However, our understanding of sphingolipid regulation at cellular and organismal levels and their functions in developmental, physiological and pathological settings is rudimentary. In this Review, we discuss recent advances in sphingolipid pathways in different organelles, how secreted sphingolipid mediators modulate physiology and disease, progress in sphingolipid-targeted therapeutic and diagnostic research, and the trans-cellular sphingolipid metabolic networks between microbiota and mammals. Advances in sphingolipid biology have led to a deeper understanding of mammalian physiology and may lead to progress in the management of many diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Kuo
- Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Timothy Hla
- Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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2
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Arya K, Usmani SA, Bhardwaj N, Kumar M, Rudramurthy SM, Prasad R, Singh A. Impact of sphingolipid synthesis inhibition on the drug susceptibility patterns of Trichophyton species. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2024; 109:116283. [PMID: 38574446 DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2024.116283] [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: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
The well known dermatophyte infections caused by Trichophyton species are an ambiguous problem to treat using the present arsenal of antifungals. This study expounds on the effect of inhibition of sphingolipid pathway on Trichophyton growth. Findings from the drug susceptibility assays suggest sphingolipid inhibition severely restricts the growth of T. interdigitale and T. tonsurans. The observed synergistic effects of combinations of sphingolipid inhibitor and conventional drugs provide a promising treatment strategy against Trichophyton infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khushboo Arya
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226007, India
| | - Sana Akhtar Usmani
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226007, India
| | - Nitin Bhardwaj
- Department of Zoology and Environmental Science, Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, Uttarakhand 249404, India
| | - Manoj Kumar
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226 001, India
| | | | - Rajendra Prasad
- Amity Institute of Integrative Sciences and Health, Amity University, Haryana, India; Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Haryana, India
| | - Ashutosh Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226007, India.
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3
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P. Gomes PW, Mannochio-Russo H, Mao J, Zhao HN, Ancira J, Tipton CD, Dorrestein PC, Li M. Co-occurrence network analysis reveals the alterations of the skin microbiome and metabolome in adults with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis. mSystems 2024; 9:e0111923. [PMID: 38319107 PMCID: PMC10949451 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01119-23] [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: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Skin microbiome can be altered in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). An understanding of the changes from healthy to atopic skin can help develop new targets for treatment by identifying microbial and molecular biomarkers. This study investigates the skin microbiome and metabolome of healthy adult subjects and lesion (ADL) and non-lesion (ADNL) of AD patients by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and mass spectrometry, respectively. Samples from AD patients showed alterations in the diversity and composition of the skin microbiome, with ADL skin having the greatest divergence. Staphylococcus species, especially S. aureus, were significantly increased in AD patients. Metabolomic profiles were also different between the groups. Dipeptide derivatives are more abundant in ADL, which may be related to skin inflammation. Co-occurrence network analysis of the microbiome and metabolomics data revealed higher co-occurrence of metabolites and bacteria in healthy ADNL compared to ADL. S. aureus co-occurred with dipeptide derivatives in ADL, while phytosphingosine-derived compounds showed co-occurrences with commensal bacteria, for example, Paracoccus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Prevotella bivia, Lactobacillus iners, Anaerococcus sp., Micrococcus sp., Corynebacterium ureicelerivorans, Corynebacterium massiliense, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Roseomonas mucosa, in healthy and ADNL groups. Therefore, these findings provide valuable insights into how AD affects the human skin metabolome and microbiome.IMPORTANCEThis study provides valuable insight into changes in the skin microbiome and associated metabolomic profiles in an adult population with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis. It also identifies new therapeutic targets that may be useful for developing personalized treatments for individuals with atopic dermatitis based on their unique skin microbiome and metabolic profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Wender P. Gomes
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Helena Mannochio-Russo
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Junhong Mao
- Colgate−Palmolive Company, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Haoqi Nina Zhao
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | | | | | - Pieter C. Dorrestein
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Min Li
- Colgate−Palmolive Company, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
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4
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Ali B, Kumar M, Kumar P, Chauhan A, Usmani SA, Rudramurthy SM, Meis JF, Chakrabarti A, Singh A, Gaur NA, Mondal AK, Prasad R. Sphingolipid diversity in Candida auris: unraveling interclade and drug resistance fingerprints. FEMS Yeast Res 2024; 24:foae008. [PMID: 38444195 PMCID: PMC10941814 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foae008] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we explored the sphingolipid (SL) landscape in Candida auris, which plays pivotal roles in fungal biology and drug susceptibility. The composition of SLs exhibited substantial variations at both the SL class and molecular species levels among clade isolates. Utilizing principal component analysis, we successfully differentiated the five clades based on their SL class composition. While phytoceramide (PCer) was uniformly the most abundant SL class in all the isolates, other classes showed significant variations. These variations were not limited to SL class level only as the proportion of different molecular species containing variable number of carbons in fatty acid chains also differed between the isolates. Also a comparative analysis revealed abundance of ceramides and glucosylceramides in fluconazole susceptible isolates. Furthermore, by comparing drug-resistant and susceptible isolates within clade IV, we uncovered significant intraclade differences in key SL classes such as high PCer and low long chain base (LCB) content in resistant strains, underscoring the impact of SL heterogeneity on drug resistance development in C. auris. These findings shed light on the multifaceted interplay between genomic diversity, SLs, and drug resistance in this emerging fungal pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basharat Ali
- Amity Institute of Integrative Science and Health and Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Gurgaon, Haryana, 122413, India
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Mohit Kumar
- Amity Institute of Integrative Science and Health and Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Gurgaon, Haryana, 122413, India
- Yeast Biofuel Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067 India
| | - Praveen Kumar
- Amity Institute of Integrative Science and Health and Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Gurgaon, Haryana, 122413, India
| | - Anshu Chauhan
- Amity Institute of Integrative Science and Health and Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Gurgaon, Haryana, 122413, India
| | - Sana Akhtar Usmani
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, 226007 India
| | | | - Jacques F Meis
- Institute of Translational Research, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases and Excellence Center for Medical Mycology (ECMM), University of Cologne, Cologne, 50931 Germany
| | | | - Ashutosh Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, 226007 India
| | - Naseem A Gaur
- Yeast Biofuel Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067 India
| | - Alok K Mondal
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Rajendra Prasad
- Amity Institute of Integrative Science and Health and Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Gurgaon, Haryana, 122413, India
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Cellini B, Pampalone G, Camaioni E, Pariano M, Catalano F, Zelante T, Dindo M, Macchioni L, Di Veroli A, Galarini R, Paoletti F, Davidescu M, Stincardini C, Vascelli G, Bellet MM, Saba J, Giovagnoli S, Giardina G, Romani L, Costantini C. Dual species sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase inhibitors to combine antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities in cystic fibrosis: a feasibility study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22692. [PMID: 38123809 PMCID: PMC10733307 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50121-4] [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: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by respiratory failure due to a vicious cycle of defective Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane conductance Regulator (CFTR) function, chronic inflammation and recurrent bacterial and fungal infections. Although the recent introduction of CFTR correctors/potentiators has revolutionized the clinical management of CF patients, resurgence of inflammation and persistence of pathogens still posit a major concern and should be targeted contextually. On the background of a network-based selectivity that allows to target the same enzyme in the host and microbes with different outcomes, we focused on sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) lyase (SPL) of the sphingolipid metabolism as a potential candidate to uniquely induce anti-inflammatory and antifungal activities in CF. As a feasibility study, herein we show that interfering with S1P metabolism improved the immune response in a murine model of CF with aspergillosis while preventing germination of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia. In addition, in an early drug discovery process, we purified human and A. fumigatus SPL, characterized their biochemical and structural properties, and performed an in silico screening to identify potential dual species SPL inhibitors. We identified two hits behaving as competitive inhibitors of pathogen and host SPL, thus paving the way for hit-to-lead and translational studies for the development of drug candidates capable of restraining fungal growth and increasing antifungal resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Cellini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy.
| | - Gioena Pampalone
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Emidio Camaioni
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Marilena Pariano
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Flavia Catalano
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Teresa Zelante
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Mirco Dindo
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Lara Macchioni
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Di Veroli
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Roberta Galarini
- Centro Sviluppo e Validazione Metodi, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche "Togo Rosati", Perugia, Italy
| | - Fabiola Paoletti
- Centro Sviluppo e Validazione Metodi, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche "Togo Rosati", Perugia, Italy
| | - Magdalena Davidescu
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Claudia Stincardini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Gianluca Vascelli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Marina Maria Bellet
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Julie Saba
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stefano Giovagnoli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giardina
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigina Romani
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Claudio Costantini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy.
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6
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Matos GS, Fernandes CM, Del Poeta M. Role of sphingolipids in the host-pathogen interaction. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2023; 1868:159384. [PMID: 37673393 PMCID: PMC11218662 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2023.159384] [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: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Fungal pathogens have been under the spotlight as their expanding geographic range combined with their potential harm to vulnerable populations turns them into increasingly threats to public health. Therefore, it is ultimately important to unveil the mechanisms associated with their infection process for further new treatment discovery. With this purpose, sphingolipid-based research has gained attention over the last years as these molecules have key properties that can regulate fungal pathogenicity. Here we discuss some of these properties as well as their role in fungal diseases, focusing on the subgroup of glycosphingolipids, as they represent promising molecules for drug discovery and for the development of fungal vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Soares Matos
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | | | - Maurizio Del Poeta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA; Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery (ICB&DD), Stony Brook, NY, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA; Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northport, NY, USA.
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7
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Usmani SA, Kumar M, Arya K, Ali B, Bhardwaj N, Gaur NA, Prasad R, Singh A. Beyond membrane components: uncovering the intriguing world of fungal sphingolipid synthesis and regulation. Res Microbiol 2023; 174:104087. [PMID: 37328042 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2023.104087] [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: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Sphingolipids (SLs) are essential to fungal survival and represent a major class of structural and signaling lipids. Unique SL structures and their biosynthetic enzymes in filamentous fungi make them an ideal drug target. Several studies have contributed towards the functional characterization of specific SL metabolism genes, which have been complemented by advanced lipidomics methods which allow accurate identification and quantification of lipid structures and pathway mapping. These studies have provided a better understanding of SL biosynthesis, degradation and regulation networks in filamentous fungi, which are discussed and elaborated here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Akhtar Usmani
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226024, India
| | - Mohit Kumar
- Amity Institute of Integrative Science and Health and Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Gurgaon, Haryana, India; International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Khushboo Arya
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226024, India
| | - Basharat Ali
- Amity Institute of Integrative Science and Health and Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Gurgaon, Haryana, India
| | - Nitin Bhardwaj
- Department of Zoology and Environmental Science, Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, Uttarakhand 249404, India
| | - Naseem Akhtar Gaur
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Rajendra Prasad
- Amity Institute of Integrative Science and Health and Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Gurgaon, Haryana, India
| | - Ashutosh Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226024, India.
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8
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Shoma JF, Ernan B, Keiser G, Heiss C, Azadi P, Free SJ. Genetic Characterization of the Acidic and Neutral Glycosphingolipid Biosynthetic Pathways in Neurospora crassa. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2093. [PMID: 37630653 PMCID: PMC10457978 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11082093] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are important membrane components which play a key role in vesicle trafficking. To assess the importance of GSLs in the fungal life cycle, we performed a mutant phenotypic study of the acidic and neutral GSL biosynthetic pathways in Neurospora crassa. GSL biosynthesis begins with two reactions leading up to the formation of dihydrosphingosine. The first of these reactions is catalyzed by serine palmitoyltransferase and generates 3-keto dihydrosphinganine. In N. crassa, this reaction is catalyzed by GSL-1 and GSL-2 and is required for viability. The second reaction is carried out by GSL-3, a 3-keto dihydrosphinoganine reductase to generate dihydrosphingosine, which is used for the synthesis of neutral and acidic GSLs. We found that deletion mutations in the acidic GSL pathway leading up to the formation of mannosylinositol-phosphoceramide are lethal, indicating that acidic GSLs are essential for viability in N. crassa. Once mannosylinositol-phosphoceramide is made, it is further modified by GSL-5, an inositol-phosphoceramide-B C26 hydroxylase, which adds a hydroxyl group to the amide-linked fatty acid. GSL-5 is not required for viability but gives a clear mutant phenotype affecting all stages of the life cycle. Our results show that the synthesis of mannosylinositol-phosphoceramide is required for viability and that the modification of the amide-linked fatty acid is important for acidic GSL functionality. We also examined the neutral GSL biosynthetic pathway and identified the presence of glucosylceramide. The deletion of neutral GSL biosynthetic genes affected hyphal morphology, vegetative growth rate, conidiation, and female development. Our results indicate that the synthesis of neutral GSLs is essential for normal growth and development of N. crassa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannatul F. Shoma
- Department of Biological Sciences, SUNY University at Buffalo, Cooke Hall Room 109, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Ben Ernan
- Department of Biological Sciences, SUNY University at Buffalo, Cooke Hall Room 109, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Griffin Keiser
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA (P.A.)
| | - Christian Heiss
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA (P.A.)
| | - Parastoo Azadi
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA (P.A.)
| | - Stephen J. Free
- Department of Biological Sciences, SUNY University at Buffalo, Cooke Hall Room 109, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
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Zhao P, Zhuang Z, Guan X, Yang J, Wang W, Kuang Z. Crystal structure of the 3-ketodihydrosphingosine reductase TSC10 from Cryptococcus neoformans. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 670:73-78. [PMID: 37285720 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.05.109] [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: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The second step in the de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis is the reduction of 3-ketodihydrosphingosine by 3-ketodihydrosphingosine reductase (KDSR) to produce dihydrosphingosine (sphinganine). Fungal TSC10 and mammalian KDSR (also named FVT-1) proteins are the enzymes responsible for this process and they belong to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily. Albeit that both fungal and mammalian 3-ketodihydrosphingosine reductases were identified more than a decade ago, no structure of these enzymes from any species has been experimentally determined. Here we report the crystal structure of the catalytic domain of TSC10 from Cryptococcus neoformans in complex with NADPH. cnTSC10 adopts a Rossmann fold with a central seven-stranded β-sheet flanked by α-helices on both sides. Several regions are disordered that include the segment connecting the serine and tyrosine residues of the catalytic triad, the so-called 'substrate loop', and the C-terminal region that often participates in homo-tetramerization in other SDRs. In addition, the cofactor NADPH is not fully ordered. These structural features indicate that the catalytic site of cnTSC10 possesses significant flexibility. cnTSC10 is predominantly dimeric in solution while a minor portion of the protein forms homo-tetramer. The crystal structure reveals that the homo-dimer interface involves both hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions mediated by helices α4 and α5, as well as the loop connecting strand β4 and helix α4. Because residues forming hydrogen bonds and salt bridges in the dimer interface are not conserved between fungal TSC10 and mammalian KDSR proteins, it might be possible to develop inhibitors that selectively target fungal TSC10 dimerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panqi Zhao
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Guangzhou, 510632, China; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangzhou, 510632, China; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Zewen Zhuang
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Guangzhou, 510632, China; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangzhou, 510632, China; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Xueyan Guan
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Guangzhou, 510632, China; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangzhou, 510632, China; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Jinjin Yang
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Guangzhou, 510632, China; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangzhou, 510632, China; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Weiwei Wang
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Zhihe Kuang
- Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Guangzhou, 510632, China; Guangdong Provincial Biotechnology Drug & Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangzhou, 510632, China; National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
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10
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Sobol MS, Hoshino T, Delgado V, Futagami T, Kadooka C, Inagaki F, Kiel Reese B. Genome characterization of two novel deep-sea sediment fungi, Penicillium pacificagyrus sp. nov. and Penicillium pacificasedimenti sp. nov., from South Pacific Gyre subseafloor sediments, highlights survivability. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:249. [PMID: 37165355 PMCID: PMC10173653 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09320-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Marine deep subsurface sediments were once thought to be devoid of eukaryotic life, but advances in molecular technology have unlocked the presence and activity of well-known closely related terrestrial and marine fungi. Commonly detected fungi in deep marine sediment environments includes Penicillium, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Fusarium, and Schizophyllum, which could have important implications in carbon and nitrogen cycling in this isolated environment. In order to determine the diversity and unknown metabolic capabilities of fungi in deep-sea sediments, their genomes need to be fully analyzed. In this study, two Penicillium species were isolated from South Pacific Gyre sediment enrichments during Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 329. The inner gyre has very limited productivity, organic carbon, and nutrients. RESULTS Here, we present high-quality genomes of two proposed novel Penicillium species using Illumina HiSeq and PacBio sequencing technologies. Single-copy homologues within the genomes were compared to other closely related genomes using OrthoMCL and maximum-likelihood estimation, which showed that these genomes were novel species within the genus Penicillium. We propose to name isolate SPG-F1 as Penicillium pacificasedimenti sp. nov. and SPG-F15 as Penicillium pacificagyrus sp. nov. The resulting genome sizes were 32.6 Mbp and 36.4 Mbp, respectively, and both genomes were greater than 98% complete as determined by the presence of complete single-copy orthologs. The transposable elements for each genome were 4.87% for P. pacificasedimenti and 10.68% for P. pacificagyrus. A total of 12,271 genes were predicted in the P. pacificasedimenti genome and 12,568 genes in P. pacificagyrus. Both isolates contained genes known to be involved in the degradation of recalcitrant carbon, amino acids, and lignin-derived carbon. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide the first constructed genomes of novel Penicillium isolates from deep marine sediments, which will be useful for future studies of marine subsurface fungal diversity and function. Furthermore, these genomes shed light on the potential impact fungi in marine sediments and the subseafloor could have on global carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical cycles and how they may be persisting in the most energy-limited sedimentary biosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan S Sobol
- Institute for Biological Interfaces 5, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Tatsuhiko Hoshino
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Nankoku, Kochi, 783-8502, Japan
| | - Victor Delgado
- Department of Life Sciences, TX A&M University, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
| | - Taiki Futagami
- Education and Research Center for Fermentation Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima, 890-0065, Japan
| | - Chihiro Kadooka
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Faculty of Biotechnology and Life Science, Sojo University, Ikeda, Nishiku, Kumamoto, 860-0082, Japan
| | - Fumio Inagaki
- Mantle Drilling Promotion Office, Institute for Marine Earth Exploration and Engineering (MarE3), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokohama, 236- 0001, Japan
- Department of Earth Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan
| | - Brandi Kiel Reese
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, Alabama, USA.
- Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA.
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11
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Rollin-Pinheiro R, Xisto MIDDS, de Castro-Almeida Y, Rochetti VP, Borba-Santos LP, Fontes YDS, Ferreira-Pereira A, Rozental S, Barreto-Bergter E. Pandemic Response Box® library as a source of antifungal drugs against Scedosporium and Lomentospora species. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280964. [PMID: 36735743 PMCID: PMC9897528 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Scedosporium and Lomentospora species are opportunistic filamentous fungi that cause localized and disseminated infections in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. These species are considered resistant fungi due to their low susceptibility to most current antifungal agents used in healthcare settings. The search for new compounds that could work as promising candidate antifungal drugs is an increasing field of interest. In this context, in the present study we screened the Pandemic Response Box® library (Medicines for Malaria Venture [MMV], Switzerland) to identify compounds with antifungal activity against Scedosporium and Lomentospora species. An initial screening of the drugs from this collection at 5 μM was performed using a clinical Scedosporium aurantiacum isolate according to the EUCAST protocol. Compounds with activity against this fungus were also tested against four other species (S. boydii¸ S. dehoogii, S. apiospermum and L. prolificans) at concentrations ranging from 0.078 to 10 μM. Seven compounds inhibited more than 80% of S. aurantiacum growth, three of them (alexidine, amorolfine and olorofim) were selected due to their differences in mechanism of action, especially when compared to drugs from the azole class. These compounds were more active against biofilm formation than against preformed biofilm in Scedosporium and Lomentospora species, except alexidine, which was able to decrease preformed biofilm about 50%. Analysis of the potential synergism of these compounds with voriconazole and caspofungin was performed by the checkerboard method for S. aurantiacum. The analysis by Bliss methodology revealed synergistic effects among selected drugs with caspofungin. When these drugs were combined with voriconazole, only alexidine and amorolfine showed a synergistic effect, whereas olorofim showed an antagonistic effect. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that alexidine induces morphology alterations in S. aurantiacum biofilm grown on a catheter surface. Reactive oxygen species production, mitochondrial activity and surface components were analyzed by fluorescent probes when S. aurantiacum was treated with selected drugs and revealed that some cell parameters are altered by these compounds. In conclusion, alexidine, amorolfine and olorofim were identified as promising compounds to be studied against scedosporiosis and lomentosporiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Rollin-Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Química Biológica de Microrganismos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- * E-mail: (RRP); (EBB)
| | - Mariana Ingrid Dutra da Silva Xisto
- Laboratório de Química Biológica de Microrganismos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Yuri de Castro-Almeida
- Laboratório de Química Biológica de Microrganismos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Victor Pereira Rochetti
- Laboratório de Química Biológica de Microrganismos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luana Pereira Borba-Santos
- Programa de Biologia Celular e Parasitologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Yasmin da Silva Fontes
- Laboratório de Bioquímica Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Antonio Ferreira-Pereira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Sonia Rozental
- Programa de Biologia Celular e Parasitologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Eliana Barreto-Bergter
- Laboratório de Química Biológica de Microrganismos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- * E-mail: (RRP); (EBB)
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12
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Daku AB, AL-Mhanna SB, Abu Bakar R, Nurul AA. Glycolipids isolation and characterization from natural source: A review. J LIQ CHROMATOGR R T 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/10826076.2023.2165097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Abubakar Bishir Daku
- School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
- Department of Human Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Federal University, Dutse, Nigeria
| | - Sameer Badri AL-Mhanna
- School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
| | - Ruzilawati Abu Bakar
- School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
| | - Asma Abdullah Nurul
- School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
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13
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Systematic Metabolic Profiling Identifies De Novo Sphingolipid Synthesis as Hypha Associated and Essential for Candida albicans Filamentation. mSystems 2022; 7:e0053922. [PMID: 36264075 PMCID: PMC9765226 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00539-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The yeast-to-hypha transition is a key virulence attribute of the opportunistic human fungal pathogen Candida albicans, since it is closely tied to infection-associated processes such as tissue invasion and escape from phagocytes. While the nature of hypha-associated gene expression required for fungal virulence has been thoroughly investigated, potential morphotype-dependent activity of metabolic pathways remained unclear. Here, we combined global transcriptome and metabolome analyses for the wild-type SC5314 and the hypha-defective hgc1Δ and cph1Δefg1Δ strains under three hypha-inducing (human serum, N-acetylglucosamine, and alkaline pH) and two yeast-promoting conditions to identify metabolic adaptions that accompany the filamentation process. We identified morphotype-related activities of distinct pathways and a metabolic core signature of 26 metabolites with consistent depletion or enrichment during the yeast-to-hypha transition. Most strikingly, we found a hypha-associated activation of de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis, indicating a connection of this pathway and filamentous growth. Consequently, pharmacological inhibition of this partially fungus-specific pathway resulted in strongly impaired filamentation, verifying the necessity of de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis for proper hypha formation. IMPORTANCE The reversible switch of Candida albicans between unicellular yeast and multicellular hyphal growth is accompanied by a well-studied hypha-associated gene expression, encoding virulence factors like adhesins, toxins, or nutrient scavengers. The investigation of this gene expression consequently led to fundamental insights into the pathogenesis of this fungus. In this study, we applied this concept to hypha-associated metabolic adaptations and identified morphotype-dependent activities of distinct pathways and a stimulus-independent metabolic signature of hyphae. Most strikingly, we found the induction of de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis as hypha associated and essential for the filamentation of C. albicans. These findings verified the presence of morphotype-specific metabolic traits in the fungus, which appear connected to the fungal virulence. Furthermore, the here-provided comprehensive description of the fungal metabolome will help to foster future research and lead to a better understanding of fungal physiology.
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14
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The Trisubstituted Isoxazole MMV688766 Exerts Broad-Spectrum Activity against Drug-Resistant Fungal Pathogens through Inhibition of Lipid Homeostasis. mBio 2022; 13:e0273022. [PMID: 36300931 PMCID: PMC9765174 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02730-22] [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] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida species are among the most prevalent causes of systemic fungal infection, posing a growing threat to public health. While Candida albicans is the most common etiological agent of systemic candidiasis, the frequency of infections caused by non-albicans Candida species is rising. Among these is Candida auris, which has emerged as a particular concern. Since its initial discovery in 2009, it has been identified worldwide and exhibits resistance to all three principal antifungal classes. Here, we endeavored to identify compounds with novel bioactivity against C. auris from the Medicines for Malaria Venture's Pathogen Box library. Of the five hits identified, the trisubstituted isoxazole MMV688766 emerged as the only compound displaying potent fungicidal activity against C. auris, as well as other evolutionarily divergent fungal pathogens. Chemogenomic profiling, as well as subsequent metabolomic and phenotypic analyses, revealed that MMV688766 disrupts cellular lipid homeostasis, driving a decrease in levels of early sphingolipid intermediates and fatty acids and a concomitant increase in lysophospholipids. Experimental evolution to further probe MMV688766's mode of action in the model fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed that loss of function of the transcriptional regulator HAL9 confers resistance to MMV688766, in part through the upregulation of the lipid-binding chaperone HSP12, a response that appears to assist in tolerating MMV688766-induced stress. The novel mode of action we have uncovered for MMV688766 against drug-resistant fungal pathogens highlights the broad utility of targeting lipid homeostasis to disrupt fungal growth and how screening structurally-diverse chemical libraries can provide new insights into resistance-conferring stress responses of fungi. IMPORTANCE As widespread antimicrobial resistance threatens to propel the world into a postantibiotic era, there is a pressing need to identify mechanistically distinct antimicrobial agents. This is of particular concern when considering the limited arsenal of drugs available to treat fungal infections, coupled with the emergence of highly drug-resistant fungal pathogens, including Candida auris. In this work, we demonstrate that existing libraries of drug-like chemical matter can be rich resources for antifungal molecular scaffolds. We discovered that the small molecule MMV688766, from the Pathogen Box library, displays previously undescribed broad-spectrum fungicidal activity through perturbation of lipid homeostasis. Characterization of the mode of action of MMV688766 provided new insight into the protective mechanisms fungi use to cope with the disruption of lipid homeostasis. Our findings highlight that elucidating the genetic circuitry required to survive in the presence of cellular stress offers powerful insights into the biological pathways that govern this important phenotype.
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15
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Nelson BN, Daugherty CS, Sharp RR, Booth JL, Patel VI, Metcalf JP, Jones KL, Wozniak KL. Protective interaction of human phagocytic APC subsets with Cryptococcus neoformans induces genes associated with metabolism and antigen presentation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1054477. [PMID: 36466930 PMCID: PMC9709479 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1054477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcal meningitis is the most common cause of meningitis among HIV/AIDS patients in sub-Saharan Africa, and worldwide causes over 223,000 cases leading to more than 181,000 annual deaths. Usually, the fungus gets inhaled into the lungs where the initial interactions occur with pulmonary phagocytes such as dendritic cells and macrophages. Following phagocytosis, the pathogen can be killed or can replicate intracellularly. Previous studies in mice showed that different subsets of these innate immune cells can either be antifungal or permissive for intracellular fungal growth. Our studies tested phagocytic antigen-presenting cell (APC) subsets from the human lung against C. neoformans. Human bronchoalveolar lavage was processed for phagocytic APCs and incubated with C. neoformans for two hours to analyze the initial interactions and fate of the fungus, living or killed. Results showed all subsets (3 macrophage and 3 dendritic cell subsets) interacted with the fungus, and both living and killed morphologies were discernable within the subsets using imaging flow cytometry. Single cell RNA-seq identified several different clusters of cells which more closely related to interactions with C. neoformans and its protective capacity against the pathogen rather than discrete cellular subsets. Differential gene expression analyses identified several changes in the innate immune cell's transcriptome as it kills the fungus including increases of TNF-α (TNF) and the switch to using fatty acid metabolism by upregulation of the gene FABP4. Also, increases of TNF-α correlated to cryptococcal interactions and uptake. Together, these analyses implicated signaling networks that regulate expression of many different genes - both metabolic and immune - as certain clusters of cells mount a protective response and kill the pathogen. Future studies will examine these genes and networks to understand the exact mechanism(s) these phagocytic APC subsets use to kill C. neoformans in order to develop immunotherapeutic strategies to combat this deadly disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin N. Nelson
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Cheyenne S. Daugherty
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Rachel R. Sharp
- Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - J. Leland Booth
- Department of Medicine, Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Vineet I. Patel
- Department of Medicine, Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Jordan P. Metcalf
- Department of Medicine, Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Kenneth L. Jones
- Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Karen L. Wozniak
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
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16
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Kim J. Synthetic Studies toward Australifungin. Synlett 2022. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1738670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAs a fungal metabolite, australifungin possesses an α-diketone and a β-ketoaldehyde moiety on its trans-decalin backbone. Microwave-assisted intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction was used as a key strategy to establish the trans-decalin moiety. Further functionalization of the ring B side chain installed the β-ketoaldehyde, one of the two unique functional groups along with the α-diketone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinwoo Kim
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery (ICB&DD)
- Department of Chemistry
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17
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Glucosylceramides from Cladosporium and Their Roles in Fungi–Plant Interaction. MICROBIOLOGY RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/microbiolres13030028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cladosporium species are widely distributed filamentous fungi. One of the most important species is C. herbarum, which is related to infections in a variety of plants and of concern in plantations. Fungal cerebrosides, such as glucosylceramide (GlcCer), have been described as playing important roles in fungal growth and pathogenesis, but GlcCer from C. herbarum has not been characterized so far. For this reason, the present study aimed to elucidate the chemical structure of GlcCer from C. herbarum and its role in the interaction with Passiflora edulis. Mass spectrometry characterization of purified GlcCer revealed two major molecular ions, m/z 760 and m/z 774, and it reacts with monoclonal anti-GlcCer antibodies and is exposed on the fungal surface. P. edulis treatment with GlcCer induced increased levels of superoxide as well as the expression of some genes related to plant defense, such as PR3, POD, LOX and PAL. GlcCer also enhanced growth parameters, such as plant height and root weight. All these results suggest that C. herbarum GlcCer can stimulate plant defense mechanisms, which could help plants to face fungal infections.
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18
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Murphy SE, Bicanic T. Drug Resistance and Novel Therapeutic Approaches in Invasive Candidiasis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 11:759408. [PMID: 34970504 PMCID: PMC8713075 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.759408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida species are the leading cause of invasive fungal infections worldwide and are associated with acute mortality rates of ~50%. Mortality rates are further augmented in the context of host immunosuppression and infection with drug-resistant Candida species. In this review, we outline antifungal drugs already in clinical use for invasive candidiasis and candidaemia, their targets and mechanisms of resistance in clinically relevant Candida species, encompassing not only classical resistance, but also heteroresistance and tolerance. We describe novel antifungal agents and targets in pre-clinical and clinical development, including their spectrum of activity, antifungal target, clinical trial data and potential in treatment of drug-resistant Candida. Lastly, we discuss the use of combination therapy between conventional and repurposed agents as a potential strategy to combat the threat of emerging resistance in Candida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Murphy
- Institute of Infection & Immunity, St George's University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tihana Bicanic
- Institute of Infection & Immunity, St George's University of London, London, United Kingdom.,Clinical Academic Group in Infection and Immunity, St. George's University Hospital National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
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19
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Rollin-Pinheiro R, Borba-Santos LP, da Silva Xisto MID, de Castro-Almeida Y, Rochetti VP, Rozental S, Barreto-Bergter E. Identification of Promising Antifungal Drugs against Scedosporium and Lomentospora Species after Screening of Pathogen Box Library. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7100803. [PMID: 34682224 PMCID: PMC8539698 DOI: 10.3390/jof7100803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections have been increasing during the last decades. Scedosporium and Lomentospora species are filamentous fungi most associated to those infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. Considering the limited options of treatment and the emergence of resistant isolates, an increasing concern motivates the development of new therapeutic alternatives. In this context, the present study screened the Pathogen Box library to identify compounds with antifungal activity against Scedosporium and Lomentospora. Using antifungal susceptibility tests, biofilm analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and synergism assay, auranofin and iodoquinol were found to present promising repurposing applications. Both compounds were active against different Scedosporium and Lomentospora, including planktonic cells and biofilm. SEM revealed morphological alterations and synergism analysis showed that both drugs present positive interactions with voriconazole, fluconazole, and caspofungin. These data suggest that auranofin and iodoquinol are promising compounds to be studied as repurposing approaches against scedosporiosis and lomentosporiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Rollin-Pinheiro
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; (R.R.-P.); (M.I.D.d.S.X.); (Y.d.C.-A.); (V.P.R.)
| | - Luana Pereira Borba-Santos
- Programa de Biologia Celular e Parasitologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; (L.P.B.-S.); (S.R.)
| | - Mariana Ingrid Dutra da Silva Xisto
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; (R.R.-P.); (M.I.D.d.S.X.); (Y.d.C.-A.); (V.P.R.)
| | - Yuri de Castro-Almeida
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; (R.R.-P.); (M.I.D.d.S.X.); (Y.d.C.-A.); (V.P.R.)
| | - Victor Pereira Rochetti
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; (R.R.-P.); (M.I.D.d.S.X.); (Y.d.C.-A.); (V.P.R.)
| | - Sonia Rozental
- Programa de Biologia Celular e Parasitologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; (L.P.B.-S.); (S.R.)
| | - Eliana Barreto-Bergter
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; (R.R.-P.); (M.I.D.d.S.X.); (Y.d.C.-A.); (V.P.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-(21)-3938-6741
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20
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Jiang C, Ge J, He B, Zeng B. Glycosphingolipids in Filamentous Fungi: Biological Roles and Potential Applications in Cosmetics and Health Foods. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:690211. [PMID: 34367090 PMCID: PMC8341767 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.690211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Filamentous fungi are a group of economically important fungi used in the production of fermented foods, industrial enzymes, and secondary metabolites. Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) as constituents of lipid rafts are involved in growth, differentiation, and response to environment stress in filamentous fungi. In addition to these key roles, GSLs are also important in the barrier function of skin to retain moisture as a moisturizing ingredient in cosmetics or health products for their strong biological activity as a functional component. GSLs found in filamentous fungi are divided in two major classes: neutral GSLs (glycosylceramides), glucosylceramides (GlcCers), and/or galactosylceramides (GalCers) and acidic GSLs, mannosylinositol phosphorylceramide (MIPC) and mannosyldiinositol phosphorylceramide [M(IP)2C]. Glycosylceramides are one of the abundant GSLs in Aspergillus and known to improve skin-barrier function and prevent intestinal impairment as a prebiotic. Some filamentous fungi of Aspergillus spp., synthesizing both GlcCer and GalCer, would be an amenable source to exploit glycosylceramides that wildly adding in cosmetics as moisturizing ingredients or health food as dietary supplements. In this minireview, the types, structures, and biosynthetic pathways of GSLs in filamentous fungi, and the relevance of GSLs in fungal growth, spore formation, and environmental stress response are explained. Furthermore, the advantage, potential development, and application of GlcCer and GalCer from filamentous fungi Aspergillus spp. are also investigate based on the use of plant GlcCer in health foods and cosmetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunmiao Jiang
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering and Co-Innovation Center for In-Vitro Diagnostic Reagents and Devices of Jiangxi Province, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Jinxin Ge
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering and Co-Innovation Center for In-Vitro Diagnostic Reagents and Devices of Jiangxi Province, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Bin He
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering and Co-Innovation Center for In-Vitro Diagnostic Reagents and Devices of Jiangxi Province, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Bin Zeng
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering and Co-Innovation Center for In-Vitro Diagnostic Reagents and Devices of Jiangxi Province, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang, China.,College of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen, China
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21
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Sphingolipid Inhibitors as an Alternative to Treat Candidiasis Caused by Fluconazole-Resistant Strains. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10070856. [PMID: 34358009 PMCID: PMC8308474 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10070856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida species are fungal pathogens known to cause a wide spectrum of diseases, and Candida albicans and Candida glabrata are the most common associated with invasive infections. A concerning aspect of invasive candidiasis is the emergence of resistant isolates, especially those highly resistant to fluconazole, the first choice of treatment for these infections. Fungal sphingolipids have been considered a potential target for new therapeutic approaches and some inhibitors have already been tested against pathogenic fungi. The present study therefore aimed to evaluate the action of two sphingolipid synthesis inhibitors, aureobasidin A and myriocin, against different C. albicans and C. glabrata strains, including clinical isolates resistant to fluconazole. Susceptibility tests of aureobasidin A and myriocin were performed using CLSI protocols, and their interaction with fluconazole was evaluated by a checkerboard protocol. All Candida strains tested were sensitive to both inhibitors. Regarding the evaluation of drug interaction, both aureobasidin A and myriocin were synergic with fluconazole, demonstrating that sphingolipid synthesis inhibition could enhance the effect of fluconazole. Thus, these results suggest that sphingolipid inhibitors in conjunction with fluconazole could be useful for treating candidiasis cases, especially those caused by fluconazole resistant isolates.
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22
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Wang X, Yang X, Sun X, Qian Y, Fan M, Zhang Z, Deng K, Lou Z, Pei Z, Zhu J. Identification of a novel SPT inhibitor WXP-003 by docking-based virtual screening and investigation of its anti-fungi effect. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2021; 36:1007-1015. [PMID: 34148472 PMCID: PMC8218698 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2021.1915301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) plays the key role on catalysing the formation of 3-ketodihydrosphingosine, which is the first step of the de novo biosynthesis of sphingolipids. SPT is linked to many diseases including fungal infection, making it a potential therapeutic target. Thus, a logical docking-based virtual screening method was used to screen selective SPT inhibitor against fungi, not human. We used myriocin-similarity database to identify compounds with good binding with fungal SPT and poor binding with homology human SPT model. Preliminary bio-assay led to the discovery of a promising inhibitor WXP-003, which displayed good inhibitory activity against diversity fungi strains with MIC ranging from 0.78 to 12.5 μg/mL. WXP-003 could significantly reduce sphingolipids content in fungi and no effect on mouse fibroblast cell line L929. Molecular dynamics simulation depicted that SPT/WXP-003 complex formed the favoured interactions. Taken together, discovery of WXP-003 provided valuable guide for the development of novel anti-fungal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- The Affiliated Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Xin Yang
- The Affiliated Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Xin Sun
- The Affiliated Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yi Qian
- The Affiliated Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Mengyao Fan
- The Affiliated Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Zhehao Zhang
- The Affiliated Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Kaiyuan Deng
- The Affiliated Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Zaixiang Lou
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Zejun Pei
- The Affiliated Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, China
| | - Jingyu Zhu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
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Wu Y, Liu Y, Gulbins E, Grassmé H. The Anti-Infectious Role of Sphingosine in Microbial Diseases. Cells 2021; 10:cells10051105. [PMID: 34064516 PMCID: PMC8147940 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Sphingolipids are important structural membrane components and, together with cholesterol, are often organized in lipid rafts, where they act as signaling molecules in many cellular functions. They play crucial roles in regulating pathobiological processes, such as cancer, inflammation, and infectious diseases. The bioactive metabolites ceramide, sphingosine-1-phosphate, and sphingosine have been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of several microbes. In contrast to ceramide, which often promotes bacterial and viral infections (for instance, by mediating adhesion and internalization), sphingosine, which is released from ceramide by the activity of ceramidases, kills many bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens. In particular, sphingosine is an important natural component of the defense against bacterial pathogens in the respiratory tract. Pathologically reduced sphingosine levels in cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells are normalized by inhalation of sphingosine, and coating plastic implants with sphingosine prevents bacterial infections. Pretreatment of cells with exogenous sphingosine also prevents the viral spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) from interacting with host cell receptors and inhibits the propagation of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in macrophages. Recent examinations reveal that the bactericidal effect of sphingosine might be due to bacterial membrane permeabilization and the subsequent death of the bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Wu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45122 Essen, Germany; (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (E.G.)
| | - Yongjie Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45122 Essen, Germany; (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (E.G.)
- Department of Thoracic Transplantation, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
| | - Erich Gulbins
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45122 Essen, Germany; (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (E.G.)
- Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Heike Grassmé
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45122 Essen, Germany; (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (E.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-201-723-2133
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Characterization of the Exo-Metabolome of the Emergent Phytopathogen Fusarium kuroshium sp. nov., a Causal Agent of Fusarium Dieback. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13040268. [PMID: 33918546 PMCID: PMC8069249 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13040268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusarium kuroshium is the fungal symbiont associated with the ambrosia beetle Euwallacea kuroshio, a plague complex that attacks avocado, among other hosts, causing a disease named Fusarium dieback (FD). However, the contribution of F. kuroshium to the establishment of this disease remains unknown. To advance the understanding of F. kuroshium pathogenicity, we profiled its exo-metabolome through metabolomics tools based on accurate mass spectrometry. We found that F. kuroshium can produce several key metabolites with phytotoxicity properties and other compounds with unknown functions. Among the metabolites identified in the fungal exo-metabolome, fusaric acid (FA) was further studied due to its phytotoxicity and relevance as a virulence factor. We tested both FA and organic extracts from F. kuroshium at various dilutions in avocado foliar tissue and found that they caused necrosis and chlorosis, resembling symptoms similar to those observed in FD. This study reports for first-time insights regarding F. kuroshium associated with its virulence, which could lead to the potential development of diagnostic and management tools of FD disease and provides a basis for understanding the interaction of F. kuroshium with its host plants.
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Teymuri M, Shams-Ghahfarokhi M, Razzaghi-Abyaneh M. Inhibitory effects and mechanism of antifungal action of the natural cyclic depsipeptide, aureobasidin A against Cryptococcus neoformans. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2021; 41:128013. [PMID: 33811994 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2021.128013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic fungal infection caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of aureobasidin A on C. neoformans with special focus on its mode of action. The effect of aureobasidin A on cell membrane ergosterol content, cell wall permeability, membrane pumps activities, the total oxidant status (TOS) and melanin production was evaluated. Cytotoxicity and cell hemolysis, and laccase (LacI) and β1,2-xylosyltransferase (Cxt1p) gene expression were also evaluated. Aureobasidin A reduced melanin production and increased extracellular potassium leakage at 0.5 × MIC concentration. This peptide has no effect on fungal cell wall integrity. Cell membrane ergosterol content was decreased by 29.1% and 41.8% at 0.5 × MIC and 1 × MIC concentrations (2 and 4 µL/mL) in aureobasidin A treated samples, respectively. TOS level was significantly increased without activation of antioxidant enzymes. Lac1 gene was over-expressed (11.7-fold), while Cxt1p gene was down regulated (0.2-fold) following treatment with aureobasidin A. Overall, our results indicated that aureobasidin A inhibits C. neoformans growth by targeting different sites in fungal cells and it may be considered as a promising compound to use as an antifungal in treatment of clinical cryptococcosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa Teymuri
- Department of Mycology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 14115-331, Iran
| | - Masoomeh Shams-Ghahfarokhi
- Department of Mycology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 14115-331, Iran.
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Parthasarathy A, Borrego EJ, Savka MA, Dobson RCJ, Hudson AO. Amino acid-derived defense metabolites from plants: A potential source to facilitate novel antimicrobial development. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100438. [PMID: 33610552 PMCID: PMC8024917 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
For millennia, humanity has relied on plants for its medicines, and modern pharmacology continues to reexamine and mine plant metabolites for novel compounds and to guide improvements in biological activity, bioavailability, and chemical stability. The critical problem of antibiotic resistance and increasing exposure to viral and parasitic diseases has spurred renewed interest into drug treatments for infectious diseases. In this context, an urgent revival of natural product discovery is globally underway with special attention directed toward the numerous and chemically diverse plant defensive compounds such as phytoalexins and phytoanticipins that combat herbivores, microbial pathogens, or competing plants. Moreover, advancements in “omics,” chemistry, and heterologous expression systems have facilitated the purification and characterization of plant metabolites and the identification of possible therapeutic targets. In this review, we describe several important amino acid–derived classes of plant defensive compounds, including antimicrobial peptides (e.g., defensins, thionins, and knottins), alkaloids, nonproteogenic amino acids, and phenylpropanoids as potential drug leads, examining their mechanisms of action, therapeutic targets, and structure–function relationships. Given their potent antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, and antiviral properties, which can be superior to existing drugs, phytoalexins and phytoanticipins are an excellent resource to facilitate the rational design and development of antimicrobial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anutthaman Parthasarathy
- Rochester Institute of Technology, Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Eli J Borrego
- Rochester Institute of Technology, Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Michael A Savka
- Rochester Institute of Technology, Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Renwick C J Dobson
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand; Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - André O Hudson
- Rochester Institute of Technology, Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester, New York, USA.
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Glucosylceramide Plays a Role in Fungal Germination, Lipid Raft Organization and Biofilm Adhesion of the Pathogenic Fungus Scedosporium aurantiacum. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:jof6040345. [PMID: 33302332 PMCID: PMC7762401 DOI: 10.3390/jof6040345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections caused by Scedosporium species present a wide range of clinical manifestations, from superficial to disseminated, especially in immunocompromised patients. Glucosylceramides (GlcCer) are glycosphingolipids found on the fungal cell surface and play an important role in growth and pathogenicity processes in different fungi. The present study aimed to evaluate the structure of GlcCer and its role during growth in two S. aurantiacum isolates. Purified GlcCer from both isolates were obtained and its chemical structure identified by mass spectrometry. Using ELISA and immunofluorescence techniques it was observed that germination and NaOH-treatment of conidia favor GlcCer exposure. Monoclonal anti-GlcCer antibody reduced germination when cultivated with the inhibitor of melanin synthesis tricyclazole and also reduced germ tube length of conidia, both cultivated or not with tricyclazole. It was also demonstrated that anti-GlcCer altered lipid rafts organization, as shown by using the fluorescent stain filipin, but did not affect the susceptibility of the cell surface to damaging agents. Anti-GlcCer reduced total biomass and viability in biofilms formed on polystyrene plates. In the presence of anti-GlcCer, germinated S. aurantiacum conidia and biofilms could not adhere to polystyrene with the same efficacy as control cells. These results highlight the relevance of GlcCer in growth processes of S. aurantiacum.
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Vitner EB. The role of brain innate immune response in lysosomal storage disorders: fundamental process or evolutionary side effect? FEBS Lett 2020; 594:3619-3631. [PMID: 33131047 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Sphingolipidoses are diseases caused by mutations in genes responsible for sphingolipid degradation and thereby lead to sphingolipid accumulation. Most sphingolipidoses have a neurodegenerative manifestation characterized by innate immune activation in the brain. However, the role of the immune response in disease progression is ill-understood. In contrast to infectious diseases, immune activation is unable to eliminate the offending agent in sphingolipidoses resulting in ineffective, chronic inflammation. This paradox begs two fundamental questions: Why has this immune response evolved in sphingolipidoses? What role does it play in disease progression? Here, starting from the observation that sphingolipids (SLs) are elevated also in infectious diseases, I discuss the possibility that the activation of the brain immune response by SLs has evolved as a part of the immune response against pathogens and plays no major role in sphingolipidoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Einat B Vitner
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Israel institute for Biological Research, Ness-Ziona, Israel
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29
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Fernandes CM, Poeta MD. Fungal sphingolipids: role in the regulation of virulence and potential as targets for future antifungal therapies. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2020; 18:1083-1092. [PMID: 32673125 PMCID: PMC7657966 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2020.1792288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The antifungal therapy currently available includes three major classes of drugs: polyenes, azoles and echinocandins. However, the clinical use of these compounds faces several challenges: while polyenes are toxic to the host, antifungal resistance to azoles and echinocandins has been reported. AREAS COVERED Fungal sphingolipids (SL) play a pivotal role in growth, morphogenesis and virulence. In addition, fungi possess unique enzymes involved in SL synthesis, leading to the production of lipids which are absent or differ structurally from the mammalian counterparts. In this review, we address the enzymatic reactions involved in the SL synthesis and their relevance to the fungal pathogenesis, highlighting their potential as targets for novel drugs and the inhibitors described so far. EXPERT OPINION The pharmacological inhibition of fungal serine palmitoyltransferase depends on the development of specific drugs, as myriocin also targets the mammalian enzyme. Inhibitors of ceramide synthase might constitute potent antifungals, by depleting the pool of complex SL and leading to the accumulation of the toxic intermediates. Acylhydrazones and aureobasidin A, which inhibit GlcCer and IPC synthesis, are not toxic to the host and effectively treat invasive mycoses, emerging as promising new classes of antifungal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maurizio Del Poeta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, NY, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, NY, USA
- Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northport, NY, USA
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30
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Vahedi-Shahandashti R, Lass-Flörl C. Novel Antifungal Agents and Their Activity against Aspergillus Species. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:E213. [PMID: 33050302 PMCID: PMC7711508 DOI: 10.3390/jof6040213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a need for new antifungal agents, mainly due to increased incidence of invasive fungal infections (IFI), high frequency of associated morbidity and mortality and limitations of the current antifungal agents (e.g., toxicity, drug-drug interactions, and resistance). The clinically available antifungals for IFI are restricted to four main classes: polyenes, flucytosine, triazoles, and echinocandins. Several antifungals are hampered by multiple resistance mechanisms being present in fungi. Consequently, novel antifungal agents with new targets and modified chemical structures are required to combat fungal infections. This review will describe novel antifungals, with a focus on the Aspergillus species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cornelia Lass-Flörl
- Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
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Rollin-Pinheiro R, Xisto MIDDS, Rochetti VP, Barreto-Bergter E. Scedosporium Cell Wall: From Carbohydrate-Containing Structures to Host-Pathogen Interactions. Mycopathologia 2020; 185:931-946. [PMID: 32990888 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-020-00480-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Scedosporium species are filamentous fungi usually found in sewage and soil from human-impacted areas. They cause a wide range of diseases in humans, from superficial infections, such as mycetoma, to invasive and disseminated cases, especially associated in immunocompromised patients. Scedosporium species are also related to lung colonization in individuals presenting cystic fibrosis and are considered one of the most frequent fungal pathogens associated to this pathology. Scedosporium cell wall contains glycosylated molecules involved in important biological events related to virulence and pathogenicity and represents a significant source of antigens. Polysaccharides, peptidopolysaccharides, O-linked oligosaccharides and glycosphingolipids have been identified on the Scedosporium surface. Their primary structures were determined based on a combination of techniques including gas chromatography, ESI-MS, and 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance. Peptidorhamnnomannans are common cell wall components among Scedosporium species. Comparing different species, minor structural differences in the carbohydrate portions were detected which could be useful to understand variations in virulence observed among the species. N- and O-linked peptidorhamnomannans are major pathogen-associated molecular patterns and, along with α-glucans, play important roles in triggering host innate immunity. Glycosphingolipids, such as glucosylceramides, have highly conserved structures in Scedosporium species and are crucial for fungal growth and virulence. The present review presents current knowledge on structural and functional aspects of Scedosporium glycoconjugates that are relevant for understanding pathogenicity mechanisms and could contribute to the design of new agents capable of inhibiting growth and differentiation of Scedosporium species. Other cell components such as melanin and ectophosphatases will be also included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Rollin-Pinheiro
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Mariana Ingrid Dutra da Silva Xisto
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Victor Pereira Rochetti
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Eliana Barreto-Bergter
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil.
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Sphingolipidomics of drug resistant Candida auris clinical isolates reveal distinct sphingolipid species signatures. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2020; 1866:158815. [PMID: 32942047 PMCID: PMC7695621 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2020.158815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Independent studies from our group and others have provided evidence that sphingolipids (SLs) influence the antimycotic susceptibility of Candida species. We analyzed the molecular SL signatures of drug-resistant clinical isolates of Candida auris, which have emerged as a global threat over the last decade. This included Indian hospital isolates of C. auris, which were either resistant to fluconazole (FLCR) or amphotericin B (AmBR) or both drugs. Relative to Candida glabrata and Candida albicans strains, these C. auris isolates were susceptible to SL pathway inhibitors such as myriocin and aureobasidin A, suggesting that SL content may influence azole and AmB susceptibilities. Our analysis of SLs confirmed the presence of 140 SL species within nine major SL classes, namely the sphingoid bases, Cer, αOH-Cer, dhCer, PCer, αOH-PCer, αOH-GlcCer, GlcCer, and IPC. Other than for αOH-GlcCer, most of the SLs were found at higher concentrations in FLCR isolates as compared to the AmBR isolates. SLs were at intermediate levels in FLCR + AmBR isolates. The observed diversity of molecular species of SL classes based on fatty acyl composition was further reflected in their distinct specific imprint, suggesting their influence in drug resistance. Together, the presented data improves our understanding of the dynamics of SL structures, their synthesis, and link to the drug resistance in C. auris. Candida auris isolates are susceptible to sphingolipid inhibitors myriocin and aureobasidin A. The distribution of sphingolipid species is distinct among C. auris isolates resistant to different antifungals. Phytoceramides are the most abundant class of sphingolipid. Cer(d18:1/18:1) is the major of ceramide species in C. auris. d19:2 glucosylceramide backbone is typically in abundance in AmB resistant C. auris isolates.
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Chen YC, Hsieh SL, Hu CY. Effects of Red-Bean Tempeh with Various Strains of Rhizopus on GABA Content and Cortisol Level in Zebrafish. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1330. [PMID: 32878315 PMCID: PMC7565155 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8091330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Tempeh is traditionally produced by fermenting soybean with the fungus Rhizopus oligosporus found in banana leafs. We wanted to investigate if Taiwan's flavorful red bean could be used as a healthy substitute for soybeans in tempeh. One bioactive component of tempeh is γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA). We measured GABA content and shelf-life-related antimicrobial activity in red-bean tempeh made with four strains of Rhizopus, one purchased strain of Rhizopus, and an experimental co-cultured group (Rhizopus and Lactobacillus rhamnosus BCRC16000) as well as cortisol in red-bean-tempeh-treated zebrafish. GABA was highest in the co-culture group (19.028 ± 1.831 g kg-1), followed by screened Strain 1, the purchased strain, and screened Strain 4. All strains had antibacterial activity on S. aureus and B. cereus. The extract significantly reduced cortisol in zebrafish. However, Strain 1, with less GABA than some of the other strains, had the best effect on cortisol level, suggesting that other components in red-bean tempeh may also affect stress-related cortisol. We found the benefits of red-bean tempeh to be similar to those reported for soybean-produced tempeh, suggesting that it could be produced as an alternative product. Considering the Taiwanese appreciation of the red-bean flavor, it might find a welcoming market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yo-Chia Chen
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912301, Taiwan;
| | - Shu-Ling Hsieh
- Department of Seafood Science, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan;
| | - Chun-Yi Hu
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Meiho University, Pingtung 912009, Taiwan
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Song J, Liu X, Li R. Sphingolipids: Regulators of azole drug resistance and fungal pathogenicity. Mol Microbiol 2020; 114:891-905. [PMID: 32767804 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, the role of sphingolipids in pathogenic fungi, in terms of pathogenicity and resistance to azole drugs, has been a rapidly growing field. This review describes evidence about the roles of sphingolipids in azole resistance and fungal virulence. Sphingolipids can serve as signaling molecules that contribute to azole resistance through modulation of the expression of drug efflux pumps. They also contribute to azole resistance by participating in various microbial pathways such as the unfolded protein response (UPR), pH-responsive Rim pathway, and pleiotropic drug resistance (PDR) pathway. In addition, sphingolipid signaling and eisosomes also coordinately regulate sphingolipid biosynthesis in response to azole-induced membrane stress. Sphingolipids are important for fungal virulence, playing roles during growth in hosts under stressful conditions, maintenance of cell wall integrity, biofilm formation, and production of various virulence factors. Finally, we discuss the possibility of exploiting fungal sphingolipids for the development of new therapeutic strategies to treat infections caused by pathogenic fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxing Song
- The Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province and School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, PR China
| | - Xiao Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province and School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, PR China
| | - Rongpeng Li
- The Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province and School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, PR China
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35
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Yu Y, Albrecht K, Groll J, Beilhack A. Innovative therapies for invasive fungal infections in preclinical and clinical development. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2020; 29:961-971. [DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2020.1791819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yidong Yu
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research Laboratory for Experimental Stem Cell Transplantation, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital of Würzburg , Würzburg, Germany
| | - Krystyna Albrecht
- Department for Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, University of Würzburg , Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Groll
- Department for Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, University of Würzburg , Würzburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Beilhack
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research Laboratory for Experimental Stem Cell Transplantation, Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital of Würzburg , Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Würzburg , Würzburg, Germany
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Kim HS, Lohmar JM, Busman M, Brown DW, Naumann TA, Divon HH, Lysøe E, Uhlig S, Proctor RH. Identification and distribution of gene clusters required for synthesis of sphingolipid metabolism inhibitors in diverse species of the filamentous fungus Fusarium. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:510. [PMID: 32703172 PMCID: PMC7376913 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06896-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sphingolipids are structural components and signaling molecules in eukaryotic membranes, and many organisms produce compounds that inhibit sphingolipid metabolism. Some of the inhibitors are structurally similar to the sphingolipid biosynthetic intermediate sphinganine and are referred to as sphinganine-analog metabolites (SAMs). The mycotoxins fumonisins, which are frequent contaminants in maize, are one family of SAMs. Due to food and feed safety concerns, fumonisin biosynthesis has been investigated extensively, including characterization of the fumonisin biosynthetic gene cluster in the agriculturally important fungi Aspergillus and Fusarium. Production of several other SAMs has also been reported in fungi, but there is almost no information on their biosynthesis. There is also little information on how widely SAM production occurs in fungi or on the extent of structural variation of fungal SAMs. RESULTS Using fumonisin biosynthesis as a model, we predicted that SAM biosynthetic gene clusters in fungi should include a polyketide synthase (PKS), an aminotransferase and a dehydrogenase gene. Surveys of genome sequences identified five putative clusters with this three-gene combination in 92 of 186 Fusarium species examined. Collectively, the putative SAM clusters were distributed widely but discontinuously among the species. We propose that the SAM5 cluster confers production of a previously reported Fusarium SAM, 2-amino-14,16-dimethyloctadecan-3-ol (AOD), based on the occurrence of AOD production only in species with the cluster and on deletion analysis of the SAM5 cluster PKS gene. We also identified SAM clusters in 24 species of other fungal genera, and propose that one of the clusters confers production of sphingofungin, a previously reported Aspergillus SAM. CONCLUSION Our results provide a genomics approach to identify novel SAM biosynthetic gene clusters in fungi, which should in turn contribute to identification of novel SAMs with applications in medicine and other fields. Information about novel SAMs could also provide insights into the role of SAMs in the ecology of fungi. Such insights have potential to contribute to strategies to reduce fumonisin contamination in crops and to control crop diseases caused by SAM-producing fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Seon Kim
- U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, IL, USA
| | - Jessica M Lohmar
- U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, IL, USA
| | - Mark Busman
- U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, IL, USA
| | - Daren W Brown
- U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, IL, USA
| | - Todd A Naumann
- U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, IL, USA
| | | | - Erik Lysøe
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
| | | | - Robert H Proctor
- U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, IL, USA.
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Solger F, Kunz TC, Fink J, Paprotka K, Pfister P, Hagen F, Schumacher F, Kleuser B, Seibel J, Rudel T. A Role of Sphingosine in the Intracellular Survival of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:215. [PMID: 32477967 PMCID: PMC7235507 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Obligate human pathogenic Neisseria gonorrhoeae are the second most frequent bacterial cause of sexually transmitted diseases. These bacteria invade different mucosal tissues and occasionally disseminate into the bloodstream. Invasion into epithelial cells requires the activation of host cell receptors by the formation of ceramide-rich platforms. Here, we investigated the role of sphingosine in the invasion and intracellular survival of gonococci. Sphingosine exhibited an anti-gonococcal activity in vitro. We used specific sphingosine analogs and click chemistry to visualize sphingosine in infected cells. Sphingosine localized to the membrane of intracellular gonococci. Inhibitor studies and the application of a sphingosine derivative indicated that increased sphingosine levels reduced the intracellular survival of gonococci. We demonstrate here, that sphingosine can target intracellular bacteria and may therefore exert a direct bactericidal effect inside cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Solger
- Chair of Microbiology, University of Würzburg Biocenter, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tobias C Kunz
- Chair of Microbiology, University of Würzburg Biocenter, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Julian Fink
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Paprotka
- Chair of Microbiology, University of Würzburg Biocenter, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Pauline Pfister
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Franziska Hagen
- Chair of Microbiology, University of Würzburg Biocenter, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Fabian Schumacher
- Department of Toxicology, University of Potsdam, Nuthetal, Germany.,Department of Molecular Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Burkhard Kleuser
- Department of Toxicology, University of Potsdam, Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Jürgen Seibel
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Rudel
- Chair of Microbiology, University of Würzburg Biocenter, Würzburg, Germany
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Silva LN, de Mello TP, de Souza Ramos L, Branquinha MH, Dos Santos ALS. New and Promising Chemotherapeutics for Emerging Infections Involving Drug-resistant Non-albicans Candida Species. Curr Top Med Chem 2020; 19:2527-2553. [PMID: 31654512 DOI: 10.2174/1568026619666191025152412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Fungal infections are a veritable public health problem worldwide. The increasing number of patient populations at risk (e.g. transplanted individuals, cancer patients, and HIV-infected people), as well as the use of antifungal agents for prophylaxis in medicine, have favored the emergence of previously rare or newly identified fungal species. Indeed, novel antifungal resistance patterns have been observed, including environmental sources and the emergence of simultaneous resistance to different antifungal classes, especially in Candida spp., which are known for the multidrug-resistance (MDR) profile. In order to circumvent this alarming scenario, the international researchers' community is engaged in discovering new, potent, and promising compounds to be used in a near future to treat resistant fungal infections in hospital settings on a global scale. In this context, many compounds with antifungal action from both natural and synthetic sources are currently under clinical development, including those that target either ergosterol or β(1,3)-D-glucan, presenting clear evidence of pharmacologic/pharmacokinetic advantages over currently available drugs against these two well-known fungal target structures. Among these are the tetrazoles VT-1129, VT-1161, and VT-1598, the echinocandin CD101, and the glucan synthase inhibitor SCY-078. In this review, we compiled the most recent antifungal compounds that are currently in clinical trials of development and described the potential outcomes against emerging and rare Candida species, with a focus on C. auris, C. dubliniensis, C. glabrata, C. guilliermondii, C. haemulonii, and C. rugosa. In addition to possibly overcoming the limitations of currently available antifungals, new investigational chemical agents that can enhance the classic antifungal activity, thereby reversing previously resistant phenotypes, were also highlighted. While novel and increasingly MDR non-albicans Candida species continue to emerge worldwide, novel strategies for rapid identification and treatment are needed to combat these life-threatening opportunistic fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Nunes Silva
- Laboratorio de Estudos Avancados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Goes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Thaís Pereira de Mello
- Laboratorio de Estudos Avancados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Goes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lívia de Souza Ramos
- Laboratorio de Estudos Avancados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Goes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marta Helena Branquinha
- Laboratorio de Estudos Avancados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Goes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - André Luis Souza Dos Santos
- Laboratorio de Estudos Avancados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Goes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Xu L, Chen W, Wang X, Yu Z, Han S. Comparative Lipidomic Analyses Reveal Different Protections in Preterm and Term Breast Milk for Infants. Front Pediatr 2020; 8:590. [PMID: 33194878 PMCID: PMC7606384 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2020.00590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: Neonates are notably vulnerable, however they have improved outcomes if they are fed human milk. Human milk lipids constitute the primary constituents of human milk and serve a pivotal role in safeguarding infants from diseases. We assessed the lipid differences between preterm and term human milk and predicted the prospective impacts of these lipids on the development of neonates. Methods and results: We collected colostrum from healthy breast-feeding mothers who had delivered either term or preterm infants. We analyzed the lipid profiles of preterm, as well as term human milk using an LC-MS/MS metabolomics strategy. The orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis score plots revealed remarkable distinction of lipids in preterm and term human milk. In total, 16 subclasses of 235 differential lipids (variable importance in projection > 1, P < 0.05) were identified. Notably, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine were robustly increased in preterm human milk, while diacylglycerol and ceramide were markedly decreased in preterm human milk. Pathway analysis revealed that these dysregulated lipids are closely associated with glycerophospholipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, Reelin signaling in neurons, and LXR/RXR activation. Conclusion: The results show that the lipids in preterm and term human colostrum vary, which may be critical for neonatal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Zhangzhou, China
| | - Wenjuan Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Xingyun Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhangbin Yu
- Department of Pediatrics, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuping Han
- Department of Pediatrics, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, China
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40
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Pinheiro-Aguiar R, do Amaral VSG, Pereira IB, Kurtenbach E, Almeida FCL. Nuclear magnetic resonance solution structure of Pisum sativum defensin 2 provides evidence for the presence of hydrophobic surface-clusters. Proteins 2020; 88:242-246. [PMID: 31294889 DOI: 10.1002/prot.25783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Pisum sativum defensin 2 (Psd2) is a small (4.7 kDa) antifungal peptide whose structure is held together by four conserved disulfide bridges. Psd2 shares the cysteine-stabilized alpha-beta (CSαβ) fold, which lacks a regular hydrophobic core. All hydrophobic residues are exposed to the surface, except for leucine 6. They are clustered in the surface formed by two loops, between β1 and α-helix and β2 and β3 sheets. The observation of surface hydrophobic clusters reveals a remarkable evolution of the CSαβ fold to expose and reorganize hydrophobic residues, which facilitates creating versatile binding sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramon Pinheiro-Aguiar
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Virginia S G do Amaral
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Iuri B Pereira
- Campus Macaé Professor Aloísio Teixeira, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Eleonora Kurtenbach
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Fabio C L Almeida
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
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41
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Aerts JMFG, Artola M, van Eijk M, Ferraz MJ, Boot RG. Glycosphingolipids and Infection. Potential New Therapeutic Avenues. Front Cell Dev Biol 2019; 7:324. [PMID: 31867330 PMCID: PMC6908816 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycosphingolipids (GSLs), the main topic of this review, are a subclass of sphingolipids. With their glycans exposed to the extracellular space, glycosphingolipids are ubiquitous components of the plasma membrane of cells. GSLs are implicated in a variety of biological processes including specific infections. Several pathogens use GSLs at the surface of host cells as binding receptors. In addition, lipid-rafts in the plasma membrane of host cells may act as platform for signaling the presence of pathogens. Relatively common in man are inherited deficiencies in lysosomal glycosidases involved in the turnover of GSLs. The associated storage disorders (glycosphingolipidoses) show lysosomal accumulation of substrate(s) of the deficient enzyme. In recent years compounds have been identified that allow modulation of GSLs levels in cells. Some of these agents are well tolerated and already used to treat lysosomal glycosphingolipidoses. This review summarizes present knowledge on the role of GSLs in infection and subsequent immune response. It concludes with the thought to apply glycosphingolipid-lowering agents to prevent and/or combat infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - M Artola
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - M van Eijk
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - M J Ferraz
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - R G Boot
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
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42
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Sphingolipid biosynthetic pathway is crucial for growth, biofilm formation and membrane integrity of Scedosporium boydii. Future Med Chem 2019; 11:2905-2917. [PMID: 31713454 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2019-0186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: Glycosphingolipids are conserved lipids displaying a variety of functions in fungal cells, such as determination of cell polarity and virulence. They have been considered as potent targets for new antifungal drugs. The present work aimed to test two inhibitors, myriocin and DL-threo-1-Phenyl-2-palmitoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol, in Scedosporium boydii, a pathogenic fungus which causes a wide range of disease. Materials & methods: Mass spectrometry, microscopy and cell biology approaches showed that treatment with both inhibitors led to defects in fungal growth and membrane integrity, and caused an increased susceptibility to the current antifungal agents. Conclusion: These data demonstrate the antifungal potential of drugs inhibiting sphingolipid biosynthesis, as well as the usefulness of sphingolipids as promising targets for the development of new therapeutic options.
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43
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Metabolomics Analysis Identifies Sphingolipids as Key Signaling Moieties in Appressorium Morphogenesis and Function in Magnaporthe oryzae. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.01467-19. [PMID: 31431550 PMCID: PMC6703424 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01467-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The blast fungus initiates infection using a heavily melanized, dome-shaped infection structure known as the appressorium, which forcibly ruptures the cuticle to enter the rice leaf tissue. How this process takes place remains not fully understood. Here, we used untargeted metabolomics analyses to profile the metabolome of developing appressoria and identified significant changes in six key metabolic pathways, including early sphingolipid biosynthesis. Analyses employing small molecule inhibitors, gene disruption, or genetic and chemical complementation demonstrated that ceramide compounds of the sphingolipid biosynthesis pathway are essential for normal appressorial development controlled by mitosis. In addition, ceramide was found to act upstream from the protein kinase C-mediated cell wall integrity pathway during appressorium repolarization and pathogenicity in rice blast. Further discovery of the sphingolipid biosynthesis pathway revealed that glucosylceramide (GlcCer) synthesized by ceramide is the key substance affecting the pathogenicity of Magnaporthe oryzae Our results provide new insights into the chemical moieties involved in the infection-related signaling networks, thereby revealing a potential target for the development of novel control agents against the major disease of rice and other cereals.IMPORTANCE Our untargeted analysis of metabolomics throughout the course of pathogenic development gave us an unprecedented high-resolution view of major shifts in metabolism that occur in the topmost fungal pathogen that infects rice, wheat, barley, and millet. Guided by these metabolic insights, we demonstrated their practical application by using two different small-molecule inhibitors of sphingolipid biosynthesis enzymes to successfully block the pathogenicity of M. oryzae Our study thus defines the sphingolipid biosynthesis pathway as a key step and potential target that can be exploited for the development of antifungal agents. Furthermore, future investigations that exploit such important metabolic intermediates will further deepen our basic understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the establishment of fungal blast disease in important cereal crops.
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Fabri JHTM, Rocha MC, Malavazi I. Overview of the Interplay Between Cell Wall Integrity Signaling Pathways and Membrane Lipid Biosynthesis in Fungi: Perspectives for Aspergillus fumigatus. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2019; 21:265-283. [PMID: 31284857 DOI: 10.2174/1389203720666190705164203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The cell wall (CW) and plasma membrane are fundamental structures that define cell shape and support different cellular functions. In pathogenic fungi, such as Aspegillus fumigatus, they not only play structural roles but are also important for virulence and immune recognition. Both the CW and the plasma membrane remain as attractive drug targets to treat fungal infections, such as the Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis (IPA), a disease associated with high morbimortality in immunocompromised individuals. The low efficiency of echinocandins that target the fungal CW biosynthesis, the occurrence of environmental isolates resistant to azoles such as voriconazole and the known drawbacks associated with amphotericin toxicity foster the urgent need for fungal-specific drugable targets and/or more efficient combinatorial therapeutic strategies. Reverse genetic approaches in fungi unveil that perturbations of the CW also render cells with increased susceptibility to membrane disrupting agents and vice-versa. However, how the fungal cells simultaneously cope with perturbation in CW polysaccharides and cell membrane proteins to allow morphogenesis is scarcely known. Here, we focus on current information on how the main signaling pathways that maintain fungal cell wall integrity, such as the Cell Wall Integrity and the High Osmolarity Glycerol pathways, in different species often cross-talk to regulate the synthesis of molecules that comprise the plasma membrane, especially sphingolipids, ergosterol and phospholipids to promote functioning of both structures concomitantly and thus, cell viability. We propose that the conclusions drawn from other organisms are the foundations to point out experimental lines that can be endeavored in A. fumigatus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marina C Rocha
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Iran Malavazi
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
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45
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Nimrichter L, Rodrigues ML, Del Poeta M. Exploiting Lipids to Develop Anticryptococcal Vaccines. CURRENT TROPICAL MEDICINE REPORTS 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40475-019-00178-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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46
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Xisto MIDDS, Henao JEM, Dias LDS, Santos GMP, Calixto RDOR, Bernardino MC, Taborda CP, Barreto-Bergter E. Glucosylceramides From Lomentospora prolificans Induce a Differential Production of Cytokines and Increases the Microbicidal Activity of Macrophages. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:554. [PMID: 30967849 PMCID: PMC6440385 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Lomentospora prolificans is an emerging opportunistic fungus with a high resistance to antifungal agents and it can cause localized infections in immunocompetent patients and disseminated infections with a high mortality rate in immunosuppressed patients. Glucosylceramides (GlcCer) are synthetized in the majority of known fungal pathogens. They are bioactive molecules presenting different functions, such as involvement in fungal growth and morphological transitions in several fungi. The elucidation of the primary structure of the fungal surface glycoconjugates could contribute for the understanding of the mechanisms of pathogenicity. In this work, GlcCer species were isolated from mycelium and conidia forms of L. prolificans and their chemical structures were elucidated by mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). GlcCer purified from both forms presented a major species at m/z 750 that corresponds to N-2-hydroxyhexadecanoyl-1-β-D-glucopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine. Monoclonal antibodies against GlcCer could recognize L. prolificans GlcCer species from mycelium and conidia, suggesting a conserved epitope in fungal GlcCer. In addition, in vivo assays showed that purified GlcCer species from both forms was able to induce a high secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines by splenocytes. GlcCer species also promote the recruitment of polymorphonuclear, eosinophils, small peritoneal macrophage (SPM) and mononuclear cells to the peritoneal cavity. GlcCer species were also able to induce the oxidative burst by peritoneal macrophages with NO and superoxide radicals production, and to increase the killing of L. prolificans conidia by peritoneal macrophages. These results indicate that GlcCer species from L. prolificans are a potent immune response activator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Ingrid Dutra da Silva Xisto
- Laboratório de Química Biológica de Microrganismos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Julián Esteban Muñoz Henao
- Studies in Translational Microbiology and Emerging Diseases Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Lucas Dos Santos Dias
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Microbiology, Medical Mycology Laboratory, Medical School and Tropical Medicine Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Pediatric, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Giulia Maria Pires Santos
- Instituto Biomédico, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Renata de Oliveira Rocha Calixto
- Laboratório de Química Biológica de Microrganismos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mariana Collodetti Bernardino
- Laboratório de Química Biológica de Microrganismos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carlos Pelleschi Taborda
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Microbiology, Medical Mycology Laboratory, Medical School and Tropical Medicine Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eliana Barreto-Bergter
- Laboratório de Química Biológica de Microrganismos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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47
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Fabri JHTM, Godoy NL, Rocha MC, Munshi M, Cocio TA, von Zeska Kress MR, Fill TP, da Cunha AF, Del Poeta M, Malavazi I. The AGC Kinase YpkA Regulates Sphingolipids Biosynthesis and Physically Interacts With SakA MAP Kinase in Aspergillus fumigatus. Front Microbiol 2019; 9:3347. [PMID: 30692984 PMCID: PMC6339957 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sphingolipids (SL) are complex lipids and components of the plasma membrane which are involved in numerous cellular processes, as well as important for virulence of different fungal pathogens. In yeast, SL biosynthesis is regulated by the "AGC kinases" Ypk1 and Ypk2, which also seem to connect the SL biosynthesis with the cell wall integrity (CWI) and the High Osmolarity Glycerol (HOG) pathways. Here, we investigate the role of ypkA Y PK1 in SL biosynthesis and its relationship with the CWI and the HOG pathways in the opportunistic human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. We found that ypkA is important for fungal viability, since the ΔypkA strain presented a drastically sick phenotype and complete absence of conidiation. We observed that under repressive condition, the conditional mutant niiA::ypkA exhibited vegetative growth defects, impaired germination and thermosensitivity. In addition, the ypkA loss of function caused a decrease in glycosphingolipid (GSL) levels, especially the metabolic intermediates belonging to the neutral GSL branch including dihydroceramide (DHC), ceramide (Cer), and glucosylceramide (GlcCer), but interestingly a small increase in ergosterol content. Genetic analyzes showed that ypkA genetically interacts with the MAP kinases of CWI and HOG pathways, mpkA and sakA, respectively, while only SakA physically interacts with YpkA. Our results suggest that YpkA is important for fungal survival through the regulation of GSL biosynthesis and cross talks with A. fumigatus MAP kinase pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Naiane Lima Godoy
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Marina Campos Rocha
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Mansa Munshi
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Tiago Alexandre Cocio
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Marcia Regina von Zeska Kress
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas Toxicológicas e Bromatológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | | | - Anderson Ferreira da Cunha
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Maurizio Del Poeta
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States.,Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States.,Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States.,Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northport, NY, United States
| | - Iran Malavazi
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
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48
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Arockianathan PM, Mishra M, Niranjan R. Recent Status and Advancements in the Development of Antifungal Agents: Highlights on Plant and Marine Based Antifungals. Curr Top Med Chem 2019; 19:812-830. [PMID: 30977454 DOI: 10.2174/1568026619666190412102037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The developing resistance in fungi has become a key challenge, which is being faced nowadays with the available antifungal agents in the market. Further search for novel compounds from different sources has been explored to meet this problem. The current review describes and highlights recent advancement in the antifungal drug aspects from plant and marine based sources. The current available antifungal agents act on specific targets on the fungal cell wall, like ergosterol synthesis, chitin biosynthesis, sphingolipid synthesis, glucan synthesis etc. We discuss some of the important anti-fungal agents like azole, polyene and allylamine classes that inhibit the ergosterol biosynthesis. Echinocandins inhibit β-1, 3 glucan synthesis in the fungal cell wall. The antifungals poloxins and nikkomycins inhibit fungal cell wall component chitin. Apart from these classes of drugs, several combinatorial therapies have been carried out to treat diseases due to fungal resistance. Recently, many antifungal agents derived from plant and marine sources showed potent activity. The renewed interest in plant and marine derived compounds for the fungal diseases created a new way to treat these resistant strains which are evident from the numerous literature publications in the recent years. Moreover, the compounds derived from both plant and marine sources showed promising results against fungal diseases. Altogether, this review article discusses the current antifungal agents and highlights the plant and marine based compounds as a potential promising antifungal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Marie Arockianathan
- PG & Research Department of Biochemistry, St. Joseph's College of Arts & Science (Autonomous), Cuddalore-607001, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Monika Mishra
- Neurobiology laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Rituraj Niranjan
- Unit of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, ICMR-Vector Control Research Center, Puducherry 605006, India
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49
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Zheng YH, Ma YY, Ding Y, Chen XQ, Gao GX. An insight into new strategies to combat antifungal drug resistance. DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY 2018; 12:3807-3816. [PMID: 30464412 PMCID: PMC6225914 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s185833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections especially in immunocompromised patients represent a dominating cause of mortality. The most commonly used antifungal agents can be divided into three broad categories, including triazoles, echinocandins and polyenes. Antifungal resistance is on the increase, posing a growing threat to the stewardship of immunocompromised patients with fungal infections. The paucity of currently available antifungals leads to the rapid emergence of drug resistance and thus aggravates the refractoriness of invasive fungal infections. Therefore, deep exploration into mechanisms of drug resistance and search for new antifungal targets are required. This review highlights the therapeutic strategies targeting Hsp90, calcineurin, trehalose biosynthesis and sphingolipids biosynthesis, in an attempt to provide clinical evidence for overcoming drug resistance and to form the rationale for combination therapy of conventional antifungals and agents with novel mechanisms of action. What’s more, this review also gives a concise introduction of three new-fashioned antifungals, including carboxymethyl chitosan, silver nanoparticles and chromogranin A-N46.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Hua Zheng
- Department of Hematology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China, ;
| | - Yue-Yun Ma
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yi Ding
- Department of Pharmacy, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xie-Qun Chen
- Department of Hematology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China, ;
| | - Guang-Xun Gao
- Department of Hematology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China, ;
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50
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Saied EM, Le TLS, Hornemann T, Arenz C. Synthesis and characterization of some atypical sphingoid bases. Bioorg Med Chem 2018; 26:4047-4057. [PMID: 29960730 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2018.06.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Sphingolipids are ubiquitous and abundant components of all eukaryotic and some prokaryotic organisms. Sphingolipids show a large structural variety not only between the different species, but also within an individual cell. This variety is not limited to alterations in the polar headgroups of e.g. glycosphingolipids, but also affects the lipophilic anchors comprised of different fatty acids on the one hand and different sphingoid bases on the other hand. The structural variations within different sphingoid bases e.g. in pathogens can be used to identify novel biomarkers and drug targets and the specific change in the profile of common and uncommon sphingolipids are associated with pathological conditions like diabetes or cancer. Therefore, the emerging field of sphingolipidomics is dedicated to collect data on the sphingolipidome of a cell and hence to assign changes therein to certain states of a cell or to pathological conditions. This powerful tool however is still limited by the availability of structural information about the individual lipid species as well as by the availability of appropriate internal standards for quantification. Herein we describe the synthesis of a variety of 1-deoxy-sphingoid bases. 1-DeoxySphingolipids have recently acquired significant attention due to its pathological role in the rare inherited neuropathy, HSAN1 but also as predictive biomarkers in diabetes type II. Some of the compounds synthesized and characterized herein, have been used and will be used to elucidate the correct structure of these disease-related lipids and their metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Essa M Saied
- Institute for Chemistry, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Brook-Taylor-Str. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany; Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Thuy Linh-Stella Le
- Institute for Chemistry, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Brook-Taylor-Str. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - T Hornemann
- University of Zurich; University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Arenz
- Institute for Chemistry, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Brook-Taylor-Str. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
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