1
|
Tisdale-Macioce N, Green J, Perl AKT, Ashbaugh A, Wiederhold NP, Patterson TF, Cushion MT. The Promise of Lung Organoids for Growth and Investigation of Pneumocystis Species. Front Fungal Biol 2021; 2:740845. [PMID: 37744131 PMCID: PMC10512221 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2021.740845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Pneumocystis species (spp.) are host-obligate fungal parasites that colonize and propagate almost exclusively in the alveolar lumen within the lungs of mammals where they can cause a lethal pneumonia. The emergence of this pneumonia in non-HIV infected persons caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii (PjP), illustrates the continued importance of and the need to understand its associated pathologies and to develop new therapies and preventative strategies. In the proposed life cycle, Pneumocystis spp. attach to alveolar type 1 epithelial cells (AEC1) and prevent gas exchange. This process among other mechanisms of Pneumocystis spp. pathogenesis is challenging to observe in real time due to the absence of a continuous ex vivo or in vitro culture system. The study presented here provides a proof-of-concept for the development of murine lung organoids that mimic the lung alveolar sacs expressing alveolar epithelial type 1 cells (AEC1) and alveolar type 2 epithelial cells (AEC2). Use of these 3-dimensional organoids should facilitate studies of a multitude of unanswered questions and serve as an improved means to screen new anti- PjP agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikeya Tisdale-Macioce
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Medical Research Service, Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Jenna Green
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Anne-Karina T. Perl
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, The Perinatal Institute and Section of Neonatology, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Alan Ashbaugh
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Medical Research Service, Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Nathan P. Wiederhold
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Thomas F. Patterson
- Department of Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, United States
- Section of Infectious Diseases, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Melanie T. Cushion
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Medical Research Service, Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| |
Collapse
|