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Dornelas JCM, Paixão VM, Carmo PHF, Costa MC, Gomes ECQ, de Resende-Stoianoff MA, Santos DA. Influence of the agrochemical benomyl on Cryptococcus gattii-plant interaction in vitro and in vivo. Braz J Microbiol 2024; 55:2463-2471. [PMID: 38963475 PMCID: PMC11405651 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-024-01440-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus gattii, an environmental fungus, is one of the agents of cryptococcosis. The influence of agrochemicals on fungal resistance to antifungals is widely discussed. However, the effects of benomyl (BEN) on fungal interaction with different hosts is still to be understood. Here we studied the influence of adaptation to BEN in the interaction with a plant model, phagocytes and with Tenebrio molitor. First, the strain C. gattii L24/01 non-adapted (NA), adapted (A) to BEN, and adapted with further culture on drug-free media (10p) interact with Nicotiana benthamiana, with a peak in the yeast burden on the 7th day post-inoculation. C. gattii L24/01 A and 10p provided lower fungal burden, but these strains increased cell diameter and capsular thickness after the interaction, together with decreased fungal growth. The strains NA and A showed reduced ergosterol levels, while 10p exhibited increased activity of laccase and urease. L24/01 A recovered from N. benthamiana was less engulfed by murine macrophages, with lower production of reactive oxygen species. This phenotype was accompanied by increased ability of this strain to grow inside macrophages. Otherwise, L24/01 A showed reduced virulence in the T. molitor larvae model. Here, we demonstrate that the exposure to BEN, and interaction with plants interfere in the morphophysiology and virulence of the C. gattii.
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Affiliation(s)
- João C M Dornelas
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP: 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Vivian M Paixão
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP: 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Paulo H F Carmo
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP: 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Marliete C Costa
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP: 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Eldon C Q Gomes
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP: 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Maria Aparecida de Resende-Stoianoff
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP: 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Daniel A Santos
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP: 31270-901, Brazil.
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2
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Belén Valdez M, D Jonsiles MF, Avigliano E, Palermo JA. Unlocking the Potential of Glutinol: Structural Diversification and Antifungal Activity against Phytopathogenic Fusarium Strains. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2024; 87:2055-2067. [PMID: 39101318 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.4c00566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Unlike most common pentacyclic plant triterpenes, glutinol has a methyl group at position C-9 and a Δ5 double bond. At the same time, it lacks a methyl at C-10. These features significantly modify its chemical behavior compared to other triterpenes, particularly under oxidative conditions. Although the isolation of glutinol from various plant species has been documented, its chemistry remains largely unexplored. In this study, glutinol was isolated from the bark of Balfourodendron riedelianum as a starting material for top-down strategies of structural diversification, which included ring fusion, oxidation, aromatization, and ring cleavage reactions. Glutinol, together with a library of 22 derivatives, was evaluated for antifungal activity against three phytopathogenic Fusarium strains, F. solani, F. graminearum, and F. tucumaniae. Some of the derivatives displayed antifungal activity; in particular, compound 12, featuring a triazine ring, displayed the best fungicidal properties against F. solani and F. graminearum, while the ring B cleavage product 23 showed the best activity against F. tucumaniae. This study highlights the potential of glutinol as a scaffold for structural diversification, and these results may contribute to the design of novel fungicidal agents against phytopathogenic strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Belén Valdez
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, Buenos Aires, 1428, Argentina
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica (UMYMFOR), Buenos Aires, C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - María Fernanda D Jonsiles
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, Buenos Aires, 1428, Argentina
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica (UMYMFOR), Buenos Aires, C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - Esteban Avigliano
- Centro de Investigaciones Antonia Ramos (CIAR). Fundación Bosques Nativos Argentinos. Camino Balneario s/n, Villa Bonita, Misiones, B1640, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Animal (INPA), CONICET-UB, Av. Chorroarín 280, CABA, C1427CWO, Argentina
| | - Jorge A Palermo
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, Buenos Aires, 1428, Argentina
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica (UMYMFOR), Buenos Aires, C1428EGA, Argentina
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3
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Santana de Carvalho D, Bastos RW, Rossato L, Teixeira de Aguiar Peres N, Assis Santos D. ResFungi: A Novel Protein Database of Antifungal Drug Resistance Genes Using a Hidden Markov Model Profile. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:30559-30570. [PMID: 39035910 PMCID: PMC11256324 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c02198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Fungal infections vary from superficial to invasive and can be life-threatening in immunocompromised and healthy individuals. Antifungal resistance is one of the main reasons for an increasing concern about fungal infections as they become more complex and harder to treat. The fungal "omics" databases help us find drug resistance genes, which is of great importance and extremely necessary. With that in mind, we built a new platform for drug resistance genes. We added seven drug classes of resistance genes to our database: azoles (without specifying which drug), fluconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole, flucytosine, micafungin, and caspofungin. Species with known resistance genes were used to validate the results from our database. This study describes a list of 261 candidate genes related to antifungal resistance, with several genes displaying transport functions involved in azole resistance. Over 65% of the candidate genes found were related to at least one type of azole. Overall, the candidate genes found have functional annotations consistent with genes or enzymes that have been linked to antifungal resistance in previous studies. Also, candidate antifungal resistance genes found exhibit functional annotations consistent with previously described resistance mechanisms. The existence of an HMM profile focusing on antifungal resistance genes allows in silico searches for candidate genes, helping future wet lab experiments, and hence, reducing costs when studying candidate antifungal genes without prior knowledge of the species or genes. Finally, ResFungi has proven to be a powerful tool to narrow down candidate antifungal-related genes and unravel mechanisms related to resistance to help in the design of experiments focusing on the genetic basis of antifungal resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Santana de Carvalho
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Rafael Wesley Bastos
- Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, 59064-741 Natal, Brazil
| | - Luana Rossato
- Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, 79825-070 Dourados, Brazil
| | - Nalu Teixeira de Aguiar Peres
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Daniel Assis Santos
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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4
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Pereira TC, do Carmo PHF, de Menezes RT, de Oliveira HC, de Oliveira LD, Junqueira JC, Scorzoni L. Synergistic effect of the verapamil and amphotericin B against Cryptococcus neoformans. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 2023; 68:999-1004. [PMID: 37950840 DOI: 10.1007/s12223-023-01104-5] [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: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast that can cause cryptococcosis and cryptococcal meningitis, which conventional treatment involves antifungal drugs such as polyenes, flucytosine, azoles, and their combinations. However, the high cost, toxicity, and increase in fungi resistance to antifungal agents stimulate the search for therapeutic strategies such as drug repurposing and combination therapy. This study evaluated the activity of the antihypertensive verapamil (VEH) alone and combined with amphotericin B (AmB) against C. neoformans. VEH exhibited antifungal activity against C. neoformans with minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of 118 µg per mL. The combination of VEH and AmB exhibited synergism, reducing at least eightfold both drugs' concentrations. Moreover, the combination decreased the size and glucuronoxylomannnan content of C. neoformans capsule. However, no difference was observed in ergosterol levels of C. neoformans after treatment with VEH and AmB in combination. Altogether, VEH in combination with AmB exhibits potential as a candidate as for the development of anti-cryptococcal drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaís C Pereira
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, SP, 12245-000, Brazil
| | - Paulo H F do Carmo
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, SP, 12245-000, Brazil
| | - Raquel T de Menezes
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, SP, 12245-000, Brazil
| | | | - Luciane D de Oliveira
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, SP, 12245-000, Brazil
| | - Juliana C Junqueira
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, SP, 12245-000, Brazil
| | - Liliana Scorzoni
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José dos Campos, SP, 12245-000, Brazil.
- Universidade de Guarulhos (UNG), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem, Guarulhos, SP, Brazil.
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5
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Firacative C, Zuluaga-Puerto N, Guevara J. Cryptococcus neoformans Causing Meningoencephalitis in Adults and a Child from Lima, Peru: Genotypic Diversity and Antifungal Susceptibility. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8121306. [PMID: 36547639 PMCID: PMC9781953 DOI: 10.3390/jof8121306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis, caused predominantly by Cryptococcus neoformans, is a potentially fatal, opportunistic infection that commonly affects the central nervous system of immunocompromised patients. Globally, this mycosis is responsible for almost 20% of AIDS-related deaths, and in countries like Peru, its incidence remains high, mostly due to the annual increase in new cases of HIV infection. This study aimed to establish the genotypic diversity and antifungal susceptibility of C. neoformans isolates causing meningoencephalitis in 25 adults and a 9-year-old girl with HIV and other risk factors from Lima, Peru. To identify the genotype of the isolates, multilocus sequence typing was applied, and to establish the susceptibility of the isolates to six antifungals, a YeastOne® broth microdilution was used. From the isolates, 19 were identified as molecular type VNI, and seven as VNII, grouped in eight and three sequence types, respectively, which shows that the studied population was highly diverse. Most isolates were susceptible to all antifungals tested. However, VNI isolates were less susceptible to fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole than VNII isolates (p < 0.05). This study contributes data on the molecular epidemiology and the antifungal susceptibility profile of the most common etiological agent of cryptococcosis, highlighting a pediatric case, something which is rare among cryptococcal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Firacative
- Studies in Translational Microbiology and Emerging Diseases (MICROS) Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad de Rosario, Bogota 111221, Colombia
- Correspondence:
| | | | - José Guevara
- Facultad de Medicina “San Fernando”, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima 15081, Peru
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Fisher MC, Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Berman J, Bicanic T, Bignell EM, Bowyer P, Bromley M, Brüggemann R, Garber G, Cornely OA, Gurr SJ, Harrison TS, Kuijper E, Rhodes J, Sheppard DC, Warris A, White PL, Xu J, Zwaan B, Verweij PE. Tackling the emerging threat of antifungal resistance to human health. Nat Rev Microbiol 2022; 20:557-571. [PMID: 35352028 PMCID: PMC8962932 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-022-00720-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 344] [Impact Index Per Article: 172.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections pose an important threat to public health and are an under-recognized component of antimicrobial resistance, an emerging crisis worldwide. Across a period of profound global environmental change and expanding at-risk populations, human-infecting pathogenic fungi are evolving resistance to all licensed systemic antifungal drugs. In this Review, we highlight the main mechanisms of antifungal resistance and explore the similarities and differences between bacterial and fungal resistance to antimicrobial control. We discuss the research and innovation topics that are needed for risk reduction strategies aimed at minimizing the emergence of resistance in pathogenic fungi. These topics include links between the environment and One Health, surveillance, diagnostics, routes of transmission, novel therapeutics and methods to mitigate hotspots for fungal adaptation. We emphasize the global efforts required to steward our existing antifungal armamentarium, and to direct the research and development of future therapies and interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Fisher
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Outbreak Analysis, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | - Ana Alastruey-Izquierdo
- Mycology Reference Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Judith Berman
- Shmunis School of Biomedical and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel
| | - Tihana Bicanic
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George's University London, London, UK
| | - Elaine M Bignell
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Paul Bowyer
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Michael Bromley
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Roger Brüggemann
- Department of Pharmacy, Radboudumc Institute for Health Sciences and Radboudumc - CWZ Centre of Expertise for Mycology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Gary Garber
- Department of Medicine and the School of Public Health and Epidemiology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Oliver A Cornely
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department I of Internal Medicine, Excellence Center for Medical Mycology (ECMM), Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Thomas S Harrison
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George's University London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Ed Kuijper
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, Diagnostics and Laboratory Surveillance, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, Netherlands
| | - Johanna Rhodes
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Outbreak Analysis, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Donald C Sheppard
- Infectious Disease in Global Health Program and McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Adilia Warris
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - P Lewis White
- Public Health Wales Mycology Reference Laboratory, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jianping Xu
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bas Zwaan
- Department of Plant Science, Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Paul E Verweij
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, Diagnostics and Laboratory Surveillance, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, Netherlands.
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Radboudumc - CWZ Centre of Expertise for Mycology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
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High MICs for antifungal agents in yeasts from an anthropized lagoon in South America. Microbiol Res 2022; 262:127083. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2022.127083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Atim PB, Meya DB, Gerlach ES, Muhanguzi D, Male A, Kanamwanji B, Nielsen K. Lack of Association between Fluconazole Susceptibility and ERG11 Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Cryptococcus neoformans Clinical Isolates from Uganda. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:508. [PMID: 35628763 PMCID: PMC9145384 DOI: 10.3390/jof8050508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluconazole is the drug of choice for cryptococcal meningitis (CM) monoprophylaxis in resource-limited settings such as Uganda. Emerging fluconazole resistance linked to mutations in the Cryptococcus neoformansERG11 gene (CYP51) has been observed in clinical isolates. Currently, the single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] in the Cryptococcus spp. ERG11 gene that could be responsible for fluconazole resistance are poorly characterized within Ugandan C. neoformans clinical isolates. If available, this information would be useful in the management of cryptococcosis among HIV patients. This cross-sectional study investigates the SNPs present in the coding region of the C. neoformansERG11 gene to determine the relationship between the SNPs identified and fluconazole susceptibility of the clinical isolates. 310 C. neoformans isolates recovered from the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) of patients with HIV and cryptococcal meningitis were examined. The fluconazole half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50 range: 0.25−32 μg/mL) was determined using the microbroth dilution method. A total of 56.1% of the isolates had low IC50 values of <8 μg/mL while 43.9% had high IC50 values ≥ 8 μg/mL. We amplified and sequenced 600 bp of the ERG11 coding sequence from 40 of the clinical isolates. Novel synonymous and 2 missense mutations, S460T and A457V, were identified in the ERG11 gene. The identified SNPs were not associated with differences in fluconazole IC50 values in vitro (p = 0.179).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David B. Meya
- Infectious Diseases Institute, Kampala P.O. Box 22418, Uganda;
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (E.S.G.); (K.N.)
| | - Elliot S. Gerlach
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (E.S.G.); (K.N.)
| | - Dennis Muhanguzi
- College of Veterinary Medicine Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, Uganda;
| | - Allan Male
- International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)—Uganda, Kampala P.O. Box 6247, Uganda;
| | - Benedict Kanamwanji
- National Microbiology Reference Laboratory (NMRL), Kampala P.O. Box 7272, Uganda;
| | - Kirsten Nielsen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; (E.S.G.); (K.N.)
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Gene, virulence and related regulatory mechanisms in Cryptococcus gattii. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2022; 54:593-603. [PMID: 35593469 PMCID: PMC9828318 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2022029] [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: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus gattii is a kind of basidiomycetous yeast, which grows in human and animal hosts. C. gattii has four distinct genomes, VGI/AFLP4, VGII/AFLP6, VGIII/AFLP5, and VGIV/AFLP7. The virulence of C. gattii is closely associated with genotype and related stress-signaling pathways, but the pathogenic mechanism of C. gattii has not been fully identified. With the development of genomics and transcriptomics, the relationship among genes, regulatory mechanisms, virulence, and treatment is gradually being recognized. In this review, to better understand how C. gattii causes disease and to characterize hypervirulent C. gattii strains, we summarize the current understanding of C. gattii genotypes, phenotypes, virulence, and the regulatory mechanisms.
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Castelo-Branco D, Lockhart SR, Chen YC, Santos DA, Hagen F, Hawkins NJ, Lavergne RA, Meis JF, Le Pape P, Rocha MFG, Sidrim JJC, Arendrup M, Morio F. Collateral consequences of agricultural fungicides on pathogenic yeasts: A One Health perspective to tackle azole resistance. Mycoses 2022; 65:303-311. [PMID: 34821412 PMCID: PMC11268486 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Candida and Cryptococcus affect millions of people yearly, being responsible for a wide array of clinical presentations, including life-threatening diseases. Interestingly, most human pathogenic yeasts are not restricted to the clinical setting, as they are also ubiquitous in the environment. Recent studies raise concern regarding the potential impact of agricultural use of azoles on resistance to medical antifungals in yeasts, as previously outlined with Aspergillus fumigatus. Thus, we undertook a narrative review of the literature and provide lines of evidence suggesting that an alternative, environmental route of azole resistance, may develop in pathogenic yeasts, in addition to patient route. However, it warrants sound evidence to support that pathogenic yeasts cross border between plants, animals and humans and that environmental reservoirs may contribute to azole resistance in Candida or other yeasts for humans. As these possibilities could concern public health, we propose a road map for future studies under the One Health perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Castelo-Branco
- Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Group of Applied Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Shawn R Lockhart
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mycotic Diseases Branch, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Yee-Chun Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Ferry Hagen
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Rose-Anne Lavergne
- Nantes University Hospital and EA1155 IICiMed, Nantes University, Nantes, France
| | - Jacques F Meis
- Center of Expertise in Mycology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology Graduate Program, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Patrice Le Pape
- Nantes University Hospital and EA1155 IICiMed, Nantes University, Nantes, France
| | - Marcos Fabio Gadelha Rocha
- Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Group of Applied Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - José Julio Costa Sidrim
- Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Group of Applied Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Maiken Arendrup
- Copenhagen University Hospital, and Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Florent Morio
- Nantes University Hospital and EA1155 IICiMed, Nantes University, Nantes, France
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11
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Bastos RW, Rossato L, Goldman GH, Santos DA. Fungicide effects on human fungal pathogens: Cross-resistance to medical drugs and beyond. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1010073. [PMID: 34882756 PMCID: PMC8659312 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections are underestimated threats that affect over 1 billion people, and Candida spp., Cryptococcus spp., and Aspergillus spp. are the 3 most fatal fungi. The treatment of these infections is performed with a limited arsenal of antifungal drugs, and the class of the azoles is the most used. Although these drugs present low toxicity for the host, there is an emergence of therapeutic failure due to azole resistance. Drug resistance normally develops in patients undergoing azole long-term therapy, when the fungus in contact with the drug can adapt and survive. Conversely, several reports have been showing that resistant isolates are also recovered from patients with no prior history of azole therapy, suggesting that other routes might be driving antifungal resistance. Intriguingly, antifungal resistance also happens in the environment since resistant strains have been isolated from plant materials, soil, decomposing matter, and compost, where important human fungal pathogens live. As the resistant fungi can be isolated from the environment, in places where agrochemicals are extensively used in agriculture and wood industry, the hypothesis that fungicides could be driving and selecting resistance mechanism in nature, before the contact of the fungus with the host, has gained more attention. The effects of fungicide exposure on fungal resistance have been extensively studied in Aspergillus fumigatus and less investigated in other human fungal pathogens. Here, we discuss not only classic and recent studies showing that environmental azole exposure selects cross-resistance to medical azoles in A. fumigatus, but also how this phenomenon affects Candida and Cryptococcus, other 2 important human fungal pathogens found in the environment. We also examine data showing that fungicide exposure can select relevant changes in the morphophysiology and virulence of those pathogens, suggesting that its effect goes beyond the cross-resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael W. Bastos
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto-SP, Brazil
| | - Luana Rossato
- Federal University of Grande Dourados, Dourados-MS, Brazil
| | - Gustavo H. Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto-SP, Brazil
| | - Daniel A. Santos
- Laboratory of Mycology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil
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Freitas GJC, Santos DA. Cryptococcus gattii polysaccharide capsule: An insight on fungal-host interactions and vaccine studies. Eur J Immunol 2021; 51:2206-2209. [PMID: 34396521 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202149349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii complexes are the main causative agents of cryptococcosis, a neglected disease with high lethality. The capsule, composed predominantly of the capsular polysaccharide (CP) GXM, is the main virulence factor of this pathogen. The role of CP is well described for C. neoformans and; however, there is a scarcity of studies focused on C. gattii, especially in the context of the fungal-host interaction. Understanding how the immune system recognizes C. gattii can generate meaningful information for diagnosing, preventing, and treating cryptococcosis. In the current issue of the European Journal of Immunology [Eur. J. Immunol. 2021. 51: 2281-2295], Ueno et al. demonstrate that CP inhibits C. gattii recognition by CD11b. In this commentary, we highlight the importance of deeply understanding the role of C. gattii CP during infection and how this knowledge would influence the strategies to develop new vaccines against cryptococcosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo J C Freitas
- Departament of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Daniel A Santos
- Departament of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Witzany
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Biologie, Evolutionary Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Jens Rolff
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Biologie, Evolutionary Biology, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail:
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