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Ma L, Lin I, Hunter ST, Blasi B, Danesi P, Weissenbacher-Lang C, Cisse OH, Rothenburger JL, Kovacs JA. Development of Highly Efficient Universal Pneumocystis Primers and Their Application in Investigating the Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Pneumocystis in Wild Hares and Rabbits. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:355. [PMID: 38786710 PMCID: PMC11121927 DOI: 10.3390/jof10050355] [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: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite its ubiquitous infectivity to mammals with strong host specificity, our current knowledge about Pneumocystis has originated from studies of merely 4% of extant mammalian species. Further studies of Pneumocystis epidemiology across a broader range of animal species require the use of assays with high sensitivity and specificity. To this end, we have developed multiple universal Pneumocystis primers targeting different genetic loci with high amplification efficiency. Application of these primers to PCR investigation of Pneumocystis in free-living hares (Lepus townsendii, n = 130) and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus, n = 8) in Canada revealed a prevalence of 81% (105/130) and 25% (2/8), respectively. Genotyping analysis identified five and two variants of Pneumocystis from hares and rabbits, respectively, with significant sequence divergence between the variants from hares. Based on phylogenetic analysis using nearly full-length sequences of the mitochondrial genome, nuclear rRNA operon and dihydropteroate synthase gene for the two most common variants, Pneumocystis in hares and rabbits are more closely related to each other than either are to Pneumocystis in other mammals. Furthermore, Pneumocystis in both hares and rabbits are more closely related to Pneumocystis in primates and dogs than to Pneumocystis in rodents. The high prevalence of Pneumocystis in hares (P. sp. 'townsendii') suggests its widespread transmissibility in the natural environment, similar to P. oryctolagi in rabbits. The presence of multiple distinct Pneumocystis populations in hares contrasts with the lack of apparent intra-species heterogeneity in P. oryctolagi, implying a unique evolution history of P. sp. 'townsendii' in hares.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Ma
- Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (I.L.); (O.H.C.); (J.A.K.)
| | - Isabella Lin
- Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (I.L.); (O.H.C.); (J.A.K.)
| | - Summer T. Hunter
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (Alberta Region), Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (S.T.H.); (J.L.R.)
| | - Barbara Blasi
- Department of Biological Sciences and Pathobiology, Institute of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Wien, Austria; (B.B.); (C.W.-L.)
| | - Patrizia Danesi
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Mycology and Medical Enthomology, Istituto Zooprofilattico delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy;
| | - Christiane Weissenbacher-Lang
- Department of Biological Sciences and Pathobiology, Institute of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Wien, Austria; (B.B.); (C.W.-L.)
| | - Ousmane H. Cisse
- Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (I.L.); (O.H.C.); (J.A.K.)
| | - Jamie L. Rothenburger
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (Alberta Region), Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (S.T.H.); (J.L.R.)
| | - Joseph A. Kovacs
- Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (I.L.); (O.H.C.); (J.A.K.)
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2
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Cissé OH, Ma L, Kovacs JA. Retracing the evolution of Pneumocystis species, with a focus on the human pathogen Pneumocystis jirovecii. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2024:e0020222. [PMID: 38587383 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00202-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYEvery human being is presumed to be infected by the fungus Pneumocystis jirovecii at least once in his or her lifetime. This fungus belongs to a large group of species that appear to exclusively infect mammals, with P. jirovecii being the only one known to cause disease in humans. The mystery of P. jirovecii origin and speciation is just beginning to unravel. Here, we provide a review of the major steps of P. jirovecii evolution. The Pneumocystis genus likely originated from soil or plant-associated organisms during the period of Cretaceous ~165 million years ago and successfully shifted to mammals. The transition coincided with a substantial loss of genes, many of which are related to the synthesis of nutrients that can be scavenged from hosts or cell wall components that could be targeted by the mammalian immune system. Following the transition, the Pneumocystis genus cospeciated with mammals. Each species specialized at infecting its own host. Host specialization is presumably built at least partially upon surface glycoproteins, whose protogene was acquired prior to the genus formation. P. jirovecii appeared at ~65 million years ago, overlapping with the emergence of the first primates. P. jirovecii and its sister species P. macacae, which infects macaques nowadays, may have had overlapping host ranges in the distant past. Clues from molecular clocks suggest that P. jirovecii did not cospeciate with humans. Molecular evidence suggests that Pneumocystis speciation involved chromosomal rearrangements and the mounting of genetic barriers that inhibit gene flow among species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ousmane H Cissé
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Liang Ma
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph A Kovacs
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Riebold D, Mahnkopf M, Wicht K, Zubiria-Barrera C, Heise J, Frank M, Misch D, Bauer T, Stocker H, Slevogt H. Axenic Long-Term Cultivation of Pneumocystis jirovecii. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:903. [PMID: 37755011 PMCID: PMC10533121 DOI: 10.3390/jof9090903] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Pneumocystis jirovecii, a fungus causing severe Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in humans, has long been described as non-culturable. Only isolated short-term experiments with P. jirovecii and a small number of experiments involving animal-derived Pneumocystis species have been published to date. However, P. jirovecii culture conditions may differ significantly from those of animal-derived Pneumocystis, as there are major genotypic and phenotypic differences between them. Establishing a well-performing P. jirovecii cultivation is crucial to understanding PCP and its pathophysiological processes. The aim of this study, therefore, was to develop an axenic culture for Pneumocystis jirovecii. To identify promising approaches for cultivation, a literature survey encompassing animal-derived Pneumocystis cultures was carried out. The variables identified, such as incubation time, pH value, vitamins, amino acids, and other components, were trialed and adjusted to find the optimum conditions for P. jirovecii culture. This allowed us to develop a medium that produced a 42.6-fold increase in P. jirovecii qPCR copy numbers after a 48-day culture. Growth was confirmed microscopically by the increasing number and size of actively growing Pneumocystis clusters in the final medium, DMEM-O3. P. jirovecii doubling time was 8.9 days (range 6.9 to 13.6 days). In conclusion, we successfully cultivated P. jirovecii under optimized cell-free conditions in a 70-day long-term culture for the first time. However, further optimization of the culture conditions for this slow grower is indispensable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Riebold
- Research Centre of Medical Technology and Biotechnology (FZMB), 99947 Bad Langensalza, Germany; (M.M.); (J.H.)
| | - Marie Mahnkopf
- Research Centre of Medical Technology and Biotechnology (FZMB), 99947 Bad Langensalza, Germany; (M.M.); (J.H.)
| | - Kristina Wicht
- Separation Science Group, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, B-9000 Gent, Belgium;
| | - Cristina Zubiria-Barrera
- Respiratory Infection Dynamics Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany; (C.Z.-B.); (H.S.)
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Hannover Medical School, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), BREATH, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Jan Heise
- Research Centre of Medical Technology and Biotechnology (FZMB), 99947 Bad Langensalza, Germany; (M.M.); (J.H.)
| | - Marcus Frank
- Medical Biology and Electron Microscopy Centre (EMZ), University Medicine Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany;
| | - Daniel Misch
- Lungenklinik Heckeshorn, Helios Klinikum Emil-von-Behring, 14165 Berlin, Germany; (D.M.); (T.B.)
| | - Torsten Bauer
- Lungenklinik Heckeshorn, Helios Klinikum Emil-von-Behring, 14165 Berlin, Germany; (D.M.); (T.B.)
| | - Hartmut Stocker
- Clinic for Infectiology, St. Joseph’s Hospital Berlin, 12101 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Hortense Slevogt
- Respiratory Infection Dynamics Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany; (C.Z.-B.); (H.S.)
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Hannover Medical School, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), BREATH, 30625 Hannover, Germany
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4
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Xue T, Kong X, Ma L. Trends in the Epidemiology of Pneumocystis Pneumonia in Immunocompromised Patients without HIV Infection. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:812. [PMID: 37623583 PMCID: PMC10455156 DOI: 10.3390/jof9080812] [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: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing morbidity and mortality of life-threatening Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in immunocompromised people poses a global concern, prompting the World Health Organization to list it as one of the 19 priority invasive fungal diseases, calling for increased research and public health action. In response to this initiative, we provide this review on the epidemiology of PCP in non-HIV patients with various immunodeficient conditions, including the use of immunosuppressive agents, cancer therapies, solid organ and stem cell transplantation, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, inherited or primary immunodeficiencies, and COVID-19. Special attention is given to the molecular epidemiology of PCP outbreaks in solid organ transplant recipients; the risk of PCP associated with the increasing use of immunodepleting monoclonal antibodies and a wide range of genetic defects causing primary immunodeficiency; the trend of concurrent infection of PCP in COVID-19; the prevalence of colonization; and the rising evidence supporting de novo infection rather than reactivation of latent infection in the pathogenesis of PCP. Additionally, we provide a concise discussion of the varying effects of different immunodeficient conditions on distinct components of the immune system. The objective of this review is to increase awareness and knowledge of PCP in non-HIV patients, thereby improving the early identification and treatment of patients susceptible to PCP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Xue
- NHC Key Laboratory of Pneumoconiosis, Key Laboratory of Prophylaxis and Treatment and Basic Research of Respiratory Diseases of Shanxi Province, Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Respiratory, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
| | - Xiaomei Kong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Pneumoconiosis, Key Laboratory of Prophylaxis and Treatment and Basic Research of Respiratory Diseases of Shanxi Province, Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Respiratory, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
| | - Liang Ma
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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5
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Analysis of Pneumocystis Transcription Factor Evolution and Implications for Biology and Lifestyle. mBio 2023; 14:e0271122. [PMID: 36651897 PMCID: PMC9973273 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02711-22] [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: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Pneumocystis jirovecii kills hundreds of thousands of immunocompromised patients each year. Yet many aspects of the biology of this obligate pathogen remain obscure because it is not possible to culture the fungus in vitro independently of its host. Consequently, our understanding of Pneumocystis pathobiology is heavily reliant upon bioinformatic inferences. We have exploited a powerful combination of genomic and phylogenetic approaches to examine the evolution of transcription factors in Pneumocystis species. We selected protein families (Pfam families) that correspond to transcriptional regulators and used bioinformatic approaches to compare these families in the seven Pneumocystis species that have been sequenced to date with those from other yeasts, other human and plant pathogens, and other obligate parasites. Some Pfam families of transcription factors have undergone significant reduction during their evolution in the Pneumocystis genus, and other Pfam families have been lost or appear to be in the process of being lost. Meanwhile, other transcription factor families have been retained in Pneumocystis species, and some even appear to have undergone expansion. On this basis, Pneumocystis species seem to have retained transcriptional regulators that control chromosome maintenance, ribosomal gene regulation, RNA processing and modification, and respiration. Meanwhile, regulators that promote the assimilation of alternative carbon sources, amino acid, lipid, and sterol biosynthesis, and iron sensing and homeostasis appear to have been lost. Our analyses of transcription factor retention, loss, and gain provide important insights into the biology and lifestyle of Pneumocystis. IMPORTANCE Pneumocystis jirovecii is a major fungal pathogen of humans that infects healthy individuals, colonizing the lungs of infants. In immunocompromised and transplant patients, this fungus causes life-threatening pneumonia, and these Pneumocystis infections remain among the most common and serious infections in HIV/AIDS patients. Yet we remain remarkably ignorant about the biology and epidemiology of Pneumocystis due to the inability to culture this fungus in vitro. Our analyses of transcription factor retentions, losses, and gains in sequenced Pneumocystis species provide valuable new views of their specialized biology, suggesting the retention of many metabolic and stress regulators and the loss of others that are essential in free-living fungi. Given the lack of in vitro culture methods for Pneumocystis, this powerful bioinformatic approach has advanced our understanding of the lifestyle of P. jirovecii and the nature of its dependence on the host for survival.
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Babb-Biernacki SJ, Esselstyn JA, Doyle VP. Predicting Species Boundaries and Assessing Undescribed Diversity in Pneumocystis, an Obligate Lung Symbiont. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8080799. [PMID: 36012788 PMCID: PMC9409666 DOI: 10.3390/jof8080799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Far more biodiversity exists in Fungi than has been described, or could be described in several lifetimes, given current rates of species discovery. Although this problem is widespread taxonomically, our knowledge of animal-associated fungi is especially lacking. Fungi in the genus Pneumocystis are obligate inhabitants of mammal lungs, and they have been detected in a phylogenetically diverse array of species representing many major mammal lineages. The hypothesis that Pneumocystis cospeciate with their mammalian hosts suggests that thousands of Pneumocystis species may exist, potentially equal to the number of mammal species. However, only six species have been described, and the true correspondence of Pneumocystis diversity to host species boundaries is unclear. Here, we use molecular species delimitation to estimate the boundaries of Pneumocystis species sampled from 55 mammal species representing eight orders. Our results suggest that Pneumocystis species often colonize several closely related mammals, especially those in the same genus. Using the newly estimated ratio of fungal to host diversity, we estimate ≈4600 to 6250 Pneumocystis species inhabit the 6495 currently recognized extant mammal species. Additionally, we review the literature and find that only 240 (~3.7%) mammal species have been screened for Pneumocystis, and many detected Pneumocystis lineages are not represented by any genetic data. Although crude, our findings challenge the dominant perspective of strict specificity of Pneumocystis to their mammal hosts and highlight an abundance of undescribed diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spenser J. Babb-Biernacki
- Museum of Natural Science and Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - Jacob A. Esselstyn
- Museum of Natural Science and Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA;
| | - Vinson P. Doyle
- Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, Louisiana State University AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA 70809, USA;
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7
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Danesi P, Petini M, Falcaro C, Bertola M, Mazzotta E, Furlanello T, Krockenberger M, Malik R. Pneumocystis Colonization in Dogs Is as in Humans. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19063192. [PMID: 35328882 PMCID: PMC8955813 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19063192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Pneumocystis is an atypical fungus that resides in the pulmonary parenchyma of many mammals, including humans and dogs. Immunocompetent human hosts are usually asymptomatically colonised or show subtle clinical signs, but some immunocompromised people can develop florid life-threatening Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP). Since much less is known concerning Pneumocystis in dogs, we posit the question: can Pneumocystis colonization be present in dogs with inflammatory airway or lung disease caused by other pathogens or disease processes? In this study, Pneumocystis DNA was detected in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of 22/255 dogs (9%) with respiratory distress and/or chronic cough. Although young dogs (<1 year-of-age) and pedigree breeds were more often Pneumocystis-qPCR positive than older dogs and crossbreds, adult dogs with other infectious conditions and/or a history of therapy-resistant pulmonary disease could also be qPCR-positive, including two patients with suppression of the immune system. Absence of pathognomonic clinical or radiographic signs render it impossible to convincingly discriminate between overt PCP versus other lung/airway disease processes colonised by P. canis. It is possible that colonisation with P. canis might play a certain role as a co-pathogen in some canine patients with lower respiratory disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Danesi
- Parasitology, Mycology and Medical Enthomology, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, 35020 Padua, Italy; (C.F.); (M.B.); (E.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-049-8084902
| | - Matteo Petini
- Clinica e Laboratorio Veterinario San Marco, Veggiano, 35030 Padua, Italy; (M.P.); (T.F.)
| | - Christian Falcaro
- Parasitology, Mycology and Medical Enthomology, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, 35020 Padua, Italy; (C.F.); (M.B.); (E.M.)
| | - Michela Bertola
- Parasitology, Mycology and Medical Enthomology, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, 35020 Padua, Italy; (C.F.); (M.B.); (E.M.)
| | - Elisa Mazzotta
- Parasitology, Mycology and Medical Enthomology, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, 35020 Padua, Italy; (C.F.); (M.B.); (E.M.)
| | - Tommaso Furlanello
- Clinica e Laboratorio Veterinario San Marco, Veggiano, 35030 Padua, Italy; (M.P.); (T.F.)
| | - Mark Krockenberger
- Veterinary Pathology Diagnostic Services, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia;
| | - Richard Malik
- Centre for Veterinary Education, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia;
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8
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Cooper TK, Meyerholz DK, Beck AP, Delaney MA, Piersigilli A, Southard TL, Brayton CF. Research-Relevant Conditions and Pathology of Laboratory Mice, Rats, Gerbils, Guinea Pigs, Hamsters, Naked Mole Rats, and Rabbits. ILAR J 2022; 62:77-132. [PMID: 34979559 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilab022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals are valuable resources in biomedical research in investigations of biological processes, disease pathogenesis, therapeutic interventions, safety, toxicity, and carcinogenicity. Interpretation of data from animals requires knowledge not only of the processes or diseases (pathophysiology) under study but also recognition of spontaneous conditions and background lesions (pathology) that can influence or confound the study results. Species, strain/stock, sex, age, anatomy, physiology, spontaneous diseases (noninfectious and infectious), and neoplasia impact experimental results and interpretation as well as animal welfare. This review and the references selected aim to provide a pathology resource for researchers, pathologists, and veterinary personnel who strive to achieve research rigor and validity and must understand the spectrum of "normal" and expected conditions to accurately identify research-relevant experimental phenotypes as well as unusual illness, pathology, or other conditions that can compromise studies involving laboratory mice, rats, gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, naked mole rats, and rabbits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy K Cooper
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - David K Meyerholz
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Amanda P Beck
- Department of Pathology, Yeshiva University Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Martha A Delaney
- Zoological Pathology Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Veterinary Medicine, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Alessandra Piersigilli
- Laboratory of Comparative Pathology and the Genetically Modified Animal Phenotyping Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Teresa L Southard
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Cory F Brayton
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Vera C, Rueda ZV. Transmission and Colonization of Pneumocystis jirovecii. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7110979. [PMID: 34829266 PMCID: PMC8622989 DOI: 10.3390/jof7110979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pneumocystis spp. was discovered in 1909 and was classified as a fungus in 1988. The species that infects humans is called P. jirovecii and important characteristics of its genome have recently been discovered. Important advances have been made to understand P. jirovecii, including aspects of its biology, evolution, lifecycle, and pathogenesis; it is now considered that the main route of transmission is airborne and that the infectious form is the asci (cyst), but it is unclear whether there is transmission by direct contact or droplet spread. On the other hand, P. jirovecii has been detected in respiratory secretions of hosts without causing disease, which has been termed asymptomatic carrier status or colonization (frequency in immunocompetent patients: 0–65%, pregnancy: 15.5%, children: 0–100%, HIV-positive patients: 20–69%, cystic fibrosis: 1–22%, and COPD: 16–55%). This article briefly describes the history of its discovery and the nomenclature of Pneumocystis spp., recently uncovered characteristics of its genome, and what research has been done on the transmission and colonization of P. jirovecii. Based on the literature, the authors of this review propose a hypothetical natural history of P. jirovecii infection in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Vera
- Grupo de Investigación en Salud Pública, Research Department, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín 050031, Colombia
- Correspondence:
| | - Zulma Vanessa Rueda
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg RT3, Colombia;
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Cushion MT, Tisdale-Macioce N, Sayson SG, Porollo A. The Persistent Challenge of Pneumocystis Growth Outside the Mammalian Lung: Past and Future Approaches. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:681474. [PMID: 34093506 PMCID: PMC8174303 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.681474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenic fungi in the genus, Pneumocystis, have eluded attempts to continuously grow them in an ex vivo cultivation system. New data from transcriptomic and genomic sequencing studies have identified a myriad of absent metabolic pathways, helping to define their host obligate nature. These nutrients, factors, and co-factors are acquired from their mammalian host and provide clues to further supplementation of existing media formulations. Likewise, a new appreciation of the pivotal role for the sexual cycle in the survival and dissemination of the infection suggests that Pneumocystis species are obligated to undergo mating and sexual reproduction in their life cycle with a questionable role for an asexual cycle. The lack of ascus formation in any previous cultivation attempts may explain the failure to identify a sustainable system. Many characteristics of these ascomycetes suggest a biotrophic existence within the lungs of the mammalian hosts. In the present review, previous attempts at growing these fungi ex vivo are summarized. The significance of their life cycle is considered, and a list of potential supplements based on the genomic and transcriptomic studies is presented. State of the art technologies such as metabolomics, organoids, lung-on-a chip, and air lift cultures are discussed as potential growth systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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
| | - 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
| | - Steven G Sayson
- 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
| | - Aleksey Porollo
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology, Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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11
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Flandre TD, Piaia A, Cary MG. Biologic Immunomodulatory Drugs and Infection in the Respiratory Tract of Nonhuman Primates. Toxicol Pathol 2020; 49:397-407. [PMID: 32873219 DOI: 10.1177/0192623320946705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Though rare due to measures and practices to control the risk, infections can occur in research and toxicology studies, especially in nonhuman primates (NHPs) exposed to xenobiotics, particularly immunomodulatory drugs. With such xenobiotics, immunocompromised or immunosuppressed animals will not be able to mount a protective response to infection by an opportunistic pathogen (bacteria, virus, parasite, or fungus) that might otherwise be nonpathogenic and remain clinically asymptomatic in immunocompetent animals. The respiratory tract is one of the most commonly affected systems in clinic, but also in toxicology studies. Pulmonary inflammation will be the main finding associated with opportunistic infections and may cause overt clinical disease with even early sacrifice or death, and may compromise or complicate the pathology evaluation. It is important to properly differentiate the various features of infection, to be aware of the range of possible opportunistic pathogens and how they may impact the interpretation of pathology findings. This review will present the most common bacterial, viral, parasitic, and fungal infections observed in the respiratory tract in NHPs during research and/or toxicology studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry D Flandre
- 98560Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro Piaia
- 98560Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
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12
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Riebold D, Lubig J, Wolf P, Wolf C, Russow K, Loebermann M, Slevogt H, Mohr E, Feldhusen F, Reisinger EC. First molecular detection of Pneumocystis spp. in red foxes (Vulpes vulpeslinnaeus, 1758) and raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoidesgray, 1834). Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2020; 73:101531. [PMID: 32871298 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2020.101531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Fungal organisms of the genus Pneumocystis may cause Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in humans, but also domestic and wild mammals. Almost every animal species hosts its own genetically distinct Pneumocystis species, however information is sparse. In this study, 62 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and 37 raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) were collected in North-East Germany. The lung tissues of the animals were analysed by a new designed specific pan-Pneumocystis mtLSU rRNA gene PCR and sequencing. With this PCR, detection and discrimination of all known Pneumocystis spp. in a single step should be possible. This first detection of Pneumocystis spp. in 29/62 (46.8%) red foxes and 29/37 (78.4%) raccoon dogs indicated, that they harbour two dissimilar strains, as seen by specific single nucleotide position changes (SNPs). Nevertheless, five samples with contrary SNPs showed a probable inter-species transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Riebold
- Host Septomics Group, Centre for Innovation Competence (ZIK) Septomics, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany; Division of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Rostock, Germany.
| | - Jacob Lubig
- Division of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Rostock, Germany; Chair for Animal Health and Animal Welfare, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock, Germany
| | - Peter Wolf
- State Office for Agriculture, Food Safety and Fishery Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (LALLF-MV), Rostock, Germany
| | - Carola Wolf
- State Office for Agriculture, Food Safety and Fishery Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (LALLF-MV), Rostock, Germany
| | - Kati Russow
- Division of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Rostock, Germany
| | - Micha Loebermann
- Division of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Rostock, Germany
| | - Hortense Slevogt
- Host Septomics Group, Centre for Innovation Competence (ZIK) Septomics, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Elmar Mohr
- Chair for Animal Health and Animal Welfare, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock, Germany
| | - Frerk Feldhusen
- State Office for Agriculture, Food Safety and Fishery Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (LALLF-MV), Rostock, Germany
| | - Emil Christian Reisinger
- Division of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Rostock, Germany
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13
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Ma L, Chen Z, Huang DW, Cissé OH, Rothenburger JL, Latinne A, Bishop L, Blair R, Brenchley JM, Chabé M, Deng X, Hirsch V, Keesler R, Kutty G, Liu Y, Margolis D, Morand S, Pahar B, Peng L, Van Rompay KKA, Song X, Song J, Sukura A, Thapar S, Wang H, Weissenbacher-Lang C, Xu J, Lee CH, Jardine C, Lempicki RA, Cushion MT, Cuomo CA, Kovacs JA. Diversity and Complexity of the Large Surface Protein Family in the Compacted Genomes of Multiple Pneumocystis Species. mBio 2020; 11:e02878-19. [PMID: 32127451 PMCID: PMC7064768 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02878-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Pneumocystis, a major opportunistic pathogen in patients with a broad range of immunodeficiencies, contains abundant surface proteins encoded by a multicopy gene family, termed the major surface glycoprotein (Msg) gene superfamily. This superfamily has been identified in all Pneumocystis species characterized to date, highlighting its important role in Pneumocystis biology. In this report, through a comprehensive and in-depth characterization of 459 msg genes from 7 Pneumocystis species, we demonstrate, for the first time, the phylogeny and evolution of conserved domains in Msg proteins and provide a detailed description of the classification, unique characteristics, and phylogenetic relatedness of five Msg families. We further describe, for the first time, the relative expression levels of individual msg families in two rodent Pneumocystis species, the substantial variability of the msg repertoires in P. carinii from laboratory and wild rats, and the distinct features of the expression site for the classic msg genes in Pneumocystis from 8 mammalian host species. Our analysis suggests multiple functions for this superfamily rather than just conferring antigenic variation to allow immune evasion as previously believed. This study provides a rich source of information that lays the foundation for the continued experimental exploration of the functions of the Msg superfamily in Pneumocystis biology.IMPORTANCEPneumocystis continues to be a major cause of disease in humans with immunodeficiency, especially those with HIV/AIDS and organ transplants, and is being seen with increasing frequency worldwide in patients treated with immunodepleting monoclonal antibodies. Annual health care associated with Pneumocystis pneumonia costs ∼$475 million dollars in the United States alone. In addition to causing overt disease in immunodeficient individuals, Pneumocystis can cause subclinical infection or colonization in healthy individuals, which may play an important role in species preservation and disease transmission. Our work sheds new light on the diversity and complexity of the msg superfamily and strongly suggests that the versatility of this superfamily reflects multiple functions, including antigenic variation to allow immune evasion and optimal adaptation to host environmental conditions to promote efficient infection and transmission. These findings are essential to consider in developing new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Ma
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Zehua Chen
- Broad Institute of Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Da Wei Huang
- Leidos BioMedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Ousmane H Cissé
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jamie L Rothenburger
- Department of Pathobiology, Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Lisa Bishop
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert Blair
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Jason M Brenchley
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Magali Chabé
- Université Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 8204-CIIL-Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Xilong Deng
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Vanessa Hirsch
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Rebekah Keesler
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Geetha Kutty
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Yueqin Liu
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Daniel Margolis
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Serge Morand
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, Université de Montpellier 2, Montpellier, France
| | - Bapi Pahar
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Li Peng
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Koen K A Van Rompay
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Xiaohong Song
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jun Song
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Antti Sukura
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sabrina Thapar
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Honghui Wang
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Jie Xu
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Chao-Hung Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Claire Jardine
- Department of Pathobiology, Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Richard A Lempicki
- Leidos BioMedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Melanie T Cushion
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Christina A Cuomo
- Broad Institute of Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joseph A Kovacs
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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14
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Danesi P, Falcaro C, Ravagnan S, Da Rold G, Porcellato E, Corrò M, Iatta R, Cafarchia C, Frangipane di Regalbono A, Meyer W, Capelli G. Real-time PCR assay for screening Pneumocystis in free-living wild squirrels and river rats in Italy. J Vet Diagn Invest 2018; 30:862-867. [PMID: 30204066 DOI: 10.1177/1040638718797379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
We used a real-time PCR (rtPCR) targeting a 150-bp amplicon of the mitochondrial small subunit of ribosomal RNA (mtSSU rRNA) to screen for Pneumocystis DNA in lungs of wild squirrels ( Callosciurus finlaysonii, n = 85) and river rats ( Myocastor coypus, n = 43) in Italy. The rtPCR revealed Pneumocystis DNA in 20 of 85 (24%) squirrels and in 35 of 43 (81%) river rats, and was more sensitive than a nested PCR that targets a portion of the mtSSU rRNA and the mitochondrial large subunit of rRNA (mtLSU rRNA). Phylogenetic analysis based on mtSSU rRNA and mtLSU rRNA sequences showed distinct Pneumocystis sequence types in these rodents. The rtPCR assay should be reliable for screening large populations for this potential pathogen, thereby allowing cost-effective monitoring of the disease in wild animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Danesi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Danesi, Falcaro, Ravagnan, Da Rold, Porcellato, Corrò, Capelli).,Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy (Iatta, Cafarchia).,Dipartimento di Medicina Animale, Produzioni e Salute, Università degli Studi di Padova, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Frangipane di Regalbono).,Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Clinical School-Sydney Medical School, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia (Meyer)
| | - Christian Falcaro
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Danesi, Falcaro, Ravagnan, Da Rold, Porcellato, Corrò, Capelli).,Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy (Iatta, Cafarchia).,Dipartimento di Medicina Animale, Produzioni e Salute, Università degli Studi di Padova, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Frangipane di Regalbono).,Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Clinical School-Sydney Medical School, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia (Meyer)
| | - Silvia Ravagnan
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Danesi, Falcaro, Ravagnan, Da Rold, Porcellato, Corrò, Capelli).,Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy (Iatta, Cafarchia).,Dipartimento di Medicina Animale, Produzioni e Salute, Università degli Studi di Padova, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Frangipane di Regalbono).,Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Clinical School-Sydney Medical School, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia (Meyer)
| | - Graziana Da Rold
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Danesi, Falcaro, Ravagnan, Da Rold, Porcellato, Corrò, Capelli).,Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy (Iatta, Cafarchia).,Dipartimento di Medicina Animale, Produzioni e Salute, Università degli Studi di Padova, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Frangipane di Regalbono).,Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Clinical School-Sydney Medical School, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia (Meyer)
| | - Elena Porcellato
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Danesi, Falcaro, Ravagnan, Da Rold, Porcellato, Corrò, Capelli).,Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy (Iatta, Cafarchia).,Dipartimento di Medicina Animale, Produzioni e Salute, Università degli Studi di Padova, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Frangipane di Regalbono).,Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Clinical School-Sydney Medical School, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia (Meyer)
| | - Michela Corrò
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Danesi, Falcaro, Ravagnan, Da Rold, Porcellato, Corrò, Capelli).,Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy (Iatta, Cafarchia).,Dipartimento di Medicina Animale, Produzioni e Salute, Università degli Studi di Padova, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Frangipane di Regalbono).,Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Clinical School-Sydney Medical School, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia (Meyer)
| | - Roberta Iatta
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Danesi, Falcaro, Ravagnan, Da Rold, Porcellato, Corrò, Capelli).,Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy (Iatta, Cafarchia).,Dipartimento di Medicina Animale, Produzioni e Salute, Università degli Studi di Padova, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Frangipane di Regalbono).,Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Clinical School-Sydney Medical School, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia (Meyer)
| | - Claudia Cafarchia
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Danesi, Falcaro, Ravagnan, Da Rold, Porcellato, Corrò, Capelli).,Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy (Iatta, Cafarchia).,Dipartimento di Medicina Animale, Produzioni e Salute, Università degli Studi di Padova, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Frangipane di Regalbono).,Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Clinical School-Sydney Medical School, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia (Meyer)
| | - Antonio Frangipane di Regalbono
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Danesi, Falcaro, Ravagnan, Da Rold, Porcellato, Corrò, Capelli).,Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy (Iatta, Cafarchia).,Dipartimento di Medicina Animale, Produzioni e Salute, Università degli Studi di Padova, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Frangipane di Regalbono).,Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Clinical School-Sydney Medical School, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia (Meyer)
| | - Wieland Meyer
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Danesi, Falcaro, Ravagnan, Da Rold, Porcellato, Corrò, Capelli).,Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy (Iatta, Cafarchia).,Dipartimento di Medicina Animale, Produzioni e Salute, Università degli Studi di Padova, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Frangipane di Regalbono).,Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Clinical School-Sydney Medical School, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia (Meyer)
| | - Gioia Capelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Danesi, Falcaro, Ravagnan, Da Rold, Porcellato, Corrò, Capelli).,Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Valenzano, Bari, Italy (Iatta, Cafarchia).,Dipartimento di Medicina Animale, Produzioni e Salute, Università degli Studi di Padova, Legnaro, Padova, Italy (Frangipane di Regalbono).,Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Clinical School-Sydney Medical School, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW, Australia (Meyer)
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15
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Cissé OH, Hauser PM. Genomics and evolution of Pneumocystis species. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2018; 65:308-320. [PMID: 30138710 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2018.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The genus Pneumocystis comprises highly diversified fungal species that cause severe pneumonia in individuals with a deficient immune system. These fungi infect exclusively mammals and present a strict host species specificity. These species have co-diverged with their hosts for long periods of time (> 100 MYA). Details of their biology and evolution are fragmentary mainly because of a lack of an established long-term culture system. Recent genomic advances have unlocked new areas of research and allow new hypotheses to be tested. We review here new findings of the genomic studies in relation with the evolutionary trajectory of these fungi and discuss the impact of genomic data analysis in the context of the population genetics. The combination of slow genome decay and limited expansion of specific gene families and introns reflect intimate interactions of these species with their hosts. The evolutionary adaptation of these organisms is profoundly influenced by their population structure, which in turn is determined by intrinsic features such as their self-fertilizing mating system, high host specificity, long generation times, and transmission mode. Essential key questions concerning their adaptation and speciation remain to be answered. The next cornerstone will consist in the establishment of a long-term culture system and genetic manipulation that should allow unravelling the driving forces of Pneumocystis species evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ousmane H Cissé
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Philippe M Hauser
- Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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16
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Ma L, Cissé OH, Kovacs JA. A Molecular Window into the Biology and Epidemiology of Pneumocystis spp. Clin Microbiol Rev 2018; 31:e00009-18. [PMID: 29899010 PMCID: PMC6056843 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00009-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Pneumocystis, a unique atypical fungus with an elusive lifestyle, has had an important medical history. It came to prominence as an opportunistic pathogen that not only can cause life-threatening pneumonia in patients with HIV infection and other immunodeficiencies but also can colonize the lungs of healthy individuals from a very early age. The genus Pneumocystis includes a group of closely related but heterogeneous organisms that have a worldwide distribution, have been detected in multiple mammalian species, are highly host species specific, inhabit the lungs almost exclusively, and have never convincingly been cultured in vitro, making Pneumocystis a fascinating but difficult-to-study organism. Improved molecular biologic methodologies have opened a new window into the biology and epidemiology of Pneumocystis. Advances include an improved taxonomic classification, identification of an extremely reduced genome and concomitant inability to metabolize and grow independent of the host lungs, insights into its transmission mode, recognition of its widespread colonization in both immunocompetent and immunodeficient hosts, and utilization of strain variation to study drug resistance, epidemiology, and outbreaks of infection among transplant patients. This review summarizes these advances and also identifies some major questions and challenges that need to be addressed to better understand Pneumocystis biology and its relevance to clinical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Ma
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ousmane H Cissé
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph A Kovacs
- Critical Care Medicine Department, NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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17
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Song J, Wang G, Hoenerhoff MJ, Ruan J, Yang D, Zhang J, Yang J, Lester PA, Sigler R, Bradley M, Eckley S, Cornelius K, Chen K, Kolls JK, Peng L, Ma L, Chen YE, Sun F, Xu J. Bacterial and Pneumocystis Infections in the Lungs of Gene-Knockout Rabbits with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency. Front Immunol 2018; 9:429. [PMID: 29593714 PMCID: PMC5854650 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology, we recently produced a number of rabbits with mutations in immune function genes, including FOXN1, PRKDC, RAG1, RAG2, and IL2RG. Seven founder knockout rabbits (F0) and three male IL2RG null (-/y) F1 animals demonstrated severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), characterized by absence or pronounced hypoplasia of the thymus and splenic white pulp, and absence of immature and mature T and B-lymphocytes in peripheral blood. Complete blood count analysis showed severe leukopenia and lymphocytopenia accompanied by severe neutrophilia. Without prophylactic antibiotics, the SCID rabbits universally succumbed to lung infections following weaning. Pathology examination revealed severe heterophilic bronchopneumonia caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica in several animals, but a consistent feature of lung lesions in all animals was a severe interstitial pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis oryctolagi, as confirmed by histological examination and PCR analysis of Pneumocystis genes. The results of this study suggest that these SCID rabbits could serve as a useful model for human SCID to investigate the disease pathogenesis and the development of gene and drug therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Song
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Guoshun Wang
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Mark J. Hoenerhoff
- In Vivo Animal Core, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Jinxue Ruan
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Dongshan Yang
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Jibing Yang
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Patrick A. Lester
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Robert Sigler
- In Vivo Animal Core, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Michael Bradley
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Samantha Eckley
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Kelsey Cornelius
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Kong Chen
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jay K. Kolls
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Li Peng
- Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Liang Ma
- Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Yuqing Eugene Chen
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Fei Sun
- Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Jie Xu
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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18
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In vitro and in vivo activity of iclaprim, a diaminopyrimidine compound and potential therapeutic alternative against Pneumocystis pneumonia. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2018; 37:409-415. [DOI: 10.1007/s10096-018-3184-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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19
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Genetic diversity and evolution of Pneumocystis fungi infecting wild Southeast Asian murid rodents. Parasitology 2017; 145:885-900. [PMID: 29117878 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182017001883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Pneumocystis organisms are airborne-transmitted fungal parasites that infect the lungs of numerous mammalian species with strong host specificity. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity and host specificity of Pneumocystis organisms infecting Southeast Asian murid rodents through PCR amplification of two mitochondrial genes and tested the co-phylogeny hypothesis among these fungi and their rodent hosts. Pneumocystis DNA was detected in 215 of 445 wild rodents belonging to 18 Southeast Asian murid species. Three of the Pneumocystis lineages retrieved in our phylogenetic trees correspond to known Pneumocystis species, but some of the remaining lineages may correspond to new undescribed species. Most of these Pneumocystis species infect several rodent species or genera and some sequence types are shared among several host species and genera. These results indicated a weaker host specificity of Pneumocystis species infecting rodents than previously thought. Our co-phylogenetic analyses revealed a complex evolutionary history among Pneumocystis and their rodent hosts. Even if a significant global signal of co-speciation has been detected, co-speciation alone is not sufficient to explain the observed co-phylogenetic pattern and several host switches are inferred. These findings conflict with the traditional view of a prolonged process of co-evolution and co-speciation of Pneumocystis and their hosts.
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van Nieuwenhuijzen EJ, Houbraken JAMP, Meijer M, Adan OCG, Samson RA. Aureobasidium melanogenum: a native of dark biofinishes on oil treated wood. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2016; 109:661-83. [PMID: 26920754 PMCID: PMC4819947 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-016-0668-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The genus Aureobasidium, which is known as a wood staining mould, has been detected on oil treated woods in the specific stain formation called biofinish. This biofinish is used to develop a new protective, self-healing and decorative biotreatment for wood. In order to understand and control biofinish formation on oil treated wood, the occurrence of different Aureobasidium species on various wood surfaces was studied. Phenotypic variability within Aureobasidium strains presented limitations of morphological identification of Aureobasidium species. PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing of ITS and RPB2 were used to identify the culturable Aureobasidium species composition in mould stained wood surfaces with and without a biofinish. The analysed isolates showed that several Aureobasidium species were present and that Aureobasidium melanogenum was predominantly detected, regardless of the presence of a biofinish and the type of substrate. A.melanogenum was detected on wood samples exposed in the Netherlands, Cameroon, South Africa, Australia and Norway. ITS-specific PCR amplification, cloning and sequencing of DNA extracted from biofinish samples confirmed results of the culturing based method: A. melanogenum is predominant within the Aureobasidium population of biofinishes on pine sapwood treated with raw linseed oil and the outdoor placement in the Netherlands.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jos A M P Houbraken
- CBS KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Meijer
- CBS KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Olaf C G Adan
- Section Transport in Permeable Media, Department of Applied Physics, University of Technology Eindhoven, Den Dolech 2, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Robert A Samson
- CBS KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Barcoding markers for Pneumocystis species in wildlife. Fungal Biol 2016; 120:191-206. [DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2015.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Revised: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Skalski JH, Kottom TJ, Limper AH. Pathobiology of Pneumocystis pneumonia: life cycle, cell wall and cell signal transduction. FEMS Yeast Res 2015; 15:fov046. [PMID: 26071598 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/fov046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Pneumocystis is a genus of ascomycetous fungi that are highly morbid pathogens in immunosuppressed humans and other mammals. Pneumocystis cannot easily be propagated in culture, which has greatly hindered understanding of its pathobiology. The Pneumocystis life cycle is intimately associated with its mammalian host lung environment, and life cycle progression is dependent on complex interactions with host alveolar epithelial cells and the extracellular matrix. The Pneumocystis cell wall is a varied and dynamic structure containing a dominant major surface glycoprotein, β-glucans and chitins that are important for evasion of host defenses and stimulation of the host immune system. Understanding of Pneumocystis cell signaling pathways is incomplete, but much has been deduced by comparison of the Pneumocystis genome with homologous genes and proteins in related fungi. In this mini-review, the pathobiology of Pneumocystis is reviewed, with particular focus on the life cycle, cell wall components and cell signal transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph H Skalski
- Thoracic Diseases Research Unit, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Theodore J Kottom
- Thoracic Diseases Research Unit, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Andrew H Limper
- Thoracic Diseases Research Unit, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
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Demanche C, Deville M, Michaux J, Barriel V, Pinçon C, Aliouat-Denis CM, Pottier M, Noël C, Viscogliosi E, Aliouat EM, Dei-Cas E, Morand S, Guillot J. What do Pneumocystis organisms tell us about the phylogeography of their hosts? The case of the woodmouse Apodemus sylvaticus in continental Europe and western Mediterranean islands. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0120839. [PMID: 25830289 PMCID: PMC4382281 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2013] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Pneumocystis fungi represent a highly diversified biological group with numerous species, which display a strong host-specificity suggesting a long co-speciation process. In the present study, the presence and genetic diversity of Pneumocystis organisms was investigated in 203 lung samples from woodmice (Apodemus sylvaticus) collected on western continental Europe and Mediterranean islands. The presence of Pneumocystis DNA was assessed by nested PCR at both large and small mitochondrial subunit (mtLSU and mtSSU) rRNA loci. Direct sequencing of nested PCR products demonstrated a very high variability among woodmouse-derived Pneumocystis organisms with a total number of 30 distinct combined mtLSU and mtSSU sequence types. However, the genetic divergence among these sequence types was very low (up to 3.87%) and the presence of several Pneumocystis species within Apodemus sylvaticus was considered unlikely. The analysis of the genetic structure of woodmouse-derived Pneumocystis revealed two distinct groups. The first one comprised Pneumocystis from woodmice collected in continental Spain, France and Balearic islands. The second one included Pneumocystis from woodmice collected in continental Italy, Corsica and Sicily. These two genetic groups were in accordance with the two lineages currently described within the host species Apodemus sylvaticus. Pneumocystis organisms are emerging as powerful tools for phylogeographic studies in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Demanche
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie (EA4547), Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Lille, Lille, France; Institut Pasteur de Lille, Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Inserm U1019, UMR CNRS 8204, Université de Lille, BioPôle d'Alfort, Biologie et Diversité des Pathogènes Eucaryotes Emergents, Lille, France
| | - Manjula Deville
- ENVA, UPEC, Research group Dynamyc, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94704, Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France
| | - Johan Michaux
- CBGP (Centre de Biologie et de Gestion des Populations), UMR INRA/IRD/Cirad/Montpellier SupAgro, Campus international de Baillarguet, CS 30016, 34988, Montferrier-sur-Lez cedex, France; Institut de Botanique (B22), University of Liège, 4000, Liège, (Sart Tilman), Belgium
| | - Véronique Barriel
- Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, CR2P-UMR 7207 CNRS, MNHN, Univ Paris06, Paris, France
| | - Claire Pinçon
- Departement of Biostatistics (EA2694), Université de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Cécile Marie Aliouat-Denis
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie (EA4547), Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Lille, Lille, France; Institut Pasteur de Lille, Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Inserm U1019, UMR CNRS 8204, Université de Lille, BioPôle d'Alfort, Biologie et Diversité des Pathogènes Eucaryotes Emergents, Lille, France
| | - Muriel Pottier
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie (EA4547), Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Lille, Lille, France; Institut Pasteur de Lille, Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Inserm U1019, UMR CNRS 8204, Université de Lille, BioPôle d'Alfort, Biologie et Diversité des Pathogènes Eucaryotes Emergents, Lille, France
| | - Christophe Noël
- Geneius Laboratories Ltd, INEX Business Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Eric Viscogliosi
- Institut Pasteur de Lille, Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Inserm U1019, UMR CNRS 8204, Université de Lille, BioPôle d'Alfort, Biologie et Diversité des Pathogènes Eucaryotes Emergents, Lille, France
| | - El Moukhtar Aliouat
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie (EA4547), Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Lille, Lille, France; Institut Pasteur de Lille, Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Inserm U1019, UMR CNRS 8204, Université de Lille, BioPôle d'Alfort, Biologie et Diversité des Pathogènes Eucaryotes Emergents, Lille, France
| | - Eduardo Dei-Cas
- Institut Pasteur de Lille, Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Inserm U1019, UMR CNRS 8204, Université de Lille, BioPôle d'Alfort, Biologie et Diversité des Pathogènes Eucaryotes Emergents, Lille, France; Parasitologie-Mycologie (EA4547) Faculté de Médecine, Université de Lille, CHRU, Lille, France
| | - Serge Morand
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, UMR CNRS-IRD-UM2, Université de Montpellier 2, F-34093, Montpellier, France; CIRAD-CNRS, Centre d'Infectiologie Christophe Mérieux du Laos, Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Jacques Guillot
- ENVA, UPEC, Research group Dynamyc, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94704, Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France
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Nowland MH, Brammer DW, Garcia A, Rush HG. Biology and Diseases of Rabbits. LABORATORY ANIMAL MEDICINE 2015. [PMCID: PMC7150064 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-409527-4.00010-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Beginning in 1931, an inbred rabbit colony was developed at the Phipps Institute for the Study, Treatment and Prevention of Tuberculosis at the University of Pennsylvania. This colony was used to study natural resistance to infection with tuberculosis (Robertson et al., 1966). Other inbred colonies or well-defined breeding colonies were also developed at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Center for Genetics, the Laboratories of the International Health Division of The Rockefeller Foundation, the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, and Jackson Laboratories. These colonies were moved or closed in the years to follow. Since 1973, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported the total number of certain species of animals used by registered research facilities (1997). In 1973, 447,570 rabbits were used in research. There has been an overall decrease in numbers of rabbits used. This decreasing trend started in the mid-1990s. In 2010, 210,172 rabbits were used in research. Despite the overall drop in the number used in research, the rabbit is still a valuable model and tool for many disciplines.
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Weissenbacher-Lang C, Nedorost N, Weissenböck H. Finding your way through Pneumocystis sequences in the NCBI gene database. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2014; 61:537-55. [PMID: 24966006 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2013] [Revised: 01/16/2014] [Accepted: 04/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Pneumocystis sequences can be downloaded from GenBank for purposes as primer/probe design or phylogenetic studies. Due to changes in nomenclature and assignment, available sequences are presented with a variety of inhomogeneous information, which renders practical utilization difficult. The aim of this study was the descriptive evaluation of different parameters of 532 Pneumocystis sequences of mitochondrial and ribosomal origin downloaded from GenBank with regard to completeness and information content. Pneumocystis sequences were characterized by up to four different names. Official changes in nomenclature have only been partly implemented and the usage of the "forma specialis", a special feature of Pneumocystis, has only been established fragmentary in the database. Hints for a mitochondrial or ribosomal genomic origin could be found, but can easily be overlooked, which renders the download of wrong reference material possible. The specification of the host was either not available or variable regarding the used language and the localization of this information in the title or several subtitles, which limits their applicability in phylogenetic studies. Declaration of products and geographic origin was incomplete. The print version of this manuscript is completed by an online database which contains detailed information to every accession number included in the meta-analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Weissenbacher-Lang
- Institute of Pathology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécile-Marie Aliouat-Denis
- Faculty of Pharmacy - University of Lille 2 - Parasitology Department, 3, rue du Pr Laguesse BP83, Lille, 59006, France; Pasteur Institute of Lille - Biology and Diversity of Emerging Eukaryotic Pathogens (BDEEP), 1, rue du Pr. Calmette BP245, Lille, 59019, France
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Varga M. Cardiorespiratory Disease. TEXTBOOK OF RABBIT MEDICINE 2014. [PMCID: PMC7150336 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-7020-4979-8.00011-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
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Jarboui MA, Mseddi F, Sellami H, Sellami A, Makni F, Ayadi A. [Pneumocystis: epidemiology and molecular approaches]. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 61:239-44. [PMID: 23849772 DOI: 10.1016/j.patbio.2013.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2013] [Accepted: 05/17/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Pneumocystosis is a common opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients, especially in AIDS patients. The diagnosis of this pneumonia has presented several difficulties due to the low sensitivity of conventional staining methods and the absence of culture system for Pneumocystis. The molecular biology techniques, especially the PCR, have improved the detection of DNA of this fungus in invasive and noninvasive samples, and in the environment which highlighted human transmission and the existence of environmental source of Pneumocystis. In addition, various molecular biology techniques were used for typing of Pneumocystis strains, especially P. jirovecii, which is characterized by a significant genetic biodiversity. Finally, the widespread use of cotrimoxazole for the treatment and prophylaxis of pneumocystosis has raised questions about possible resistance to sulfa drugs in P. jirovecii.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Jarboui
- Laboratoire de biologie moléculaire parasitaire et fongique, faculté de médecine, université de Sfax, rue de Magida Boulila, 3029 Sfax, Tunisie.
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Diamidines versus Monoamidines as Anti-Pneumocystis Agents: An in Vivo Study. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2013; 6:837-50. [PMID: 24276317 PMCID: PMC3816707 DOI: 10.3390/ph6070837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2013] [Revised: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 06/17/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Some compounds articulated around a piperazine or an ethylenediamine linker have been evaluated in vitro to determine their activity in the presence of a 3T6 fibroblast cell line and an axenic culture of Pneumocystis carinii, respectively. The most efficient antifungal derivatives, namely N,N′-bis(benzamidine-4-yl)ethane-1,2-diamine (compound 6, a diamidine) and N-(benzamidine-4-yl)-N′-phenylethane-1,2-diamine (compound 7, a monoamidine), exhibited no cytotoxicity and were evaluated in vivo in a rat model. Only the diamidine 6 emerged as a promising hit for further studies.
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Menotti J, Emmanuel A, Bouchekouk C, Chabe M, Choukri F, Pottier M, Sarfati C, Aliouat EM, Derouin F. Evidence of airborne excretion of Pneumocystis carinii during infection in immunocompetent rats. Lung involvement and antibody response. PLoS One 2013; 8:e62155. [PMID: 23626781 PMCID: PMC3633925 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2012] [Accepted: 03/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
To better understand the role of immunocompetent hosts in the diffusion of Pneumocystis in the environment, airborne shedding of Pneumocystis carinii in the surrounding air of experimentally infected Sprague Dawley rats was quantified by means of a real-time PCR assay, in parallel with the kinetics of P. carinii loads in lungs and specific serum antibody titres. Pneumocystis-free Sprague Dawley rats were intratracheally inoculated at day 0 (d0) and then followed for 60 days. P. carinii DNA was detected in lungs until d29 in two separate experiments and thereafter remained undetectable. A transient air excretion of Pneumocystis DNA was observed between d14 and d22 in the first experiment and between d9 and d19 in the second experiment; it was related to the peak of infection in lungs. IgM and IgG anti-P. carinii antibody increase preceded clearance of P. carinii in the lungs and cessation of airborne excretion. In rats receiving a second challenge 3 months after the first inoculation, Pneumocystis was only detected at a low level in the lungs of 2 of 3 rats at d2 post challenge and was never detected in air samples. Anti-Pneumocystis antibody determinations showed a typical secondary IgG antibody response. This study provides the first direct evidence that immunocompetent hosts can excrete Pneumocystis following a primary acquired infection. Lung infection was apparently controlled by the immune response since fungal burdens decreased to become undetectable as specific antibodies reached high titres in serum. This immune response was apparently protective against reinfection 3 months later.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Menotti
- Department of Parasitology-Mycology, E.A.3520, Paris-Diderot University, Sorbonne Paris Cité and Saint-Louis Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.
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Cafarchia C, Figueredo LA, Otranto D. Fungal diseases of horses. Vet Microbiol 2013; 167:215-34. [PMID: 23428378 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2013.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2012] [Revised: 01/13/2013] [Accepted: 01/17/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Among diseases of horses caused by fungi (=mycoses), dermatophytosis, cryptococcosis and aspergillosis are of particular concern, due their worldwide diffusion and, for some of them, zoonotic potential. Conversely, other mycoses such as subcutaneous (i.e., pythiosis and mycetoma) or deep mycoses (i.e., blastomycosis and coccidioidomycosis) are rare, and/or limited to restricted geographical areas. Generally, subcutaneous and deep mycoses are chronic and progressive diseases; clinical signs include extensive, painful lesions (not pathognomonic), which resemble to other microbial infections. In all cases, early diagnosis is crucial in order to achieve a favorable prognosis. Knowledge of the epidemiology, clinical signs, and diagnosis of fungal diseases is essential for the establishment of effective therapeutic strategies. This article reviews the clinical manifestations, diagnosis and therapeutic protocols of equine fungal infections as a support to early diagnosis and application of targeted therapeutic and control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Cafarchia
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Str. prov.le per Casamassima Km 3, 70010 Valenzano, Bari, Italy.
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Characterizing Pneumocystis in the lungs of bats: understanding Pneumocystis evolution and the spread of Pneumocystis organisms in mammal populations. Appl Environ Microbiol 2012; 78:8122-36. [PMID: 23001662 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01791-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats belong to a wide variety of species and occupy diversified habitats, from cities to the countryside. Their different diets (i.e., nectarivore, frugivore, insectivore, hematophage) lead Chiroptera to colonize a range of ecological niches. These flying mammals exert an undisputable impact on both ecosystems and circulation of pathogens that they harbor. Pneumocystis species are recognized as major opportunistic fungal pathogens which cause life-threatening pneumonia in severely immunocompromised or weakened mammals. Pneumocystis consists of a heterogeneous group of highly adapted host-specific fungal parasites that colonize a wide range of mammalian hosts. In the present study, 216 lungs of 19 bat species, sampled from diverse biotopes in the New and Old Worlds, were examined. Each bat species may be harboring a specific Pneumocystis species. We report 32.9% of Pneumocystis carriage in wild bats (41.9% in Microchiroptera). Ecological and behavioral factors (elevation, crowding, migration) seemed to influence the Pneumocystis carriage. This study suggests that Pneumocystis-host association may yield much information on Pneumocystis transmission, phylogeny, and biology in mammals. Moreover, the link between genetic variability of Pneumocystis isolated from populations of the same bat species and their geographic area could be exploited in terms of phylogeography.
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Riebold D, Mohr E, Sombetzki M, Fritzsche C, Loebermann M, Reisinger E. Pneumocystis species in Brown Leghorn laying hens—A hint for an extra-mammalian reservoir. Poult Sci 2012; 91:1813-8. [DOI: 10.3382/ps.2011-01930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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Henderson KS, Dole V, Parker NJ, Momtsios P, Banu L, Brouillette R, Simon MA, Albers TM, Pritchett-Corning KR, Clifford CB, Shek WR. Pneumocystis carinii causes a distinctive interstitial pneumonia in immunocompetent laboratory rats that had been attributed to "rat respiratory virus". Vet Pathol 2012; 49:440-52. [PMID: 22308234 DOI: 10.1177/0300985811432351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
A prevalent and distinctive infectious interstitial pneumonia (IIP) of immunocompetent laboratory rats was suspected to be caused by a putative virus, termed rat respiratory virus, but this was never substantiated. To study this disease, 2 isolators were independently populated with rats from colonies with endemic disease, which was perpetuated by the regular addition of naive rats. After Pneumocystis was demonstrated by histopathology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the lungs of rats from both isolators and an earlier bedding transmission study, the relationship between Pneumocystis and IIP was explored further by analyzing specimens from 3 contact transmission experiments, diagnostic submissions, and barrier room breeding colonies, including 1 with and 49 without IIP. Quantitative (q) PCR and immunofluorescence assay only detected Pneumocystis infection and serum antibodies in rats from experiments or colonies in which IIP was diagnosed by histopathology. In immunocompetent hosts, the Pneumocystis concentration in lungs corresponded to the severity and prevalence of IIP; seroconversion occurred when IIP developed and was followed by the concurrent clearance of Pneumocystis from lungs and resolution of disease. Experimentally infected immunodeficient RNU rats, by contrast, did not seroconvert to Pneumocystis or recover from infection. qPCR found Pneumocystis at significantly higher concentrations and much more often in lungs than in bronchial and nasal washes and failed to detect Pneumocystis in oral swabs. The sequences of a mitochondrial ribosomal large-subunit gene region for Pneumocystis from 11 distinct IIP sources were all identical to that of P. carinii. These data provide substantial evidence that P. carinii causes IIP in immunocompetent rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- K S Henderson
- Research Models and Services, Charles River, 251 Ballardvale St, Wilmington, MA 01887, USA.
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Kutty G, Achaz G, Maldarelli F, Varma A, Shroff R, Becker S, Fantoni G, Kovacs JA. Characterization of the meiosis-specific recombinase Dmc1 of pneumocystis. J Infect Dis 2010; 202:1920-9. [PMID: 21050123 DOI: 10.1086/657414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The life cycle of Pneumocystis, which causes life-threatening pneumonia in immunosuppressed patients, remains poorly defined. In the present study, we have identified and characterized an orthologue of dmc1, a gene specific for meiotic recombination in yeast, in 3 species of Pneumocystis. dmc1 is a single-copy gene that is transcribed as ∼1.2-kb messenger RNA, which encodes a protein of 336-337 amino acids. Pneumocystis Dmc1 was 61%-70% identical to those from yeast. Confocal microscopy results indicated that the expression of Dmc1 is primarily confined to the cyst form of Pneumocystis. By sequence analysis of 2 single-copy regions of the human Pneumocystis jirovecii genome, we can infer multiple recombination events, which are consistent with meiotic recombination in this primarily haploid organism. Taken together, these studies support the occurrence of a sexual phase in the life cycle of Pneumocystis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geetha Kutty
- Critical Care Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, USA
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Feng X, Wei C, Adam RD, Li Z, Lu S. Phylogenetic status of Pneumocystis from corticosteroid-treated gerbils. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2010; 53:1239-46. [PMID: 20953947 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-010-4074-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2010] [Accepted: 07/29/2010] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Pneumocystis spp. infect the lungs of multiple mammalian species and cause disease in immunosuppressed individuals. The Pneumocystis isolates that have been studied to date fall into two major clades, those from primates and those from rodents. Within each of these clades, different species have been described on the basis of host specificity and differences in sequence and morphology. Here, we demonstrate that dexamethasone immunosuppression consistently results in histologically apparent lung infection in gerbils (28/35 animals). Sequence analysis of the 18S, 5.8S and internal transcribed spacer regions of the rDNA and a portion of the mitochondrial large subunit rDNA demonstrated that this gerbil Pneumocystis is grouped with other rodent Pneumocystis spp., but is distinct from them. Our results suggest that gerbil Pneumocystis differs sufficiently from Pneumocystis species found in other rodents to be considered a separate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- XianMin Feng
- Department of Parasitology, Jilin Medical College, Jilin, China
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37
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Cushion MT, Stringer JR. Stealth and Opportunism: Alternative Lifestyles of Species in the Fungal GenusPneumocystis. Annu Rev Microbiol 2010; 64:431-52. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev.micro.112408.134335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Melanie T. Cushion
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0560
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45220;
| | - James R. Stringer
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0560; ,
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Borba MR, Sanches EMC, Corrêa AMR, Spanamberg A, de Souza Leal J, Soares MP, Guillot J, Driemeier D, Ferreiro L. Immunohistochemical and ultra-structural detection of Pneumocystis in wild boars (Sus scrofa) co-infected with porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in Southern Brazil. Med Mycol 2010; 49:172-5. [PMID: 20807029 DOI: 10.3109/13693786.2010.510540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pneumocystis spp. are fungi that are able to infect a variety of host species and, occasionally, lead to severe pneumonia. Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is an important viral pathogen which affects both swine and wild boar herds worldwide. Co-infection between PCV2 and other pathogens has been reported, and the secondary immunodeficiency caused by the virus may predispose to these co-infections. In the present study, postmortem tissue samples obtained from wild boar herds in Southern Brazil were analyzed by histopathology, ultra-structural observation, and immunohistochemistry. Forty-seven out of seventy-eight (60%) wild boars showed clinical signs, gross, and histopathological lesions characteristic of infection by PCV2. Pneumocystis was detected by immunohistochemistry in 39 (50%) lungs and viral antigens of PCV2 were found in 29 (37.2%) samples. Concomitant presence of Pneumocystis and PCV2 were observed in 16 (20.5%) of the wild boars. Cystic and trophic forms of Pneumocystis were similar to previously described ultra-structural observations in other mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Riegert Borba
- Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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39
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Calderón EJ, Gutiérrez-Rivero S, Durand-Joly I, Dei-Cas E. Pneumocystisinfection in humans: diagnosis and treatment. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2010; 8:683-701. [DOI: 10.1586/eri.10.42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/30/2023]
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40
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Chabé M, Nevez G, Totet A, Fréalle E, Delhaes L, Aliouat E, Dei-Cas E. Transmission de Pneumocystis. J Mycol Med 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2009.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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41
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Theodoro RC, Bagagli E. Inteins in pathogenic fungi: a phylogenetic tool and perspectives for therapeutic applications. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2009; 104:497-504. [PMID: 19547879 DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762009000300017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2008] [Accepted: 03/13/2009] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Inteins or 'internal proteins' are coding sequences that are transcribed and translated with flanking sequences (exteins). After translation, the inteins are excised by an autocatalytic process and the host protein assumes its normal conformation and develops its expected function. These parasitic genetic elements have been found in important, conserved proteins in all three domains of life. Most of the eukaryotic inteins are present in the fungi kingdom and the PRP8 intein is one of the most widespread inteins, occurring in important pathogens such as Cryptococcus neoformans (varieties grubii and neoformans), Cryptococcus gattii, Histoplasma capsulatum and Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. The knowledge of conserved and non-conserved domains in inteins have opened up new opportunities for the study of population variability in pathogenic fungi, including their phylogenetic relationships and recognition or diagnoses of species. Furthermore, inteins in pathogenic fungi should also be considered a promising therapeutic drug target, since once the autocatalytic splicing is inhibited, the host protein, which is typically vital, will not be able to perform its normal function and the fungal cell will not survive or reproduce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Cordeiro Theodoro
- Departamento de Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biociências, UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brasil
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42
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Biological risks associated with consumption of reptile products. Int J Food Microbiol 2009; 134:163-75. [PMID: 19679367 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2009.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2009] [Revised: 06/25/2009] [Accepted: 07/04/2009] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The consumption of a wide variety of species of reptiles caught from the wild has been an important source of protein for humans world-wide for millennia. Terrapins, snakes, lizards, crocodiles and iguanas are now farmed and the consumption and trade of their meat and other edible products have recently increased in some areas of the world. Biological risks associated with the consumption of products from both farmed and wild reptile meat and eggs include infections caused by bacteria (Salmonella spp., Vibrio spp.), parasites (Spirometra, Trichinella, Gnathostoma, pentastomids), as well as intoxications by biotoxins. For crocodiles, Salmonella spp. constitute a significant public health risk due to the high intestinal carrier rate which is reflected in an equally high contamination rate in their fresh and frozen meat. There is a lack of information about the presence of Salmonella spp. in meat from other edible reptilians, though captive reptiles used as pets (lizards or turtles) are frequently carriers of these bacteria in Europe. Parasitic protozoa in reptiles represent a negligible risk for public health compared to parasitic metazoans, of which trichinellosis, pentastomiasis, gnathostomiasis and sparganosis can be acquired through consumption of contaminated crocodile, monitor lizard, turtle and snake meat, respectively. Other reptiles, although found to harbour the above parasites, have not been implicated with their transmission to humans. Freezing treatment inactivates Spirometra and Trichinella in crocodile meat, while the effectiveness of freezing of other reptilian meat is unknown. Biotoxins that accumulate in the flesh of sea turtles may cause chelonitoxism, a type of food poisoning with a high mortality rate in humans. Infections by fungi, including yeasts, and viruses widely occur in reptiles but have not been linked to a human health risk through the contamination of their meat. Currently there are no indications that natural transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) occur in reptilians. The feeding of farmed reptiles with non-processed and recycled animal products is likely to increase the occurrence of biological hazards in reptile meat. Application of GHP, GMP and HACCP procedures, respectively at farm and slaughterhouse level, is crucial for controlling the hazards.
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Linke MJ, Ashbaugh AA, Koch JV, Levin L, Tanaka R, Walzer PD. Effects of surfactant protein-A on the interaction of Pneumocystis murina with its host at different stages of the infection in mice. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2009; 56:58-65. [PMID: 19335775 DOI: 10.1111/j.1550-7408.2008.00363.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We examined the effects of surfactant protein A (SP-A), a collectin, on the interaction of Pneumocystis murina with its host at the beginning, early to middle, and late stages of infection. Pneumocystis murina from SP-A wild-type (WT) mice inoculated intractracheally into WT mice (WT(S)-WT(R)) adhered well to alveolar macrophages, whereas organisms from SP-A knockout (KO) mice inoculated into KO mice (KO(S)-KO(R)) did not. Substitution of WT mice as the source of organisms (WT(S)-KO(R)) or recipient host macrophages (KO(S)-WT(R)) restored adherence to that found with WT(S)-WT(R) mice. In contrast, when immunosuppressed KO and WT mice were inoculated with P. murina from a homologous source (KO(S)-KO(R), WT(S)-WT(R)) or heterologous source (WT(S)-KO(R), KO(S)-WT(R)) and followed sequentially, WT(S)-KO(R) mice had the highest levels of infection at weeks 3 and 4; these mice also had the highest levels of the chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein-2 and neutrophils in lavage fluid at week 3. Surfactant protein-A administered to immunosuppressed KO(S)-KO(R) mice with Pneumocystis pneumonia for 8 wk as a therapeutic agent failed to lower the organism burden. We conclude that SP-A can correct the host immune defect in the beginning of P. murina infection, but not in the middle or late stages of the infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Linke
- Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45220, USA
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44
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Aliouat-Denis CM, Martinez A, Aliouat EM, Pottier M, Gantois N, Dei-Cas E. The Pneumocystis life cycle. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2009; 104:419-26. [DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762009000300004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2008] [Accepted: 03/10/2009] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Martinez
- University of Lille Nord de France, France; Pasteur Institute of Lille, France
| | - El Moukhtar Aliouat
- University of Lille Nord de France, France; Pasteur Institute of Lille, France
| | | | | | - Eduardo Dei-Cas
- Pasteur Institute of Lille, France; University Hospital Center
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45
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Derouiche S, Deville M, Taylor ML, Akbar H, Guillot J, Carreto-Binaghi LE, Pottier M, Aliouat EM, Aliouat-Denis CM, Dei-Cas E, Demanche C. Pneumocystis diversity as a phylogeographic tool. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2009; 104:112-7. [DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762009000100017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2008] [Accepted: 01/09/2009] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- S Derouiche
- Faculty of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Pasteur Institute of Lille, France
| | - M Deville
- National School Veterinary of Alfort, France
| | - ML Taylor
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México
| | - H Akbar
- Faculty of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Pasteur Institute of Lille, France
| | - J Guillot
- National School Veterinary of Alfort, France
| | | | - M Pottier
- Faculty of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences
| | - EM Aliouat
- Faculty of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Pasteur Institute of Lille, France
| | - CM Aliouat-Denis
- Faculty of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Pasteur Institute of Lille, France
| | - E Dei-Cas
- Pasteur Institute of Lille, France; University Hospital Center, France
| | - C Demanche
- Faculty of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Pasteur Institute of Lille, France
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47
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Abstract
Pneumocystis spp. can cause a lethal pneumonia in hosts with debilitated immune systems. The manner in which these fungal infections spread throughout the lung, the life cycles of the organisms, and their strategies used for survival within the mammalian host are largely unknown, due in part to the lack of a continuous cultivation method. Biofilm formation is one strategy used by microbes for protection against environmental assaults, for communication and differentiation, and as foci for dissemination. We posited that the attachment and growth of Pneumocystis within the lung alveoli is akin to biofilm formation. An in vitro system comprised of insert wells suspended in multiwell plates containing supplemented RPMI 1640 medium supported biofilm formation by P. carinii (from rat) and P. murina (from mouse). Dramatic morphological changes accompanied the transition to a biofilm. Cyst and trophic forms became highly refractile and produced branching formations that anastomosed into large macroscopic clusters that spread across the insert. Confocal microscopy revealed stacking of viable organisms enmeshed in concanavalin A-staining extracellular matrix. Biofilms matured over a 3-week time period and could be passaged. These passaged organisms were able to cause infection in immunosuppressed rodents. Biofilm formation was inhibited by farnesol, a quorum-sensing molecule in Candida spp., suggesting that a similar communication system may be operational in the Pneumocystis biofilms. Intense staining with a monoclonal antibody to the major surface glycoproteins and an increase in (1,3)-beta-D-glucan content suggest that these components contributed to the refractile properties. Identification of this biofilm process provides a tractable in vitro system that should fundamentally advance the study of Pneumocystis.
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48
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Bagagli E, Theodoro RC, Bosco SMG, McEwen JG. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis: phylogenetic and ecological aspects. Mycopathologia 2008; 165:197-207. [PMID: 18777629 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-007-9050-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The knowledge on the biological aspects of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis has evolved greatly since the first description of the disease in 1908. From the pioneers, who were able to clearly demonstrate the fungal nature of the agent, to the recent genomic era, important advances have been achieved. P. brasiliensis is a true fungus, belonging to the Ascomycetous Division, although its sexual phase has not been demonstrated morphologically. A better understanding of the fundamental aspects of the agent, especially its phylogeny and evolutionary history, will provide us with valuable insights allowing a better comprehension of the disease and our capacity to deal with the problem. Concerning the fungus's ecology, although some progress had been observed, the ecological niche of the pathogen has not been determined yet. The aim of the present review is to focus on the biological aspects of P. brasiliensis from an evolutionary point of view, addressing the fungus's phylogenetic aspects, in those special points that might be relevant for the pathogen/host interactions, the biological forces that have been acting on its origin and maintenance of virulence, as well as in determining the fungus's ecology and epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Bagagli
- Universidade Estadual Paulista, Campus de Botucatu-UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
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49
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Aliouat-Denis CM, Chabé M, Demanche C, Aliouat EM, Viscogliosi E, Guillot J, Delhaes L, Dei-Cas E. Pneumocystis species, co-evolution and pathogenic power. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2008; 8:708-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2008.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2008] [Revised: 05/02/2008] [Accepted: 05/03/2008] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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50
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Public health risks involved in the human consumption of reptile meat - Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Biological Hazards. EFSA J 2007. [DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2007.578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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