青蒿琥酯抗蜡螟烟曲霉感染自噬机制初步研究

目的探究青蒿琥酯在蜡螟感染烟曲霉后,对蜡螟的自噬相关蛋白的表达影响。方法用一定量的烟曲霉的活化孢子感染蜡螟,经过1 h,用青蒿琥酯注射一组蜡螟,两性霉素B注射一组蜡螟,剩余的作为感染组。12 h后,取各组蜡螟进行病理切片染色,观察各组的病理情况;取各组的蜡螟的淋巴液,收集各组的孢子,用真菌活性检测试剂盒检测孢子活性并将淋巴细胞分离、裂解,离心取上清,用Western-blot法检测上清液中的Dectin-1、ROS、LC3Ⅱ的表达水平。结果青蒿琥酯注射组的蜡螟病理切片中的孢子比感染组数量少且聚集在一起,未长出菌丝,而体外分离的真菌孢子,青蒿琥酯组的活性明显受到抑制。经Western-blot显示青蒿琥酯能增强淋巴细胞Dectin-1、ROS、LC3Ⅱ的表达。结论青蒿琥酯可通过抑制烟曲霉的活性和增强蜡螟淋巴细胞的自噬水平,对抗蜡螟烟曲霉感染。     

活性氧簇在白假丝酵母菌诱导RAW264．7细胞自噬中的作用

目的探究活性氧簇（ROS）是否参与白假丝酵母菌诱导RAW264．7细胞的自噬活化并明确其来源。方法RAW264．7细胞培养至对数生长期并分别以5种ROS生成系统抑制剂处理,白假丝酵母菌刺激细胞后采用二氯荧光素双醋酸盐（DCFH-DA）显示ROS水平,免疫印迹法检测LC3Ⅱ蛋白的表达量,免疫荧光技术观察LC3的表达与定位。结果白假丝酵母菌刺激后RAW264．7细胞的ROS与LC3Ⅱ表达水平显著升高,同时LC3呈斑点状聚集并与白假丝酵母菌共定位;NADPH氧化酶（NOX）抑制剂氯化二亚苯基碘翁（DPI）处理后ROS与LC3Ⅱ表达量明显降低,并且LC3在细胞内弥散分布;其他药物处理后ROS水平无显著变化。结论在白假丝酵母菌作用下NOX来源的ROS介导了RAW264．7细胞的自噬活化。     

维生素D对烟曲霉感染的肺巨噬细胞 自噬机制的初步研究

目的探究维生素D在鼠肺细胞感染烟曲霉后对细胞自噬的影响。方法用一定量的烟曲霉活化孢子感染细胞后,一组细胞加入维生素D(维生素D组),一组细胞加入生理盐水,感染一定时间后用溶酶体探针检测自噬相关分子的表达;收集各组细胞并裂解细胞,离心取上清,用Western-blot法检测上清液中的LC3BII、Dectin-1及ROS的表达水平。结果活化的孢子感染肺巨噬细胞后,维生素D组自噬体与溶酶体共定位减少、吞噬孢子的速率在减少以及ROS水平降低,其对应的胞内Dectin-1、ROS、LC3BII减少且差异有统计学意义。结论烟曲霉感染肺巨噬细胞后,维生素D可通过减弱细胞自噬体与溶酶体的融合并下调自噬信号通路蛋白的表达以达到抵抗烟曲霉感染的作用。     

青蒿琥酯治疗肺烟曲霉感染自噬机制

目的探究青蒿琥酯在鼠肺感染烟曲霉后,对鼠肺自噬相关蛋白的表达影响。方法用一定量的烟曲霉的活化孢子感染鼠肺,建立肺烟曲霉病模型。同时用青蒿琥酯注射一组鼠肺,两性霉素B注射一组鼠肺,剩余的作为感染组。24h后,取各组鼠肺进行病理切片染色,观察各组病理情况;取各组鼠肺的组织并匀浆,收集各组的孢子,用真菌活性检测试剂盒检测孢子活性并将肺巨噬细胞进行分离、裂解,离心取上清,用Western-blot法检测上清液中的Dectin-1、ROS、LC3Ⅱ的表达水平。结果青蒿琥酯注射组的鼠肺病理切片中的孢子比感染组数量少且聚集在一起,未长出菌丝,而体外分离的真菌孢子,青蒿琥酯组的活性明显受到抑制。经Western-blot显示青蒿琥酯具有增强肺巨噬细胞Dectin-1、ROS、LC3Ⅱ的表达。结论青蒿琥酯可通过抑制烟曲霉的活性和增强鼠肺巨噬细胞的自噬水平,对抗鼠肺烟曲霉感染。     

烟曲霉感染时内在化Dectin-1介导巨噬细胞自噬活化

目的探究在烟曲霉感染时Dectin-1是否内在化表达并介导了巨噬细胞的自噬活化,初步明确其作用机制。方法采用Western blot法和免疫荧光技术,观察经β-1,3-D-葡聚糖酶消化前后的烟曲霉孢子刺激下,RAW264.7细胞内Dectin-1与LC3Ⅱ的表达与定位,通过DCFH-DA探针检测消化β-葡聚糖对活性氧(ROS)生成的影响。结果烟曲霉孢子刺激后RAW264.7细胞的Dectin-1与LC3Ⅱ表达水平显著升高,同时二者呈斑点状聚集并共定位于烟曲霉孢子表面;消化β-葡聚糖后Dectin-1与LC3Ⅱ表达量降低,荧光斑点消失,并且ROS的生成受到抑制。结论烟曲霉感染时Dectin-1提高自身内在化表达并诱导了巨噬细胞自噬功能的活化。     

克柔假丝酵母菌通过Dectin-1/Syk信号通路活化巨噬细胞自噬

目的探究Dectin-1/Syk信号通路在克柔假丝酵母菌激活RAW264.7细胞自噬中的作用。方法以特异性抗体封闭RAW264.7细胞表面TLR-2、TLR-4及Dectin-1受体,免疫蛋白印记检测克柔假丝酵母菌刺激后LC3II的表达量;通过白皮杉醇及Raf-1抑制剂分别阻断RAW264.7细胞Syk及Raf-1磷酸化,观察对克柔假丝酵母菌激活细胞自噬的影响;采用SiMi Transfection Reagents转染Atg5siRNA,检测不同时间段RAW264.7细胞对克柔假丝酵母菌的杀菌率。结果封闭细胞膜Dectin-1、阻断Syk磷酸化显著抑制克柔假丝酵母菌诱导RAW264.7细胞LC3II的表达,而封闭细胞膜TLR-2或TLR-4,以及阻断Raf-1磷酸化对于克柔假丝酵母菌刺激下LC3II的表达无显著影响。敲低Atg5后RAW264.7细胞在感染6h后对克柔假丝酵母菌的杀菌率显著降低。结论 Dectin-1/Syk信号通路介导了克柔假丝酵母菌激活RAW264.7细胞自噬,并且自噬功能参与了该细胞对克柔假丝酵母菌的杀灭作用。     

蜡螟在念珠菌属真菌动物模型中应用价值的探究

目的构建蜡螟的念珠菌属真菌动物模型并探究真菌对蜡螟的细胞、组织、器官的影响以及念珠菌属真菌蜡螟模型的应用价值。方法用注射器吸取一定量的菌液注入蜡螟体内,在30℃培养箱中培养一定时间后,取出其中的一小部分蜡螟进行解剖,观察真菌菌丝对蜡螟肠道组织的损伤情况,取另一小部分蜡螟做病理切片,同时记录不同时间段蜡螟的生存死亡情况;将空白蜡螟断头取血,分离淋巴细胞后用DMEM培养,用热灭活真菌处理蜡螟淋巴血细胞,37℃培养3 h后,分别用ROS(氧化应激水平)探针和溶酶体探针标记ROS、溶酶体,观察真菌刺激细胞时的自噬水平的变化。结果真菌菌丝对蜡螟的肠道组织产生损伤,病理切片显示大量菌丝生长,细胞吞噬真菌后,ROS升高,溶酶体与菌共定位。结论念珠菌属真菌的蜡螟模型中,真菌对蜡螟的细胞、组织、器官均有损伤,蜡螟的细胞自噬水平升高,并且此模型具有易操作,价格低廉,便于进行统计学分析等优势。     

分离自1例慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者的Aspergillus lentulus在蜡螟模型上的毒力初探

目的建立Aspergillus lentulus(A.lentulus或A.L)感染动物模型,借动物模型初步探究A.lentulus的毒力。方法将125只蜡螟随机分成5组,以Aspergillus lentulus临床株、Aspergillus lentulus标准株作为实验组,烟曲霉、白念珠菌为对照组,PBS为空白对照组。实验组及对照组菌株分别制成10~6 CFU/mL孢子悬液,感染各组蜡螟。记录72 h内蜡螟的生存情况并制作生存曲线,24 h后提取蜡螟肠道组织,HE染色组织切片观察肠道组织损伤情况,用组织匀浆法,测定蜡螟肠道内真菌载量及真菌逆培养阳性率,用真菌荧光染色法观察肠道培养真菌镜下形态。结果 A.lentulus临床株和A.lentulus标准株的蜡螟存活数与对照组之间差异有统计学意义(P0.05);结果显示A.lentulus临床株和A.lentulus标准株肠壁结构大致正常,局部可见水肿少量菌丝、孢子及炎症细胞浸润,对照组肠道结构破坏严重,可见菌丝、孢子及大量炎症细胞浸润;不同菌种感染蜡螟幼虫各组肠道载菌量及真菌逆培养阳性率比较,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);真菌荧光显微镜观察,A.lentulus临床株和标准株菌丝多、孢子少,白念珠菌和烟曲霉组孢子多。结论与烟曲霉和白念珠菌相比,A.lentulus菌株对蜡螟毒力和肠道损伤能力较弱且致死率低。     

白假丝酵母激活的巨噬细胞自噬 促进MHCⅡ抗原提呈

目的探究白假丝酵母(Candida albicans)激活的Raw264.7细胞自噬在主要组织相容性复合体Ⅱ类分子(MHCⅡ)抗原提呈以及协同刺激分子表达中的作用。方法 C.albicans刺激Dectin-1单克隆抗体封闭或白皮杉醇阻断的Raw264.7细胞,Western blot法检测LC3Ⅱ表达量,RT-PCR检测CD80与CD86的表达。免疫荧光实验观察有无3-MA预处理的GFP-LC3-Raw264.7细胞与C.albicans共孵育后MHCⅡ与LC3在胞浆的分布,ELISA法检测有无封闭Dectin-1或3-MA预处理的Raw264.7细胞与C.albicans共孵育不同时间段后IL-6的分泌。结果阻断Dectin-1或Sky后C.albicans诱导的LC3Ⅱ表达降低。LC3、MHCⅡ与胞内C.albicans存在显著的共定位关系,阻断自噬后C.albicans与MHCⅡ的共定位明显减弱。C.albicans引发Raw264.7细胞表达CD80与CD86mRNA,封闭Dectin-1或阻断自噬后二者转录水平降低。C.albicans通过Dectin-1引发Raw264.7细胞分泌IL-6,阻断自噬对IL-6分泌无显著影响。结论 C.albicans通过Dectin-1/Sky通路激活巨噬细胞自噬,自噬体的构建促进MHCⅡ招募至胞内C.albicans,并促进协同刺激分子的表达。     

穿心莲内酯联合氟康唑抗耐药白假丝酵母菌作用机制研究

目的探讨穿心莲内酯联合氟康唑抗耐药白假丝酵母菌作用及其机制。方法采用微量稀释法检测穿心莲内酯（AG）及联合氟康唑（FLC）对耐药白假丝酵母菌的MIC;采用罗丹明6G（Rh6G）检测AG对耐药白假丝酵母菌CDR外排功能的影响;利用罗丹明123评估AG对耐药白假丝酵母菌MDR外排功能的影响：采用二氢罗丹明检测AG单用及联合FLC对耐药白假丝酵母菌活性氧（ROS）的影响;采用实时荧光定量PCR（qRT—PCR）检测AG联合FLC对耐药白假丝酵母菌外排泵相关基因CDR1、CDR2和MDR1表达的影响。结果AG联合FLC抗耐药白假丝酵母菌呈相加作用;AG对CDR外排功能无影响;AG可抑制MDR外排功能;AG联合FLC能显著提高耐药白假丝酵母菌细胞ROS水平;AG与FLC联合作用于耐药白假丝酵母菌可下调CDR1和MDR1的表达量,上调CDR2的表达量。结论AG联合FLC抗耐药白假丝酵母菌具有相加作用,其机制可能与抑制外排泵及相关基因表达,提高胞内ROS水平有关。     

Pre-exposure to yeast protects larvae of Galleria mellonella from a subsequent lethal infection by Candida albicans and is mediated by the increased expression of antimicrobial peptides

Pre-exposure of the larvae of Galleria mellonella to Candida albicans or Saccharomyces cerevisiae protects against a subsequent infection with 10(6) C. albicans cells. This protection can also be induced by exposing larvae to glucan or laminarin prior to the administration of the potentially lethal inoculum. Analysis of the genes coding for galiomicin, a defensin in G. mellonella, a cysteine-rich antifungal peptide gallerimycin, an iron-binding protein transferrin and an inducible metalloproteinase inhibitor (IMPI) from G. mellonella demonstrated increased expression, which is at its highest after 24 h of the initial inoculum. Examination of the expression of proteins in the insect haemolymph using 2D electrophoresis and MALDI TOF analysis revealed an increased expression of a number of proteins associated with the insect immune response to infection 24 h after the initial exposure. This study demonstrates that the larvae of G. mellonella can withstand a lethal inoculum of C. albicans if pre-exposed to a non-lethal dose of yeast or polysaccharide 24 h previously which is mediated by increased expression of a number of antimicrobial peptides and the appearance of a number of peptides in the challenged larvae.     

Correlation between virulence of Candida albicans mutants in mice and Galleria mellonella larvae

Candida albicans is a dimorphic human pathogen in which the yeast to hyphal switch may be an important factor in virulence in mammals. This pathogen has recently been shown to also kill insects such as the Greater Wax Moth Galleria mellonella when injected into the haemocoel of the insect larvae. We have investigated the effect of previously characterised C. albicans mutations that influence the yeast to hyphal transition on virulence in G. mellonella larvae. There is a good correlation between the virulence of these mutants in the insect host and the virulence measured through systemic infection of mice. Although the predominant cellular species detected in G. mellonella infections is the yeast form of C. albicans, mutations that influence the hyphal transition also reduce pathogenicity in the insect. The correlation with virulence measured in the mouse infection system suggests that Galleria may provide a convenient and inexpensive model for the in vivo screening of mutants of C. albicans.     

Physical stress primes the immune response of Galleria mellonella larvae to infection by Candida albicans

Larvae of the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) that had been subjected to physical stress by shaking in cupped hands for 2 min showed reduced susceptibility to infection by Candida albicans when infected 24 h after the stress event. Physically stressed larvae demonstrated an increase in haemocyte density and elevated mRNA levels of galiomicin and an inducible metalloproteinase inhibitor (IMPI) but not transferrin or gallerimycin. In contrast, previous work has demonstrated that microbial priming of larvae resulted in the induction of all four genes. Examination of the expression of proteins in the insect haemolymph using 2D electrophoresis and MALDI TOF analysis revealed an increase in the intensity of a number of peptides showing some similarities with proteins associated with the insect immune response to infection. This study demonstrates that non-lethal physical stress primes the immune response of G. mellonella and this is mediated by elevated haemocyte numbers, increased mRNA levels of genes coding for two antimicrobial peptides and the appearance of novel peptides in the haemolymph. This work demonstrates that physical priming increases the insect immune response but the mechanism of this priming is different to that induced by low level exposure to microbial pathogens.     

Development of an insect model for the in vivo pathogenicity testing of yeasts

Conventional in vivo assays to determine the relative pathogenicity of yeast isolates rely upon the use of a range of mammalian species. The purpose of the work presented here was to investigate the possibility of using an insect (Galleria mellonella) as a model system for in vivo pathogenicity testing. The haemolymph of G. mellonella larvae was inoculated with PBS containing different concentrations of stationary phase yeasts of the genus Candida by injection at the last pro-leg. Larvae were incubated at 30 degrees C and monitored over 72 hours. Results indicate that G. mellonella can be killed by the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans and by a range of other Candida species but not to a significant extent by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The kill kinetics for larvae inoculated with clinical and laboratory isolates of C. albicans indicate the former class of isolates to be more pathogenic. Differences in the relative pathogenicity of a range of Candida species may be distinguished using G. mellonella as a model. This work indicates that G. mellonella may be employed to give results consistent with data previously obtained using mammals in conventional in vivo pathogenicity testing. Larvae of G. mellonella are inexpensive to culture, easy to manipulate and their use may reduce the need to employ mammals for routine in vivo pathogenicity testing with a concomitant reduction in mammalian suffering.     

Virulence of Candida albicans mutants toward larval Galleria mellonella (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Galleridae)

Culture medium affected the virulence of a strain of Candida albicans toward Galleria mellonella larvae, but the yeast growth rates in yeast extract - peptone - dextrose broth and synthetic Galleria serum were not correlated with yeast virulence. Virulent C. albicans grew rapidly in larval serum, whereas, it limited nodulation and continued development in vivo, producing toxins that damaged the hemocytes and fat body. Nonpathogenic yeast-phase cells grew slowly in larval serum but induced extensively melanized nodules in vivo and developed no further. There was no discernible relationship in 14 exo-enzymes between the virulent and avirulent yeast strains and virulence. The avirulent myosin-I-defective yeast cells were rapidly removed from the hemolymph in vivo because of lysozyme-mediated yeast agglutination and the possible binding of the yeast cells by lysozyme and apolipophorin-III. Both lysozyme and apolipophorin-III are proteins that bind beta-1,3-glucan. Finally, insects with nonpathogenic C. albicans exhibited induced immunity and were more resistant to candidiasis from the wild-type yeast cells than were noninduced insects.     

Exoproteinases of the type A in pathogenesis of insect bacterial diseases

Immune inhibitors produced in infected larvae of Galleria mellonella by such entomopathogens as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora effectively blocked in vitro bactericidal activity of insect haemolymph against Escherichia coli D31, both in Galleria mellonella and Pieris brassicae pupae previously vaccinated with Enterobacter cloacae. Even at a trace concentration, the extracellular proteinases, by proteolytic degradation, totally destroyed the activity of cecropin peptides from Galleria and cecropin-like and attacin-family proteins from Pieris, but no ability to destroy antibacterial activity was shown by extracts obtained from Galleria larvae killed by massive doses of bacterial saprophytes. It is suggested that by blocking antibacterial immune response of the host, the proteinases help the bacteria to multiply in the haemolymph, thus they could be considered an important factor in the pathogenesis of bacterial diseases of insects.     

Lysozyme as Pathogen-Recognition Protein in the Hemolymph of Galleria mellonella

ABSTRACT Recognition of invading micro-organisms into hemolymph is a pivotal event for triggering diverse immune mechanisms in insects. It has been known that this recognition was mediated by the binding of hemolymph proteins to pattern-molecules on the cell surface of microbes. Recently, I found that the lysozyme in the G. mellonella hemolymph has binding affinity to cell-walls of Gram (-), (±) bacteria and fungus ( Candida albicans ). After the hemolymph was incubated with heat-killed microbes and treated with acidic buffer containing high concentration of NaCl, several plasma proteins detached from microbes were detected by reverse phase HPLC and SDS-PAGE analyses. Of binding proteins, it was assumed that the major one might be a lysozyme, which was previously characterized in the G. mellonella hemolymph. Furthermore immunoblot analysis performed with antiserum to G. mellonella lysozyme revealed that it was a lysozyme.     

Dectin-1 mediates in vitro phagocytosis of Candida albicans yeast cells by retinal microglia

We have investigated the expression of TLR2 and Dectin-1 in retinal microglia and their involvement in Candida albicans phagocytosis using a cytometric approach. The expression of both receptors has been demonstrated in CD11b(+) retinal cells. Phagocytosis of pHrodo-labelled C. albicans yeasts by microglial CD11b(+) cells of C57BL/6 mice was inhibited both by the Dectin-1 antagonist laminarin and anti-Dectin-1 antibodies, whereas phagocytosis of yeasts by retinal microglia of TLR2 KO mice was unaffected. These data indicate that phagocytosis of C. albicans yeasts by retinal microglia is mediated by Dectin-1, whereas TLR2 does not play a significant role in this process.