白念珠菌致病性研究进展

白念珠菌是一种重要的条件致病菌,多在体表及黏膜宿主共栖生存,可引起皮肤黏膜及内脏的广泛感染。白念珠菌是单细胞假菌丝酵母菌,形态上具有双相性,即菌丝相和孢子相。其中菌丝相更易黏附和入侵宿主组织,是该菌在体内的主要致病形式。白念珠菌的致病机制与多种因素如黏附、芽管、水解酶、生物膜、群体感应等有关。该文综述了白念珠菌致病机制的研究新进展。     

白念珠菌侵袭宿主毒力因子研究进展

白念珠菌是一种寄生于人类黏膜表面的条件致病菌,是导致免疫功能低下人群侵袭性真菌感染的主要病原菌。白念珠菌形成侵袭性感染的过程主要分为黏附、侵袭、播散、形成感染灶等步骤,其中黏附和侵袭过程最为关键。黏附是白念珠菌入侵宿主的前提,该过程主要依赖于细胞壁表面的黏附素。侵袭阶段主要与菌丝形成、细胞壁表面毒力蛋白表达和蛋白水解酶分泌增加有关。形成菌丝是白念珠菌侵袭宿主的关键因素,主要由细胞内cAMP/PKA和MAPK等信号通路调控;侵袭素主要位于白念珠菌细胞壁表面,可以协助其穿刺宿主上皮细胞、诱导内吞作用;白念珠菌还可分泌多种蛋白水解酶,它能够破坏宿主组织细胞,协助白念珠菌形成感染灶。该文主要对白念珠菌黏附和侵袭宿主过程中关键的毒力因子进行综述,为理解白念珠菌致病机制以及选择潜在的药物靶点提供参考。     

白念珠菌能量代谢与致病性

白念珠菌是人类正常菌群,也是致死性真菌感染最重要的病原体之一。目前,白念珠菌致病的决定性机制仍未明确,其对宿主的致病性主要取决于菌体的毒力因子、菌体与宿主相互作用两方面。能量代谢是白念珠菌生长繁殖的基础,也是影响其致病性的重要因素。深入研究白念珠菌能量代谢特征,探索其在致病过程中的作用,或可为发现新的药物靶点奠定基础。白念珠菌是人类正常菌群,也是致死性真菌感染最重要的病原体之一。目前,白念珠菌致病的决定性机制仍未明确,其对宿主的致病性主要取决于菌体的毒力因子、菌体与宿主相互作用两方面。能量代谢是白念珠菌生长繁殖的基础,也是影响其致病性的重要因素。深入研究白念珠菌能量代谢特征,探索其在致病过程中的作用,或可为发现新的药物靶点奠定基础。     

白念珠菌毒力因子及致病机制研究进展

白念珠菌作为条件致病真菌,其感染力受各种毒力因子及不同宿主的影响。该文将白念珠菌的毒力因子和宿主细胞作为论述对象,探究其对白念珠菌致病性的影响,并对其致病机制进行综述,为进一步开发、利用治疗白念珠菌的药物奠定理论依据。     

营养感应与白念珠菌致病机制研究进展

营养元素是白念珠菌定植和致病的关键因素之一,作为人体真菌微生物组的一部分,白念珠菌能够特异性感应宿主微环境中营养物质的变化,及时做出适应性反应,为其生长、繁殖和侵袭宿主提供营养支持;同时白念珠菌还能反馈作用于人体,在机体免疫力低下或肠道菌群失调时由共生菌转化为致病菌引发严重的念珠菌病。目前关于营养感应与白念珠菌致病的分子机制已经有很多研究。本文概述了近年来营养感应与白念珠菌致病机制的相关研究结果,总结了碳源、氮源、磷营养以及多种金属元素在白念珠菌致病过程中发挥的作用,旨在为系统认识白念珠菌致病机制以及开发新型抗真菌药物提供新的研究思路。     

白念珠菌黏附基因的研究进展

白念珠菌能引起免疫力低下患者的皮肤黏膜和全身系统性持续感染,对宿主组织的黏附是其侵入和感染的先决条件。对白念珠菌黏附相关基因的研究有助于揭示白念珠菌的致病机制。近年来,越来越多的研究者从黏附基因的结构、影响其表达的因素以及黏附机制等方面进行了研究。本文就黏附基因的相关研究进展进行综述,旨在为新型抗真菌药物和白念珠菌疫苗的研究提供参考。     

白念珠菌感染分子机制研究

白念珠菌是临床上最常见的条件致病真菌。白念珠菌在感染宿主时会遭遇机械阻碍(如上皮细胞),生物、化学和物理拮抗(如胆汁、黏液、p H)及宿主免疫细胞(如吞噬细胞)的杀伤。白念珠菌生物化学、形态学的灵活性及逃逸宿主天然免疫的能力对其发挥致病性至关重要。该文就白念珠菌感染宿主过程中涉及的分子机制做一综述,为进一步探索新的治疗药物提供参考。     

分泌型蛋白介导白念珠菌与宿主相互作用分子机制的研究进展

白念珠菌是人类最常见的条件性致病真菌之一,主要定植于人体粘膜表面。在白念珠菌与宿主相互作用过程中,分泌型蛋白起着非常重要的作用。针对分泌蛋白功能及其作用机理的研究有助于阐明白念珠菌致病分子机制,并为诊断、预防和治疗真菌感染提供新的理论策略。本文综述了白念珠菌分泌型蛋白在介导病原与宿主相互作用分子机制方面的最新研究进展,概括了分泌蛋白在组织侵入损伤、营养获取、细胞壁维持以及免疫逃避等方面的功能,同时对未来值得重点关注的研究方向进行了探讨。     

白念珠菌对宿主的黏附机制

白念珠菌对宿主的黏附是白念珠菌感染过程的关键的第一步,因此阐明白念珠菌对宿主的黏附机制对探索新的方法预防和治疗白念珠菌感染至关重要。近年来,研究者们从白念珠菌的表面结构、黏附素以及黏附相关基因等方面对白念珠菌与宿主的黏附机制进行了大量研究。该文就白念珠菌对宿主的黏附机制进行综述。     

白念珠菌毒力因子研究进展

白念珠菌是人类生态菌群正常成员之一,也是一种重要的条件致病菌,随分子免疫学、分子生物学技术的发展,该菌入侵和定植于人类宿主的研究也取得很大成就。对白念珠菌的许多毒力因子在致病过程中所起的作用有了更进一步认识。本文就近年白念珠菌的毒力研究综述如下。1　粘附...     

Infection-related gene expression in Candida albicans

Research into the major fungal pathogen, Candida albicans has firmly entered the post-genomics era. The current challenge is to apply these technologies to the analysis of C. albicans infections. Initial studies, which focused on the expression of specific virulence genes, have supported the view that secreted hydrolases and adhesins are expressed in a niche-specific fashion during infection. However, genome-wide expression profiling has revealed that most infection-related changes in C. albicans gene expression reflect environmental adaptation. Initial contacts with the host and disease progression are clearly associated with metabolic and stress adaptation. These studies, together with analyses of C. albicans mutants, indicate that physiological fitness plays a central role in the pathogenicity of this fungus, alongside virulence factors.     

Candida albicans iron acquisition within the host

As a commensal and opportunistic pathogen, Candida albicans possesses a range of determinants that contribute to survival, persistence and virulence. Among this repertoire of fitness and virulence attributes are iron acquisition factors and pathways, which allow fungal cells to gain this essential mineral in the iron-poor environment of the host. The aim of this review is to present the strategies used by C. albicans to exploit host iron reservoirs and their impact on C. albicans pathogenicity. Because iron in the human host is mostly linked to host proteins, pathogens such as C. albicans must possess mechanisms to gain iron from these proteins. Here, we introduce the most important groups of human proteins, including haemoglobin, transferrin, lactoferrin and ferritin, which contain iron and that are potential iron sources for invading microorganisms. We then summarize and discuss the known and proposed strategies by which C. albicans exploits or may exploit iron from host proteins and compare these with strategies from other pathogenic microorganisms.     

白念珠菌生物被膜形成的遗传调控机制

白念珠菌是人体重要的条件性致病真菌。形态的多样性和可塑性是白念珠菌典型的生物学特征,这与它的致病性、宿主适应能力以及有性生殖过程密切相关。白念珠菌生物被膜(Biofilm)是由不同形态细胞(包括酵母型、菌丝和假菌丝)以及胞外基质组成的致密结构,也是毒性和耐药性形成的重要因子。生物被膜对抗真菌药物、宿主免疫系统和环境胁迫因子等都表现出较强的抵抗力和耐受性,是临床上病原真菌感染防治的重大挑战。随着基因表达谱和遗传操作技术的发展,白念珠菌生物被膜的形成及其耐药性的获得所依赖的遗传调控通路和分子调控机制越来越清楚。主要包括MAPK和cAMP介导的信号途径以及Bcr1和Tec1等因子介导的转录调控。此外,白念珠菌生物被膜的形成与形态转换和有性生殖之间存在密切的联系。文中综述了白念珠菌生物被膜形成的遗传调控机制,重点介绍了细胞壁相关蛋白、转录因子和交配型对该过程的调控以及生物被膜的耐药机制。     

Factors influencing adherence of Candida spp. to host tissues and plastic surfaces

Attachment of Candida spp. to host tissues and plastic surfaces is the first and a crucial step that initiates colonization by yeast cells and subsequent development of disseminated fungal infection. These infections are associated with high degree of morbidity, mortality and extra cost. Modern trends have focused not only on how best to treat but also on how to prevent Candida infections. To achieve this goal, the factors that influence the adherence of Candida spp. to biological and non biological surfaces have been studied. C. albicans adheres at a degree higher than that of the other Candida spp. and C. tropicalis adheres to a lesser extent. This may reflect the higher pathogenicity of C. albicans compared to the other Candida spp. Germinated C. albicans cells adhere to host tissue more readily than do yeast-phase. Sugars play an important role in the adherence of Candida spp. Overall, galactose was found to promote the adherence of Candida spp. to host tissues and plastic surfaces more than any other mono or disaccharide. Amino sugars on the other hand inhibit the adherence of the yeast cells. Divalent ions such as Ca2+ and Mg2+ promote the adherence of Candida spp. more than monovalent ions. Candida spp. express on their surface receptors, which interact with a wide variety of host proteins including fibrinogen, fibronectin, lamanin, and type I and IV collagen thus binding Candida spp. To glycoproteinaceous conditioning film at the blood-polymer interface. Coaggregation of Candida spp. with other bacteria promotes colonization of yeast cells to oral biofilm, host tissues, and to surfaces of the indwelling vascular catheters. These factors form the basis for the interference with the adherence of Candida spp.     

Candida albicans proteinases and host/pathogen interactions

Candida infections are common, debilitating and often recurring fungal diseases and a problem of significant clinical importance. Candida albicans, the most virulent of the Candida spp., can cause severe mucosal and life-threatening systemic infections in immunocompromised hosts. Attributes that contribute to C. albicans virulence include adhesion, hyphal formation, phenotypic switching and extracellular hydrolytic enzyme production. The extracellular hydrolytic enzymes, especially the secreted aspartyl proteinases (Saps), are one of few gene products that have been shown to directly contribute to C. albicans pathogenicity. Because C. albicans is able to colonize and infect almost every tissue in the human host, it may be crucial for the fungus to possess a number of similar but independently regulated and functionally distinct secreted proteinases to provide sufficient flexibility in order to survive and promote infection at different niche sites. The aim of this review is to explore the functional roles of the C. albicans proteinases and how they may contribute to the host/pathogen interaction in vivo.     

Adherence and biofilm formation of non-Candida albicans Candida species

Most cases of candidosis have been attributed to Candida albicans, but recently non-C. albicans Candida species have been identified as frequent human pathogens. Candida pathogenicity has been attributed to several factors, including adhesion to medical devices and/or host cells, biofilm formation, and secretion of hydrolytic enzymes (proteases, phospholipases and haemolysins). Although 'new'Candida species are emerging, there is still a lack of information about their pathogenicity. This review discusses recent advances in our knowledge of Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis and Candida tropicalis virulence factors, specifically those of adhesion and biofilm formation, which are key components in Candida pathogenicity.     

Candida albicans secreted aspartyl proteinases in virulence and pathogenesis.

Candida albicans is the most common fungal pathogen of humans and has developed an extensive repertoire of putative virulence mechanisms that allows successful colonization and infection of the host under suitable predisposing conditions. Extracellular proteolytic activity plays a central role in Candida pathogenicity and is produced by a family of 10 secreted aspartyl proteinases (Sap proteins). Although the consequences of proteinase secretion during human infections is not precisely known, in vitro, animal, and human studies have implicated the proteinases in C. albicans virulence in one of the following seven ways: (i) correlation between Sap production in vitro and Candida virulence, (ii) degradation of human proteins and structural analysis in determining Sap substrate specificity, (iii) association of Sap production with other virulence processes of C. albicans, (iv) Sap protein production and Sap immune responses in animal and human infections, (v) SAP gene expression during Candida infections, (vi) modulation of C. albicans virulence by aspartyl proteinase inhibitors, and (vii) the use of SAP-disrupted mutants to analyze C. albicans virulence. Sap proteins fulfill a number of specialized functions during the infective process, which include the simple role of digesting molecules for nutrient acquisition, digesting or distorting host cell membranes to facilitate adhesion and tissue invasion, and digesting cells and molecules of the host immune system to avoid or resist antimicrobial attack by the host. We have critically discussed the data relevant to each of these seven criteria, with specific emphasis on how this proteinase family could contribute to Candida virulence and pathogenesis.     

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.     

Proteinase production and pathogenicity of Candida albicans. I. Invasion into chorioallantoic membrane by C. albicans strains of different proteinase activity

In order to investigate a role of proteinase in the pathogenesis of Candida infections, invasion of C. albicans strains of different proteinase activity into the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of developing chicks was studied. Eight strains were used after examining the inducible proteinase activity in the culture containing bovine serum albumin as the sole source of nitrogen. Six were proteinase-producing strains (type I) and two were proteinase-deficient ones (type II). Type I strains were subdivided into type Ia strains in which the proteinase activity persisted for a week in the in vitro culture and type Ib ones in which the enzyme activity was lost by the 7th day after inoculation. By inoculation onto CAM, the type I strains could invade the tissue in which secreted proteinase was detected on the periphery of the invading Candida cells by immunohistochemical method. At an early stage of the infection, proteinase secretion was detected on the surface of the yeast cells before their entry into the tissue. The type II strains remained on the surface of the CAM and did not invade the tissue where the secretion of the enzyme was not detected. The mortality rate of the chick embryo was not correlated with the degree of proteinase production of these strains. Two type Ib strains invaded the CAM tissue and elicited some tissue reactions by the host, yielding a low mortality rate of the chick embryos. These results suggested that the secretion of proteinase was an important factor for the invasion of CAM but other factors were also involved for the pathogenicity of C. albicans.