新生隐球菌的生态学,流行病学,分子生物学及临床研究

在我国，对新生隐球菌已进行了较系统的研究，生态学方面，由鸽粪分离的环境株具有表型的多态性，包括新生变种的Ａ、Ｄ血清型及尿素酶阴性株，而这些多态性菌株均已在临床发现。分子生物学方面，Ｇ＋Ｃｍｏｌ％和核型已被进行分析。由ＰＦＧＥ分析所得到的有意义的信息是两个变种和５种血清型新生隐球菌株具有明显不同的核型谱。临床方面，研制的一种新的可同时检测酚氧化酶和尿素酶的培养基可用于该菌的临床鉴定。使用一种高渗培养     

新生隐球菌细胞通讯研究进展

细胞通讯系统调控多细胞生物的细胞增殖与分化等多种基础生物学过程,也是调控单细胞生物群体或社会性行为的重要策略。新生隐球菌是一种重要的环境来源病原真菌,主要感染免疫缺陷人群,具有很高的致死率。作为环境致病真菌,新生隐球菌进化出丰富的环境适应性策略。新生隐球菌细胞呈现出高度的异质性和社会性,不同形态的细胞承载着不同生物学功能和病原学特征。越来越多的研究表明,通过细胞通讯系统调控其群体或社会性行为,既是新生隐球菌适应多变的外界环境和宿主环境的关键策略,也与其致病能力密切相关。本文介绍新生隐球菌中细胞通讯系统的研究进展及其在有性生殖、细胞形态转换、适应环境及宿主压力等社会性行为中的调控作用。     

新生隐球菌感染与细胞因子的相互关系

新生隐球菌是重要的条件致病真菌,可导致免疫抑制患者产生致命的新生隐球菌性脑膜炎;继而在脑部损伤部位有多种细胞因子的表达和炎症细胞的浸润,形成了一个细胞因子网络,介导一系列致病机制和防御机制的产生。为明确细胞因子与新生隐球菌在致病和防御过程中的相互作用,本文就新生隐球菌与细胞因子的关系进行综述。     

适应性策略：人类致病真菌新生隐球菌的“杀手锏”

绝大多数引发人体系统感染的致病真菌来自于环境,这些环境来源的真菌往往是条件致病菌,其毒力衍生于它们独特的生境适应策略。新生隐球菌是进化最为成功的环境真菌之一,在自然界中的分布极为广泛。而作为人类致病菌,新生隐球菌能够引发致命的隐球菌病和真菌脑膜炎,据统计全球每年由于隐球菌病死亡的人数超过60万人。近几年的研究表明,新生隐球菌的环境适应策略对其条件致病性至关重要。细胞-细胞交流、细胞形态转换和细胞异质性等重要环境适应行为在协调新生隐球菌的致病性方面都扮演了重要的角色。文章从致病菌-自然栖居环境-人类宿主三方的关系解析了新生隐球菌环境适应策略影响毒力的机制及相关进化动机,并对其潜在的研究前景和临床应用提出了一些思考。     

树突细胞与新生隐球菌

新生隐球菌( Cn) 是临床上重要的病原真菌, 树突细胞( DC) 则是最重要的抗原呈递细胞。作为宿主固有免疫和适应性免疫的联系枢纽,DC 对于识别病原、呈递抗原、诱导宿主免疫应答十分重要。许多研究证明,DC 可通过细胞表面的多种受体有效识别新生隐球菌抗原( CnAg) , 诱导宿主产生有效的细胞免疫应答。DC 本身也有一定的杀菌能力, 但DC 的不同亚群以及成熟状态对宿主的免疫防御功能有重要影响。另外, 隐球菌除具有甘露糖蛋白等主要免疫显性抗原外, 还有多种抑制机体保护性免疫应答的毒性因子。本文就近年来国内、外对两者之间复杂机制的研究进行概述。     

人类环境病原真菌的毒力和进化

侵袭性病原真菌极大威胁了人类公共健康安全。绝大多数的病原真菌来源于环境,它们与人类宿主并无共进化与共生关系,被称为环境病原真菌。该类病原真菌的致病能力可能衍生于其出色的环境适应策略,且可通过有性生殖依赖/非依赖的方式实现基因组快速进化,加速了自然界中高毒菌株和抗性菌株的产生。本文将主要以环境病原真菌的模式菌——新生隐球菌为例,阐述其复杂环境适应策略与致病力和毒力进化之间的关联,并对人类环境病原真菌的相关理论研究和临床应用提供一点思考。     

艾滋病合并新生隐球菌感染的研究进展

新生隐球菌感染是全世界艾滋病患者死亡的主要原因,尤其是在撒哈拉以南非洲地区发病率最高[1]。新生隐球菌除了容易感染HIV个体外,还易感染其他免疫功能低下的个体,如造血系统恶性肿瘤、器官移植后服用免疫抑制剂及免疫缺陷病患者。格特隐球菌主要侵犯免疫功能正常的个体,但也感染免疫功能低下患者如合并艾滋病毒的患者[2]。     

新生隐球菌荚膜研究现状

新生隐球菌是一种专性需氧条件致病菌,它的细胞壁外包绕着一个多糖荚膜,是其主要毒性因子之一。荚膜主要包含两种多糖-葡萄糖醛酸木糖和半乳糖甘露聚糖,此外还有少部分的甘露糖蛋白。这些多糖分子除构成多糖荚膜外,同时也参与新生隐球菌与宿主之间的免疫反应。该文对新生隐球菌荚膜的结构、生物合成、免疫反应及针对荚膜的抗真菌治疗等方面作一综述,旨在为新生隐球菌相关疾病的研究提供新的思路。     

新生隐球菌嗜中枢性感染机制的研究进展

新生隐球菌是临床上最重要的侵袭性病原真菌之一,可感染免疫抑制和免疫正常人群引发具有致命威胁的隐球菌性脑膜脑炎.近年来,隐球菌嗜中枢神经系统感染的机制研究取得了长足的进展,隐球菌参与侵袭中枢神经系统的相关毒力因子及多条宿主细胞应答信号通路相继被发现.     

新生隐球菌的荚膜多糖合成研究进展

新生隐球菌是一重要的致病真菌,其细胞壁外层的多糖荚膜是第1个被公认的新生隐球菌毒性因子。本文总结了在荚膜生理和生化合成方面的研究进展,介绍了研究新生隐球菌荚膜合成的常用方法以及在新生隐球菌的荚膜代谢途径、生化合成酶、分泌、组装和调节这些广泛的研究领域存在的许多未解决的问题。     

An ectophosphatase activity in Cryptococcus neoformans

There is increasing evidence in the literature showing that fungal pathogens express biologically active ectoenzymes. The expression of surface phosphatases at the cell surface of Cryptococcus neoformans, the etiologic agent of cryptococcosis, was evaluated in the present study. Different isolates of C. neoformans express ectophosphatase activity, which is not influenced by capsule size or serotype. The cryptococcal enzyme is an acid phosphatase, inhibited by classic inhibitors of ectophosphatases, including ammonium molybdate and sodium salts of fluoride and orthovanadate. Only the inhibition of enzyme activity caused by sodium orthovanadate has been shown to be irreversible. The cryptococcal ectoenzyme is also inhibited by Zn2+ and inorganic phosphate, the final product of reactions catalyzed by phosphatases. The ectophosphatase from C. neoformans efficiently releases phosphate groups from different phosphorylated amino acids, giving a higher rate of phosphate removal when phosphothreonine is used as a substrate. Yeast cells with irreversibly inhibited ectophosphatases are less capable of adhering to animal epithelial cells than fungi fully expressing enzyme activity, suggesting that ectoenzyme expression can contribute to the pathogenesis of C. neoformans.     

Combatting the evolution of antifungal resistance in Cryptococcus neoformans

Fungal infections are a global concern and the evolution of intrinsic resistance to current antifungals presents an alarming problem. For Cryptococcus neoformans, a human fungal pathogen of primarily immunocompromised individuals, resistance toward treatment strategies demands alternative approaches. Given the prevalence of virulence factor production during cryptococcal infection, an emerging and important field of research encompasses the development of novel antivirulence therapies proposed to improve host immune responses and promote fungal clearance. To accomplish this task, information regarding the presence and role of virulence factors, the mechanisms of action within the host, and the ability to influence fungal susceptibility to antifungals is pertinent. Research into mechanisms of antifungal resistance for C. neoformans is limited but extrapolation from successful studies in other fungal species can improve our understanding of mechanisms employed by C. neoformans and suggest targeted strategies to enhance our ability to combat the pathogen. In this Review, we highlight antifungal therapy options against Cryptococcus, explore current knowledge of underlying mechanisms promoting resistance, and present new opportunities for novel and effective strategies to overcome fungal infections and reduce, or possibly even reverse, the effects of resistance evolution.     

真菌miRNA的发现

microRNAs (miRNAs)在植物和动物中大量存在,但是否在真菌中存在一直是个未解之谜.本研究组在担子菌新型隐球酵母Cryptococcus neoformans中发现了miRNA.两个miRNA,miR1和miR2,长度分别是22nt和18nt,前体是70nt,和动物miRNA相近.通过报告基因,证实miRl/2具有沉默功能.真菌miRNA的发现为研究其进化、功能等提供有用知识.     

新生隐球菌生物膜动物感染模型的构建及其活性的检测

目的 构建一种简便易行的新生隐球菌生物膜感染动物模型.方法 采用大鼠皮下置管法构建新生隐球菌生物膜感染动物模型,并使用电子扫描显微镜观察新生隐球菌体内形成生物膜的结构;采用MTT法对获得的体内生物膜结构进行活性的检测.结果 成功构建了新生隐球菌生物膜大鼠感染模型;MTT法检测体内生物膜活性表明,随着体内培养时间的延长,生物膜活性增强,与直接镜检和电镜观察结果一致.结论 新生隐球菌生物膜大鼠模型简单易行,便于操作,对于研究新生隐球菌生物膜体内活性的研究具有一定的实际应用价值.     

Combined effect of furanone fluconazole and amphotericin B against biofilms formed from Cryptococcus neoformans

It is of interest to document the combined effect of furanone fluconazole and amphotericin B against the biofilm formed by Cryptococcus neoformans. The MIC values of amphotericine B and Fluconazole were observed as 20µg/ml and 60µg/ml, respectively. The MIC for the Combination (Amphotericin B/ Fluconazole) was found to be at (15/20) µg/ml drug concentration. Thus, data shows the combined effect of furanone fluconazole and amphotericine B derivative against C. neoformans.     

Unique hybrids between the fungal pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii

Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are yeasts that cause meningoencephalitis, but that differ in host range and geographical distribution. Cryptococcus neoformans occurs world-wide and mostly infects immunocompromised patients, whereas C. gattii occurs mainly in (sub)tropical regions and infects healthy individuals. Anomalous C. neoformans strains were isolated from patients. These strains were found to be monokaryotic, and diploid or aneuploid. Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) and sequence analyses indicated that AFLP genotypes 2 (C. neoformans) and 4 (C. gattii) were present. The strains were serologically BD. Mating- and serotype-specific PCR reactions showed that the strains were MATa-serotype D/MATalpha-serotype B. This study is the first to describe naturally occurring hybrids between C. neoformans and C. gattii.     

Towards a vaccine for Cryptococcus neoformans: principles and caveats

In the Damage-response framework of microbial pathogenesis, infectious diseases are one outcome of a host-microorganism interaction in a susceptible host. In cryptococcal disease, damage to the host is caused by Cryptococcus neoformans virulence determinants, the nature of the host response, or both. Further, the disease may be acute or reactivated from a latent state. Hence, a vaccine for C. neoformans would need to prevent disease resulting from either acute or reactivated infection. The evidence to support the development of a vaccine for C. neoformans that induces antibody-mediated immunity is discussed herein.