基于Hog-MAPK信号通路探讨白念珠菌氟康唑耐药机制的实验研究

目的探讨Hog-MAPK信号通路在白念珠菌氟康唑耐药机制中的作用。方法通过Real-Time PCR、Western blot等方法比较白念珠菌氟康唑敏感株与耐药株Hog-MAPK信号通路相关的HOG1等基因的mRNA表达,以及磷酸化p38 MAPK蛋白表达的差异,并应用微量液基稀释法检测白念珠菌HOG1基因缺陷株及其原始亲代菌株/标准株对氟康唑MIC值的差异。结果白念珠菌氟康唑敏感株与耐药株之间Hog-MAPK信号通路相关基因mRNA表达和蛋白表达存在一定差异性,敏感株的表达在一定程度上低于耐药株,HOG1基因缺陷株对氟康唑更为敏感。结论白念珠菌氟康唑耐药性可能与Hog-MAPK信号通路中部分基因和蛋白表达有关,这些基因和蛋白表达的降低可能使耐药性发生改变。     

白念珠菌酵母相-菌丝相形态转换机制的研究进展

白念珠菌是人体内重要的条件性致病真菌,形态多样性是其重要的生物学特征,不同形态细胞之间可相互转换。酵母相-菌丝相形态转换是白念珠菌中典型形态转换系统,与白念珠菌粘附、侵袭性等方面密切相关。宿主相关环境因素作用于白念珠菌,激活相应的信号传导通路,调控下游应答基因的表达,共同调控白念珠菌菌丝发育。结合目前关于白念珠菌形态转换的研究,认为广泛和深入的信号通路主要有:环磷酸腺苷/蛋白激酶A(c AMP/PKA)信号通路、丝裂原激活蛋白激酶(MAPK)信号通路、Rim101介导的p H信号通路和Tup1介导的负调控信号通路共同调控形态转换。该文将近年来国内外白念珠菌形态转换及其信号传导通路调控机制方面的进展进行综述分析。     

影响白念珠菌表型的信号通路及其转录因子研究进展

白念珠菌是最常见的人类条件致病性真菌。白念珠菌在接受环境刺激信息后,能通过多种信号转导途径使菌体发生形态、毒力等各种表型转换,从而适应生长环境,易于在宿主体内潜伏或致病。该文对白念珠菌表型转换信号通路中主要转录因子的最新研究进展进行了概述,重点介绍介导白念珠菌形态转换和毒力等表型的信号转导主要通路:cAMP-PKA通路和MAPK通路,这些通路的终点都是相关转录因子,如Efg1、Cph1。转录因子能与基因启动子结合,调控白念珠菌相应基因的转录,从而促进或抑制信号的传达,影响白念珠菌的增殖、形态转变、致病力等。可为相关研究工作者进一步了解白念珠菌表型转换的调节机制提供参考。     

白念珠菌Ras/cAMP/P KA途径研究进展

白念珠菌引起的真菌感染严重威胁着人类健康。Ras/cAMP/PKA途径在白念珠菌菌丝发育、生物被膜形成、有性生殖以及耐药性中起着重要的调控作用,该通路由GTPases(Ras1和Ras2)、腺苷环化酶(Cyr1)、cAMP水解酶(Pde1和Pde2)以及PKA激酶(包括催化亚基Tpk1和Tpk2,调节亚基Bcy1)构成。环境因子通过Ras/cAMP/PKA途径调控下游转录因子,进而调节白念珠菌多种生物学行为。文中综述了近年来白念珠菌Ras/cAMP/PKA信号通路感应胞外环境因子和调控细胞行为等方面的研究进展。     

白念珠菌双形态性的分子调节机制

白念珠菌具有双形态性,即在一定条件下相互转换为酵母相和菌丝相。调节双形态性的主要信号通路有Cph1调节的MAPK途径,Efg1调节的c AMP／PKA途径,Tup1介导的抑制途径,Rim101调节的pH反应通路等。这些通路控制着菌丝特异基因的表达,许多菌丝特异基因编码白念珠菌的毒力因子,因此菌丝相的致病性更强。     

脂肪细胞分化过程中MAPK信号通路的调控机制

促分裂原活化的蛋白激酶(MAPK)通路是一组丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白激酶,其家族控制着各种重要的生理性过程,包括细胞的生长、分化、增殖、死亡,主要有ERK、p38和JNK三条途径组成。现在肥胖已经成为多种疾病的危险因素,与胰岛素抵抗、高脂血症、2型糖尿病等都与肥胖有密切的联系。MAPK信号通路在脂肪细胞分化中起着非常重要的作用,深入的研究MAPK信号通路的在脂肪细胞中的调控作用,在预防肥胖及其引起的疾病治疗中,有着深远的意义。本文就MAPK信号通路对脂肪细胞分化的调控机制,其各个通路对脂肪细胞分化的正负调控及一些药物影响MAPK信号通路而影响脂肪细胞的分化,以及关于脂肪分化的一些新的研究做一综述。     

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。     

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Ras/cAMP/PKA通路的研究进展

白念珠菌是一种重要的条件致病真菌,Ras/cAMP/PKA信号通路在白念珠菌的多种生理过程中发挥作用,如形态转换、黏附、生物被膜形成等,对于维持白念珠菌的毒力以及侵袭能力是十分重要的。对这一信号通路的深入研究有助于更好地了解白念珠菌对人体致病的机制,给抗真菌新药的研发提供新的思路。该文重点阐述通路相关蛋白功能、上下游调控关系及机制。     

白念珠菌CaPPEl的克隆及其在酿酒酵母形态发生中的功能研究

白念珠菌的致病性与其形态转变相关,白念珠菌的形态转换受各种外界信号和细胞内信号转导途径的调控。转录因子Flo8在酿酒酵母形态发生中起重要作用,我们将白念珠菌基因组文库导入flo8缺失株中,筛选能够校正flo8缺失株侵入生长缺陷的基因,分离得到一个与酿酒酵母蛋白磷酸酯酶甲基酯酶PPEl同源的基因,命名为CaPPEl。CaPPEl的基因编码区全长1083bp,推测编码一个361氨基酸的蛋白。在单倍体酿酒酵母中,CaPPEl基因的表达可以部分回复flo8缺失株的侵入生长缺陷,但是在MAPK途径缺失株中不能进行侵入生长。在双倍体酿酒酵母中,CaPPEl基因的表达可以部分激活MAPK途径成员缺失株的菌丝生长缺陷,但却只能在flo8缺失株中产生微弱的激活作用。结果表明CaPpel在酿酒酵母的假菌丝生长和侵入生长中参与的信号转导途径不同。     

Two-component signal transduction in human fungal pathogens

Signal transduction pathways provide mechanisms for adaptation to stress conditions. One of the most studied of these pathways is the HOG1 MAP kinase pathway that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is used to adapt cells to osmostress. The HOG1 MAPK has also been studied in Candida albicans, and more recently observations on the Hog1p functions have been described in two other human pathogens, Aspergillus fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans. The important, but not surprising, concept is that this pathway is used for different yet similar functions in each of these fungi, given their need to adapt to different environmental signals. Current studies of C. albicans focus upon the identification of two-component signal proteins that, in both C. albicans and S. cerevisiae, regulate the HOG1 MAPK. In C. albicans, these proteins regulate cell wall biosynthesis (and, therefore, adherence to host cells), osmotic and oxidant adaptation, white-opaque switching, morphogenesis, and virulence of the organism.     

MAPK转导通路在白念珠菌菌体抗氧化应激中的作用

目的探讨MAPK通路在念珠菌抗氧化应激中的作用。方法采用不同浓度过氧化氢刺激白念珠菌,通过流式细胞仪检测念珠菌的凋亡率,并计算其增殖指数;通过实时荧光定量PCR检测MAPK通路中8种基因的表达水平。结果随着过氧化氢的刺激浓度增高,白念珠菌的凋亡率逐渐升高,而其增殖指数下降。在不同的过氧化氢浓度刺激下,MAPK通路中各基因表达水平基本一致,即在较低的过氧化氢浓度刺激下,各基因表达水平均有一定的上升,而随着浓度增高,在高浓度的过氧化氢刺激下,各基因表达水平趋于稳定。结论在低浓度的过氧化氢刺激下,白念珠菌的凋亡率虽有所上升,但其相应的增殖指数也有所上升,即生长加快。这可能与其MAPK通路中各基因表达增强有一定的关系。     

Evidence that C-terminal non-kinase domain of Pbs2p has a role in high osmolarity-induced nuclear localization of Hog1p

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade is a ubiquitous signaling module that transmits extracellular stimuli through the cytoplasm to the nucleus. In baker's yeast external high osmolarity activates high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) MAPK pathway which consists of two upstream branches (SHO1 and SLN1) and common downstream elements Pbs2p MAPKK and Hog1p MAPK. Activation of this pathway causes rapid nuclear accumulation of Hog1p, essentially leading to the expression of target genes. Previously we have isolated a PBS2 homologue (DPBS2) from osmo-tolerant and salt-tolerant yeast Debaryomyces hansenii that partially complemented pbs2 mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we show that by replacing C-terminal region of Dpbs2p with the homologous region of Pbs2p we could abrogate partial complementation exhibited by Dpbs2p and this was achieved due to increase in nuclear translocation of Hog1p. Thus, our result showed that in HOG pathway, MAPKK has important role in nuclear translocation of Hog1p.     

CaSRB9基因的克隆及其在酿酒酵母形态发生中的作用

白色念珠菌是一种重要的人体致病真菌 ,致病机制与其形态发生紧密相关。酿酒酵母Flo8因子在其形态发生中起重要作用 ,我们把白色念珠菌基因组DNA导入酿酒酵母flo8基因缺失株中 ,筛选能够互补 flo8侵入生长缺陷的基因 ,分离到了一个与酿酒酵母SRB9同源的新基因 ,命名为CaSRB9。该基因全长 4998bp ,编码一种16 6 5个氨基酸的蛋白质。在双倍体酿酒酵母中CaSRB9可以部分互补MAPK途径基因缺失株以及 flo8缺失株的菌丝生长缺陷 ;在单倍体酿酒酵母中表达能够互补 flo8缺失株的侵入生长缺陷 ,但在MAPK途径基因缺失株中不能形成侵入生长     

A single MAPKKK regulates the Hog1 MAPK pathway in the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans

The Hog1 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) plays a central role in stress responses in the human pathogen Candida albicans. Here, we have investigated the MAPK kinase kinase (MAPKKK)-dependent regulation of the pathway. In contrast to the Hog1 pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is regulated by three MAPKKKs (Ssk2, Ssk22, and Ste11), our results demonstrate that Hog1 in C. albicans is regulated by a single MAPKKK Ssk2. Deletion of SSK2 results in comparable stress and morphological phenotypes exhibited by hog1Delta cells, and Ssk2 is required for the stress-induced phosphorylation and nuclear accumulation of Hog1, and for Hog1-dependent gene expression. Furthermore, phenotypes associated with deletion of SSK2 can be circumvented by expression of a phosphomimetic mutant of the MAPKK Pbs2, indicating that Ssk2 regulates Hog1 via activation of Pbs2. In S. cerevisiae, the Hog1 pathway is also regulated by the MAPKKK Ste11. However, we can find no connection between Ste11 and the regulation of Hog1 in C. albicans. Furthermore, expression of a chimeric Pbs2 protein containing the Ste11-dependent regulatory region of S. cerevisiae Pbs2, fails to stimulate Ste11-dependent stress signaling in C. albicans. Collectively, our data show that Ssk2 is the sole MAPKKK to relay stress signals to Hog1 in C. albicans and that the MAPK signaling network in C. albicans has diverged significantly from the corresponding network in S. cerevisiae.     

Phospholipase Cγ2 (PLCγ2) is key component in Dectin-2 signaling pathway, mediating anti-fungal innate immune responses

C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) such as Dectin-2 function as pattern recognition receptors to sense fungal infection. However, the signaling pathways induced by these receptors remain largely unknown. Previous studies suggest that the CLR-induced signaling pathway may utilize similar signaling components as the B cell receptor-induced signaling pathway. Phospholipase Cγ2 (PLCγ2) is a key component in B cell receptor signaling, but its role in other signaling pathways has not been fully characterized. Here, we show that PLCγ2 functions downstream of Dectin-2 in response to the stimulation by the hyphal form of Candida albicans, an opportunistic pathogenic fungus. Using PLCγ2- and PLCγ1-deficient macrophages, we found that the lack of PLCγ2, but not PLCγ1, impairs cytokine production in response to infection with C. albicans. PLCγ2 deficiency results in the defective activation of NF-κB and MAPK and a significantly reduced production of reactive oxygen species following fungal challenge. In addition, PLCγ2-deficient mice are defective in clearing C. albicans infection in vivo. Together, these findings demonstrate that PLCγ2 plays a critical role in CLR-induced signaling pathways, governing antifungal innate immune responses.