A monoclonal antibody to glucosylceramide inhibits the growth of Fonsecaea pedrosoi and enhances the antifungal action of mouse macrophages

Fungal glucosylceramides (GlcCer) are conserved lipid components in a large variety of pathogenic and non-pathogenic fungal species, but their biological functions are still unclear. Recent studies demonstrate that GlcCer are immunologically active components inducing the production of antifungal antibodies. In this work, a major GlcCer was purified and characterized from mycelial forms of Fonsecaea pedrosoi, the most frequent causative agent of chromoblastomycosis. As determined by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS) analysis, the purified molecule was identified as the conserved structure N-2'-hydroxyhexadecanoyl-1-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine. A monoclonal antibody (Mab) against this structure was used in indirect immunofluorescence with the different morphological stages of F. pedrosoi. Only the surface of young dividing cells was recognized by the antibody. Treatment of F. pedrosoi conidia with the Mab against GlcCer resulted in a clear reduction in fungal growth. In addition, the Mab also enhanced phagocytosis and killing of F. pedrosoi by murine cells. These results suggest that, in F. pedrosoi, GlcCer seem to be cell wall components targeted by antifungal antibodies that directly inhibit fungal development and also enhance macrophage function, supporting the use of monoclonal antibodies to GlcCer as potential tools in antifungal immunotherapy.     

Characterization of sphingolipids from mycopathogens: factors correlating with expression of 2-hydroxy fatty acyl (E)-Delta 3-unsaturation in cerebrosides of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and Aspergillus fumigatus.

Significant differences exist between mammals and fungi with respect to glycosphingolipid (GSL) structure and biosynthesis. Thus, these compounds, as well as the cellular machinery regulating their expression, have considerable potential as targets for the diagnosis and treatment of fungal diseases. In this study, the major neutral GSL components extracted from both yeast and mycelium forms of the thermally dimorphic mycopathogen Paracoccidioides brasiliensis were purified and characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, ESI-MS and ESI-MS/CID-MS, and GC-MS. The major GSLs of both forms were identified as beta-glucopyranosylceramides (GlcCer) having (4E, 8E)-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine as long chain base in combination with either N-2'-hydroxyoctadecanoate or N-2'-hydroxy-(E)-3'-octadecenoate. The mycelium form GlcCer had both fatty acids in a approximately 1:1 ratio, while that of the yeast form had on average only approximately 15% of the (E)-Delta 3-unsaturated fatty acid. Cerebrosides from two strains of Aspergillus fumigatus (237 and ATCC 9197) expressing both GalCer and GlcCer were also purified and characterized by similar methods. The GalCer fractions were found to have approximately 70% and approximately 90% N-2'-hydroxy-(E)-3'-octadecenoate, respectively, in the two strains. In contrast, the GlcCer fractions had N-2'-hydroxy-(E)-3'-octadecenoate at only approximately 20 and approximately 50%, respectively. The remainder in all cases was the saturated 2-OH fatty acid, which has not been previously reported in cerebrosides from A. fumigatus. The availability of detailed structures of both glycosylinositol phosphorylceramides [Levery, S. B., Toledo, M. S., Straus, A. H., and Takahashi, H. K. (1998) Biochemistry 37, 8764-8775] and cerebrosides from P. brasiliensis revealed parallel quantitative differences in expression between yeast and mycelium forms, as well as a striking general partitioning of ceramide structure between the two classes of GSLs. These results are discussed with respect to possible functional roles for fungal sphingolipids, particularly as they relate to the morphological transitions exhibited by P. brasiliensis.     

Characterization of cerebrosides from the thermally dimorphic mycopathogen Histoplasma capsulatum: expression of 2-hydroxy fatty N-acyl (E)-Delta(3)-unsaturation correlates with the yeast-mycelium phase transition

Cerebroside (monohexosylceramide) components were identified in neutral lipids extracted from both the yeast and mycelial forms of the thermally dimorphic mycopathogen Histoplasma capsulatum. The components were purified from both forms and their structures elucidated by 1- and 2-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and low energy tandem collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/CID-MS). Both components were characterized as beta-glucopyranosylceramides (GlcCers) containing (4E,8E)-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine as the long-chain base, attached to 18-carbon 2-hydroxy fatty N-acyl components. However, while the fatty acid of the yeast form GlcCer was virtually all N-2'-hydroxyoctadecanoate, the mycelium form GlcCer was characterized by almost exclusive expression of N-2'-hydroxy-(E)-delta(3)-octadecenoate. These results suggest that the yeast-mycelium transition is accompanied by up-regulation of an as yet uncharacterized ceramide or cerebroside 2-hydroxy fatty N-acyl (E)-delta(3)-desaturase activity. They also constitute further evidence for the existence of two distinct pathways for ceramide biosynthesis in fungi, since glycosylinositol phosphorylceramides (GIPCs), the other major class of fungal glycosphingolipids, are found with ceramides consisting of 4-hydroxysphinganine (phytosphingosine) and longer chain 2-hydroxy fatty acids. In addition to identification of the major glucocerebroside components, minor components (< 5%) detectable by molecular weight differences in the ESI-MS profiles were also characterized by tandem ESI-MS/CID-MS analysis. These minor components were identified as variants differing in fatty acyl chain length, or the absence of the sphingoid 9-methyl group or (E)-delta(8)-unsaturation, and are hypothesized to be either biosynthetic intermediates or the result of imperfect chemical transformation by the enzymes responsible for these features. Possible implications of these findings with respect to chemotaxonomy, compartmentalization of fungal glycosphingolipid biosynthetic pathways, and regulation of morphological transitions in H.capsulatum and other dimorphic fungi are discussed.     

Characterization of Scedosporium apiospermum Glucosylceramides and Their Involvement in Fungal Development and Macrophage Functions

Scedosporium apiospermum is an emerging fungal pathogen that causes both localized and disseminated infections in immunocompromised patients. Glucosylceramides (CMH, GlcCer) are the main neutral glycosphingolipids expressed in fungal cells. In this study, glucosylceramides (GlcCer) were extracted and purified in several chromatographic steps. Using high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), N-2′-hydroxyhexadecanoyl-1-β-D-glucopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine was identified as the main GlcCer in S. apiospermum. A monoclonal antibody (Mab) against this molecule was used for indirect immunofluorescence experiments, which revealed that this CMH is present on the surface of the mycelial and conidial forms of S. apiospermum. Treatment of S. apiospermum conidia with the Mab significantly reduced fungal growth. In addition, the Mab also enhanced the phagocytosis and killing of S. apiospermum by murine cells. In vitro assays were performed to evaluate the CMHs for their cytotoxic activities against the mammalian cell lines L.929 and RAW, and an inhibitory effect on cell proliferation was observed. Synergistic in vitro interactions were observed between the Mab against GlcCer and both amphotericin B (AmB) and itraconazole. Because Scedosporium species develop drug resistance, the number of available antifungal drugs is limited; our data indicate that combining immunotherapy with the available drugs might be a viable treatment option. These results suggest that in S. apiospermum, GlcCer are most likely cell wall components that are targeted by antifungal antibodies, which directly inhibit fungal development and enhance macrophage function; furthermore, these results suggest the combined use of monoclonal antibodies against GlcCer and antifungal drugs for antifungal immunotherapy.     

黑柄炭角菌的化学成分

从黑柄炭角菌(Xylaria nigripe)子实体中分离得到10个化合物,通过波谱分析等方法分别鉴定为(22E,24R)-麦角甾-5,7,22-三烯-3β-醇(1)、5α,8α-过氧-(22E,24R)-麦角甾-6,22-二烯-3β-醇(2)、脑苷酯B(3)、脑苷酯D(4)、stearic acid(5)、甘油的亚油酸三酯(trilinolein,6)、α-kojibiose(7)、D-阿洛糖醇(8)、L-氨基丙酸(9)和尿囊素(10)。所有化合物均为首次从该子实体中分离得到。     

Neutral glycolipids of the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa: altered expression in plant defensin-resistant mutants

To defend themselves against fungal pathogens, plants produce numerous antifungal proteins and peptides, including defensins, some of which have been proposed to interact with fungal cell surface glycosphingolipid components. Although not known as a phytopathogen, the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa possesses numerous genes similar to those required for plant pathogenesis identified in fungal pathogens (Galagan, J. E., et al. 2003. Nature 422: 859-868), and it has been used as a model for studying plant-phytopathogen interactions targeting fungal membrane components (Thevissen, K., et al. 2003. Peptides. 24: 1705-1712). For this study, neutral glycolipid components were extracted from wild-type and plant defensin-resistant mutant strains of N. crassa. The structures of purified components were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Neutral glycosphingolipids of both wild-type and mutant strains were characterized as beta-glucopyranosylceramides, but those of the mutants were found with structurally altered ceramides. Although the wild type expressed a preponderance of N-2'-hydroxy-(E)-Delta3-octadecenoate as the fatty-N-acyl component attached to the long-chain base (4E,8E)-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine, the mutant ceramides were found with mainly N-2'-hydroxyhexadecanoate instead. In addition, the mutant strains expressed highly increased levels of a sterol glucoside identified as ergosterol-beta-glucoside. The potential implications of these findings with respect to defensin resistance in the N. crassa mutants are discussed.     

Dimorphic expression of cerebrosides in the mycopathogen Sporothrix schenckii

Major neutral glycosphingolipid components were extracted from Sporothrix schenckii, a dimorphic fungus exhibiting a hyphal saprophytic phase and a yeast parasitic phase responsible for chronic mycotic infections in mammalian hosts. These components, one from the mycelial form and two from the yeast form, were purified and their structures were elucidated by (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and tandem ESI-MS/MS. All three were characterized as cerebrosides (monohexosylceramides) containing (4E, 8E)-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine as the long-chain base attached to N-2'-hydroxyoctadecanoate and N-2'-hydroxy-(E)-Delta(3)-octadecenoate as the fatty acyl components. However, while the mycelial form expressed only beta-glucopyranosylceramide, the yeast form expressed both beta-gluco- and beta-galactopyranosylceramides in approximately equal amounts. In addition, while the glucosylceramides of both mycelial and yeast forms had similar proportions of saturated and (E)-Delta(3) unsaturated 2-hydroxy fatty acid, the galactocerebroside of the yeast form had significantly higher levels of (E)-Delta(3) unsaturation.The differences in cerebroside hexose structure represent a novel type of glycosphingolipid dimorphism not previously reported in fungi. Possible implications of these findings with respect to regulation of morphological transitions in S. schenckii and other dimorphic fungi are discussed.     

Intestinal absorption of dietary maize glucosylceramide in lymphatic duct cannulated rats

Sphingolipids are ubiquitous in all eukaryotic organisms. Various physiological functions of dietary sphingolipids, such as preventing colon cancer and improving the skin barrier function, have been recently reported. One of the common sphingolipids used as a foodstuff is glucosylceramide from plant sources, which is composed of sphingoid bases distinct from those of mammals. However, the fate of dietary sphingolipids derived from plants is still not understood. In this study, we investigated the absorption of maize glucosylceramide in the rat intestine using a lipid absorption assay of lymph from the thoracic duct. The free and complex forms of trans-4,cis-8-sphingadienine, the predominant sphingoid base of maize glucosylceramide, were found in the lymph after administration of maize glucosylceramide. This plant type of sphingoid base was detected in the ceramide fraction and N-palmitoyl-4,8-sphingadienine (C16:0-d18:2) and N-tricosanoyl-4,8-sphingadienine (C23:0-d18:2) were identified by LC-MS/MS. The cumulative recovery of 4t,8c-sphingadienine in the lymph was very low. These results indicate that dietary glucosylceramide originating from higher plants is slightly absorbed in the intestine and is incorporated into ceramide structures in the intestinal cells. However, it appears that the intact form of sphingoid bases is not reutilized well in the tissues.     

蓝柄丽齿菌的化学成分

从担子菌亚门蓝柄丽齿菌(Calodon suaveolens)中首次分离得到8个化合物,通过波谱学技术并借助必要的化学方法最终确定结构,它们是：(22E,24R)-麦角甾-7,22-二烯-3β-醇(1),(22E,24R)-5α,8α-过氧麦角甾-6,22-二烯．3β-醇(2),(22E,24R)-麦角甾．5,7,22-三烯-3β-醇(3),(22E,24R)-3β-羟基麦角甾-5,22-二烯-7-酮(4),对羟基苯甲酸(5),尿嘧啶(6),polyozellin(7),(4E,BE）-2-N-(2’-羟基棕榈酰)-1-O-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖基-9-甲基-4,8-sphingadienine(8)。     

猴头菌子实体化学成分研究

利用柱色谱技术从猴头菌(Hercium erinaceus)干燥子实体的甲醇提取物中分离得到11个化合物,经波谱技术分别鉴定为:D-赤藓糖醇(1)、D-阿拉伯糖醇(2)、1-O-β-D-吡哺葡萄糖基-(2S,4E,8E,2'R)-2-N-(2'-羟基十六烷酰)-9-甲基-4,8-sphingadienine(3)、3β-羟基-麦角甾-5,7,22-三烯(4)、3β-羟基-5α,8α-过氧化麦角甾-6,22-二烯(5)、硬脂酸(6)、油酸(7)、hericenone F(8)、hericenone C (9)、hericenone E(10)和hericene A(11).研究结果表明,hericenones型酚类物质在猴头菌子实体中含量丰富,化合物3是从猴头菌子实体中首次分离得到的脑酰胺类物质.     

Characterization of glucosylceramides in Pseudallescheria boydii and their involvement in fungal differentiation

Pseudallescheria boydii is a fungal pathogen that causes disease in immunocompromised patients. Ceramide monohexosides (CMHs) were purified from lipidic extracts of this fungus, showing that, as described for several other species, P. boydii synthesizes glucosylceramides as major neutral glycosphingolipids. CMHs from P. boydii were analyzed by high-performance thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance. These combination of techniques allowed the identification of CMHs from P. boydii as molecules containing a glucose residue attached to 9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine in amidic linkage to 2-hydroxyoctadecanoic or 2-hydroxyhexadecanoic acids. Antibodies from a rabbit infected with P. boydii recognized CMHs from this fungus. Antibodies to CMH were purified from serum and used in indirect immunofluorescence, which revealed that CMHs are detectable on the surface of mycelial and pseudohyphal but not conidial forms of P. boydii, suggesting a differential expression of glucosylceramides according with morphological phase. We also investigated the influence of antibodies to CMH on growth and germ tube formation in P. boydii. Cultures that were supplemented with these antibodies failed to form mycelium, but the latter was not affected once formed. Similar experiments were performed to evaluate whether antibodies to CMH would influence germ tube formation in Candida albicans, a fungal pathogen that synthesizes glucosylceramide and uses differentiation as a virulence factor. Addition of antiglucosylceramide antibodies to cultures of C. albicans clearly inhibited the generation of germ tubes. These results indicated that fungal CMHs might be involved in the differentiation and, consequently, play a role on the infectivity of fungal cells.     

Glycosphingolipids from Magnaporthe grisea cells: expression of a ceramide dihexoside presenting phytosphingosine as the long-chain base

Magnaporthe grisea is a fungal pathogen that infects rice leaves and causes rice blast, a devastating crop disease. M. grisea produces active elicitors of the hypersensitive response in rice that were previously identified as ceramide monohexosides (CMHs). Using several chromatographic approaches, mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance, we identified ceramide mono- and dihexosides (CDH) in purified lipid extracts from M. grisea cells. As described by other authors, CMH consists of a ceramide moiety containing 9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine in amidic linkage to 2-hydroxyoctadecenoic or 2-hydroxyhexadecenoic acids and a carbohydrate segment consisting of one residue of glucose. CDHs, however, contain beta-galactose (1-->4)-linked to beta-glucose as sugar units and phytosphingosine as the long-chain base, bound to a C24 alpha-hydroxylated fatty acid. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the occurrence of CDH in a fungal species and illustrates the existence of an alternative path of ceramide glycosylation in fungal cells.     

Structure of biologically active and inactive cerebrosides prepared from Schizophyllum commune

A cerebroside fraction prepared from the mycelia of Schizophyllum commune was further fractionated into five components (I-V) by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Fruiting-inducing activity was found in I-IV but not in V. By gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses it was shown that these fractions contained: I, a mixture of N-2'-hydroxypentadecanoyl-1-O-glucosyl-nonadecasphingadienine++ + and N-2'-hydroxyhexadecanoyl-1-O-glucosyl-sphingadienine; II, (4E,8E)-N-D-2'-hydroxyhexadecanoyl-1-O-beta-D-glucopyr anosyl-9-methyl-4,8- sphingadienine (Kawai and Ikeda. 1983. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 754: 243-248); III, N-2'-hydroxyheptadecanoyl-1-O-glucosyl-nonadecasphingadienine++ +; IV, N-2'-hydroxyoctadecanoyl-1-O-glucosyl-nonadecasphinadienine; V, (4E,8E)-N-2'-hydroxytetracosanoyl-1-O-beta-glucopyrano syl-9-methyl-4,8- sphingadienine. The only structural difference observed between biologically active and inactive cerebrosides was the chain length of acyl moiety; the cerebroside having an acyl chain of 24 carbon atoms was inactive.     

Molecular species of cerebrosides in fruiting bodies of Lentinus edodes and their biological activity

Cerebroside fraction was obtained from fresh fruiting bodies of Lentinus edodes and separated into ten molecular species by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The species were identified by GLC, GC-MS and NMR. Their component glycosides and sphingoids were uniformly glucose and (4E,8E)-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine, respectively. The component fatty acids were 2-hydroxy acids with the carbon chain length of 16, 15, 14, 18, 24, 17, 25, 26, 22 and 23 (from major to minor). The cerebrosides with the C14-18 fatty acids showed strong fruiting-inducing activity in Schizophyllum commune. Those with the C22 and C23 ones had one-eighth and one-sixteenth of the activity, respectively, and those with C24-26 had no detectable activity. 22 and 23 must be the carbon chain lengths of the component fatty acid of the sphingolipids critical for expression of biological activity.     

乳孔硫磺菌的化学成分和抗氧化活性

对乳孔硫磺菌子实体不同极性提取物进行了DPPH和ABTS自由基清除能力的测定,并对氯仿和乙酸乙酯提取物进行了分离纯化。结果表明,乳孔硫磺菌的石油醚、氯仿、乙酸乙酯和甲醇提取物均有一定的抗氧化活性,各提取物对两种自由基的清除能力均表现为甲醇提取物＞乙酸乙酯提取物＞氯仿提取物＞石油醚提取物,甲醇提取物对DPPH自由基的清除率最高可达到93.78%;对ABTS自由基的清除率最高可达到62.06%;从氯仿和乙酸乙酯提取物中分离得到10个化合物,分别是：(22E,24R)-5α,8α-过氧麦角甾-6,22-二烯-3β-醇（1）,阿里红酸 A（2）,麦角甾-7,22-二烯-3β-醇（3）,啤酒甾醇（4）,硫色多孔菌酸（5）,(4E,8E)-N-d-2′-hydroxypalmitoyl-1-O-β-d-glycopyranosyl- 9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine（6）,麦角甾醇（7）,N-(2′-羟基二十四碳酰基)-1,3,4-三羟基-2-氨基-十八烷（8）,烟酸（9）和齿孔酸（10）。其中,化合物2、6、8和9为首次从硫磺菌属真菌中分离得到。     

The structure and distribution of ceramide aminoethylphosphonates in the oyster (Ostrea gigas).

1. Ceramide aminoethylphosphonate was isolated from the adductor, gills, mantle and viscera of oysters. 2. After drastic acid hydrolysis of the lipid, aminoethylphosphonic acid was the only water-soluble carbon-phosphorous compound detected. 3. The main fatty acids of ceramide aminoethylphosphonates were hexadecanoic acid (77-90%) and 2-hydroxy hexadecanoic acid (13-15%). 4. Hexadeca-4-sphingenine, octadeca-4-sphingenine and octadeca-4,8-sphingadienine were identified as the major long chain base components. However, the ratio of the three bases was characteristic for each tissue; the adductor muscle contains primarily hexadeca-4-sphingenine, and the viscera, octadeca-4,8-sphingadienine. The gills and mantle contain the three bases in approximately equal concentration. 5. The main molecular species in the adductor muscle was hexadecanoyl-hexadeca-4-sphingenyl 2-aminoethylphosphonate, while in the viscera hexade-canoyl-octadeca-4,8-sphingenyl 2-aminoethylphosphonate predominated.     

Synthesis of (2S,2’R,3R,4E,8E)-N-2’-Hydroxyoctadecanoyl-1-O-(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine (Pen III), a Cerebroside Isolated from Penicillium funiculosum as the Fruiting Inducer against Schizophyllum commune

(2S,2’R,3R,4E,8E)-N-2’-Hydroxyoctadecanoyl-1-O-(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine (Pen III), a cerebroside isolated from Penicillium funiculosum A-1 as the fruiting inducer against Basidiomycete Schizophyllum commune, was synthesized by starting from d-glucose, l-serine, homoprenyl acetate and stearic acid.     

色钉菇子实体化学成分及其生物活性初探

从色钉菇Chroogomphus rutilus子实体中分离纯化出11种化合物,经核磁等方法鉴定为：（1）麦角甾-7,22-二烯-3-酮;（2）麦角甾-4,6,8(14), 22-四烯-3-酮;（3）邻苯二甲酸二丁酯;（4）顺式-3-己烯醇;（5）3β,5α,6β-三羟基麦角甾-7,22-二烯;（6）α-甜没药醇;（7）2-甲氧基腺嘌呤核苷;（8）(4E,8E)-2-N-(2-羟基棕榈酰)-1-O-B-D-吡喃葡萄糖基-9-甲基-4, 8-sphingadienine;（9）5-羟基尿嘧啶核苷;（10）2-氨基-3-醛基-6-甲氧基吡啶;（11）Polyozellin。对分离化合物的体外抗氧化、抗肿瘤活性的初步测定结果显示,2-甲氧基腺嘌呤核苷、顺式-3-己烯醇表现出较强的清除DPPH自由基活性,EC50值分别为0.06128mg/mL和0.08253mg/mL。5-羟基尿嘧啶核苷对人胃癌细胞株BGC的增殖有较强的抑制作用,IC50值为7.92μg/mL。研究结果为进一步开发利用色钉菇提供了科学依据。     

Methylation of glycosylated sphingolipid modulates membrane lipid topography and pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans

In previous studies we showed that the replication of Cryptococcus neoformans in the lung environment is controlled by the glucosylceramide (GlcCer) synthase gene (GCS1), which synthesizes the membrane sphingolipid GlcCer from the C9-methyl ceramide. Here, we studied the effect of the mutation of the sphingolipid C9 methyltransferase gene (SMT1), which adds a methyl group to position 9 of the sphingosine backbone of ceramide. The C. neoformans Δsmt1 mutant does not make C9-methyl ceramide and, thus, any methylated GlcCer. However, it accumulates demethylated ceramide and demethylated GlcCer. The Δsmt1 mutant loses more than 80% of its virulence compared with the wild type and the reconstituted strain. Interestingly, growth of C. neoformans Δsmt1 in the lung was decreased and C. neoformans cells were contained in lung granulomas, which significantly reduced the rate of their dissemination to the brain reducing the onset of meningoencephalitis. Thus, using fluorescent spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy we compared the wild type and Δsmt1 mutant and found that the altered membrane composition and GlcCer structure affects fungal membrane rigidity, suggesting that specific sphingolipid structures are required for proper fungal membrane organization and integrity. Therefore, we propose that the physical structure of the plasma membrane imparted by specific classes of sphingolipids represents a critical factor for the ability of the fungus to establish virulence.     

The chlamydial inclusion preferentially intercepts basolaterally directed sphingomyelin-containing exocytic vacuoles

Chlamydiae replicate intracellularly within a unique vacuole termed the inclusion. The inclusion circumvents classical endosomal/lysosomal pathways but actively intercepts a subset of Golgi-derived exocytic vesicles containing sphingomyelin (SM) and cholesterol. To further examine this interaction, we developed a polarized epithelial cell model to study vectoral trafficking of lipids and proteins to the inclusion. We examined seven epithelial cell lines for their ability to form single monolayers of polarized cells and support chlamydial development. Of these cell lines, polarized colonic mucosal C2BBe1 cells were readily infected with Chlamydia trachomatis and remained polarized throughout infection. Trafficking of (6-((N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1, 3-diazol-4-yl) amino)hexanoyl)sphingosine) (NBD-C(6)-ceramide) and its metabolic derivatives, NBD-glucosylceramide (GlcCer) and NBD-SM, was analyzed. SM was retained within L2-infected cells relative to mock-infected cells, correlating with a disruption of basolateral SM trafficking. There was no net retention of GlcCer within L2-infected cells and purification of C. trachomatis elementary bodies from polarized C2BBe1 cells confirmed that bacteria retained only SM. The chlamydial inclusion thus appears to preferentially intercept basolaterally-directed SM-containing exocytic vesicles, suggesting a divergence in SM and GlcCer trafficking. The observed changes in lipid trafficking were a chlamydia-specific effect because Coxiella burnetii-infected cells revealed no changes in GlcCer or SM polarized trafficking.