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...     

白念珠菌V-ATPase研究进展

白念珠菌是临床最常见的条件致病真菌,V-ATPase是真核生物中高度保守的质子泵转运复合物,可以维持液泡和细胞质pH稳态.近年来,V-ATPase作为一个抗白念珠菌感染的潜在靶点为人们所关注,本文就V-ATPase抑制剂、相关的其他靶点及抑制剂筛选等方面的研究进展作一综述.     

白念珠菌在巨噬细胞逃逸途径的研究进展

<正>白念珠菌(Candida albicans)是最常见的机会性致病真菌之一,可以定植于人类的口腔、胃肠道和生殖道等部位^[1],当宿主的体表微生态失衡时,皮肤黏膜屏障或免疫功能受到破坏,白念珠菌就会导致感染^[2-3]。白念珠菌感染机体后,可以刺激机体产生固有免疫和特异性免疫,介导对病原体的杀伤,从而清除血液和感染器官中的真菌^[4]。其中固有免疫作为抵抗真菌感染的第一道防线,在真菌感染的早期发挥了重要作用,而巨噬细胞是其主要组分之一^[5]。     

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。     

白念珠菌生物膜及其研究进展

白念珠菌生物对多种传统抗真菌药物高度耐药,日益增多的白念珠菌生物膜相关感染引起抗真菌药物治疗的失败加重了患者及社会的经济负担,这已经成为临床医生所面临的重要问题.该文旨在阐明白念珠菌生物膜的临床重要性,并从多方面阐述白念珠菌生物膜的结构特点、形成机制、防治现状的最新研究进展,为白念珠菌的研究及临床防治策略提供参考.     

白念珠菌黏附基因研究进展

白念珠菌具有很强的黏附和侵袭能力,其黏附特性是致病力的重要原因,与白念珠菌黏附相关的基因称为黏附基因。对黏附基因的研究不仅有助于更好地解读白念珠菌的致病机制,而且也为研制新的抗真菌药物和真菌疫苗提供了理论依据。     

白念珠菌凋亡诱导研究进展

近年来,白念珠菌为主的真菌感染病例日渐增多,新型抗真菌药物研发成为热点。在原有抗真菌机制的基础上,通过诱导凋亡抗真菌成为目前探寻抗真菌药物作用机制的一个新趋向。本文对目前国内外关于药物诱导白念珠菌凋亡研究做一综述。     

壳聚糖体外抗白念珠菌生物膜作用的初步研究

目的观察壳聚糖对白念珠菌生物膜形成的影响,探讨其可能的作用机制。方法 XTT减低法评价壳聚糖对白念珠菌生物膜形成及黏附的影响,镜下观察壳聚糖对白念珠菌生物膜形态的影响;实时定量RT-PCR法观察壳聚糖对白念珠菌的Ras信号通路因子CDC35、PDE2、EFG1和HWP1的基因表达的影响。结果低浓度(0.02 mg/mL)和高浓度(0.32mg/mL)壳聚糖对白念珠菌生物膜形成的抑制率分别为(19.6±1.2)%和(96.96±0.6)%,0.16 mg/mL浓度下壳聚糖对早期(0 h)、中期(12 h)和成熟期(48 h)的生物膜抑制率分别为(78.6±0.5)%、(54.4±0.9)%和(41.1±1.1)%,不同浓度的壳聚糖对各黏附阶段的白念珠菌细胞黏附均有抑制作用,壳聚糖可剂量依赖性地下调白念珠菌生物膜Ras信号通路基因CDC35、EFG1和HWP1的表达水平,上调Ras信号通路抑制剂PDE2的基因表达水平(P<0.05)。结论壳聚糖可能通过影响Ras信号通路及抑制细胞黏附而对白念珠菌生物膜的形成具有抑制作用。     

白假丝酵母形态转换相关基因及其调控途径的研究进展

白假丝酵母可在酵母相和菌丝相之间进行转换,这种形态转换对白假丝酵母的黏附、侵入和逃逸宿主免疫系统攻击的能力等都具有很大的影响。近年来,运用分子生物学方法克隆出了一系列与白假丝酵母形态转换相关的基因,并发现了两条调控其形态转换的信号传导途径。     

Downregulation of the cAMP/PKA Pathway in PC12 Cells Overexpressing NCS-1

It is well known that dopamine imbalances are associated with many psychiatric disorders and that the dopaminergic receptor D₂ is the main target of antipsychotics. Recently it was shown that levels of two proteins implicated in dopaminergic signaling, Neuronal calcium sensor-1 (NCS-1) and DARPP-32, are altered in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of both schizophrenic and bipolar disorder patients. NCS-1, which inhibits D₂ internalization, is upregulated in the PFC of both patients. DARPP-32, which is a downstream effector of dopamine signaling, integrates the pathways of several neurotransmitters and is downregulated in the PFC of both patients. Here, we used PC12 cells stably overexpressing NCS-1 (PC12-NCS-1 cells) to address the function of this protein in DARPP-32 signaling pathway in vitro. PC12-NCS-1 cells displayed downregulation of the cAMP/PKA pathway, with decreased levels of cAMP and phosphorylation of CREB at Ser133. We also observed decreased levels of total and phosphorylated DARPP-32 at Thr34. However, these cells did not show alterations in the levels of D₂ and phosphorylation of DARPP-32 at Thr75. These results indicate that NCS-1 modulates PKA/cAMP signaling pathway. Identification of the cellular mechanisms linking NCS-1 and DARPP-32 may help in the understanding the signaling machinery with potential to be turned into targets for the treatment of schizophrenia and other debilitating psychiatric disorders.     

Ras1 and Ras2 play antagonistic roles in regulating cellular cAMP level, stationary-phase entry and stress response in Candida albicans

The GTPase Ras1 activates the yeast-to-hypha transition in Candida albicans by activating cAMP synthesis. Here, we have characterized Ras2. Ras2 belongs to a group of atypical Ras proteins in some fungal species that share poor identity with other Ras GTPases with many variations in conserved motifs thought to be crucial for Ras-associated activities. We find that recombinant Ras2 is enzymatically as active as Ras1. However, only RAS1 can rescue the lethality of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ras1 ras2 mutant, suggesting functional divergence of the two genes. ras2 Δ is normal in hyphal growth, but deleting RAS2 in the ras1 Δ background greatly aggravates the hyphal defect, indicating that Ras2 also has a role in hyphal development. Strikingly, while RAS1 deletion causes a ∼20-fold decrease in cellular cAMP, further deletion of RAS2 restores it to ∼30% of the wild-type level. Consistently, while the ras1 Δ mutant enters the stationary phase prematurely, the double mutant does so normally. Moreover, ras1 Δ cells exhibit increased resistance to H₂O₂ and higher sensitivity to the heavy metal Co²⁺, whereas ras2 Δ cells show the opposite phenotypes. Together, our data reveal a novel regulatory mechanism by which two antagonizing Ras GTPases balance each other in regulating multiple cellular processes in C. albicans .     

Simulation of the Ras/cAMP/PKA pathway in budding yeast highlights the establishment of stable oscillatory states

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Ras/cAMP/PKA pathway plays a major role in the regulation of metabolism, stress resistance and cell cycle progression. We extend here a mechanistic model of the Ras/cAMP/PKA pathway that we previously defined by describing the molecular interactions and post-translational modifications of proteins, and perform a computational analysis to investigate the dynamical behaviors of the components of this pathway, regulated by different control mechanisms. We carry out stochastic simulations to consider, in particular, the effect of the negative feedback loops on the activity of both Ira2 (a Ras-GAP) and Cdc25 (a Ras-GEF) proteins. Our results show that stable oscillatory regimes for the dynamics of cAMP can be obtained only through the activation of these feedback mechanisms, and when the amount of Cdc25 is within a specific range. In addition, we highlight that the levels of guanine nucleotides pools are able to regulate the pathway, by influencing the transition between stable steady states and oscillatory regimes.     

白念珠菌生物被膜基质研究进展

近年来,白念珠菌耐药性备受关注,其耐药机制之一是形成生物被膜(biofilm).生物被膜主要由大量菌细胞及其所分泌的细胞外多聚基质( matrix)将其包裹所构成,基质含有多糖、蛋白、核酸等成分,不仅参与生物被膜的结构组成,也与耐药性密切相关.本文综述了白念珠菌生物被膜基质的组成特点、功能、影响因素、基因调控和药物干预的最新进展,并展望其在生物被膜感染方面作为诊断标志及治疗靶点的潜在应用前景.     

细胞骨架和cAMP/PKA信号通路的互动效应调控细胞行为的研究进展

细胞骨架的运动变化是一个多蛋白和多步骤参与的复杂过程。研究表明,环状腺苷酸（cyclic adenosine monophosphate,cAMP）作为第二信使,参与调控多种细胞信号转导,从而调控细胞骨架重排过程及其介导的细胞分裂、迁移、分化和黏附等。然而,另有文献报道,细胞骨架纤维排列首先通过影响信号通路中蛋白激酶的活性,进而影响细胞行为。该文结合课题组的实验结果就细胞骨架和cAMP信号通路互动效应调控细胞行为的研究进展作一综述。     

Regulation of Hxt3 and Hxt7 Turnover Converges on the Vid30 Complex and Requires Inactivation of the Ras/cAMP/PKA Pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Eukaryotic cells adjust their intracellular protein complement as a mechanism to adapt to changing environmental signals. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae the hexose transporters Hxt3 and Hxt7 are expressed and function on the plasma membrane in high and low glucose abundance, respectively. By contrast, Hxt3 is endocytosed and degraded in the vacuole when cells are starved of glucose and Hxt7 in response to rapamycin treatment or when nitrogen is limiting. Yeast uses several signaling pathways, including the TORC1 and Ras/cAMP/Protein Kinase A (PKA) pathways, to adapt to nutrient changes in the environment. The multi-protein Vid30 complex (Vid30c), an E3 ubiquitin ligase required for the degradation of FBPase, assists in this adaptation process in a mechanism that is poorly understood. Here we show the endocytosis and the subsequent degradation of both Hxt3 and Hxt7, in response to different nutrient signals, is dependent on components of the Vid30c. Additionally, we define the signaling events required for the turnover of Hxt3 and Hxt7 by showing that Hxt3 turnover requires Ras2 and PKA inactivation, whereas Hxt7 turnover requires TORC1 and Ras2 inactivation. Further investigation led us to identify Rim15, a kinase that is inhibited by both the TORC1 and Ras/cAMP/PKA pathways, as a key downstream effector in signaling both turnover events. Finally, we show that the turnover of both Hxt3 and Hxt7 is dependent on the essential E3 ubiquitin ligase, Rsp5, indicating that the role of the Vid30c might be indirect of Hxt ubiquitylation.     

Radix Scutellariae Attenuates CUMS-Induced Depressive-Like Behavior by Promoting Neurogenesis via cAMP/PKA Pathway

Chronic mild unpredictable stress (CUMS) causes neurogenesis damage in the hippocampus and depressive-like behaviors such as cognitive impairment. Radix Scutellariae from the dry root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, with the common name Baikal skullcap. In this study, we demonstrated that Radix Scutellariae (RS 500, 1000 mg/kg) notably improved the behavior of the rat, such as shortened escape latency in morris maze test, reduced immobility time in tail suspension test and in forced swimming test, as well as increased sucrose consumption in sucrose preference test. In addition, RS alleviated the damage CUMS-induced neurogenesis and the reduced levels of BrdU; DCX and NeuN, the neurons hallmark of hippocampus neurogenesis. Moreover, associated proteins in cAMP/PKA pathway were up-regulated after RS treatment. By HPLC analysis, we found that RS decoction contains four main components, including baicalin, baicalein, wogonoside and wogonin, respectively. In conclusion, RS could exert a natural antidepressant with improving depressive-like behavior via regulation of cAMP/PKA neurogenesis pathway.     

Ras links cellular morphogenesis to virulence by regulation of the MAP kinase and cAMP signalling pathways in the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans

The pathogenic fungus Candida albicans is capable of responding to a wide variety of environmental cues with a morphological transition from a budding yeast to a polarized filamentous form. We demonstrate that the Ras homologue of C. albicans, CaRas1p, is required for this morphological transition and thereby contributes to the development of pathogenicity. However, CaRas1p is not required for cellular viability. Deletion of both alleles of the CaRAS1 gene caused in vitro defects in morphological transition that were reversed by either supplementing the growth media with cAMP or overexpressing components of the filament-inducing mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade. The induction of filament-specific secreted aspartyl proteinases encoded by the SAP4-6 genes was blocked in the mutant cells. The defects in filament formation were also observed in situ after phagocytosis of C. albicans cells in a macrophage cell culture assay and, in vivo, after infection of kidneys in a mouse model for systemic candidiasis. In the macrophage assay, the mutant cells were less resistant to phagocytosis. Moreover, the defects in filament formation were associated with reduced virulence in the mouse model. These results indicate that, in response to environmental cues, CaRas1p is required for the regulation of both a MAP kinase signalling pathway and a cAMP signalling pathway. CaRas1p-dependent activation of these pathways contributes to the pathogenicity of C. albicans cells through the induction of polarized morphogenesis. These findings elucidate a new medically relevant role for Ras in cellular morphogenesis and virulence in an important human infectious disease.