A potent specific inhibitor of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase ofCryptococcus neoformans and of certain other fungal enzymes

A particular lot of the zwitterionic buffer, 2(N-morpholino) ethane sulfonic acid (MES), contained a contaminant that inhibited a number of fungal NADP-dependent dehydrogenases. Enzymes that were particularly sensitive include 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenases fromCryptococcus neoformans andSchizophyllum commune and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase fromSchizophyllum commune. A number of NADP-dependent dehydrogenases of animal origin were tested and all were completely insensitive to inhibition except for rat liver 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, which was 10-fold less sensitive than theCryptococcal enzyme. The pattern of inhibition in all cases was linear competitive versus NADP. The inhibitor has been purified and identified as an ethylenesulfonic acid oligomer. This inhibitor holds promise as a model compound for the development of a specific antifungal agent.     

艾滋病合并隐球菌感染17例尸检材料的临床病理学研究

在１５１例艾滋病尸检材料中发现１７例合并隐球菌感染,均经病理学确诊,患者男１５名,女２名,平均４３．６岁。１２例发生脑膜炎、肺炎和淋巴结炎各７例,尚见脾（６例）、肾（５例）等器官受累。９例为播散性感染。病变为慢性肉牙肿性,其中见有隐球菌。本文描述隐球菌性脑膜炎、肺炎等临床病理学表现,并讨论其病变特征与病理诊断问题。     

Inhibition and killing of fungi by the polyamine oxidase-polyamine system

Both components of the polyamine oxidase (PAO)-polyamine system are known to be present in phagocytes and have thus been postulated to contribute to the antimicrobial activity of these cells. Therefore, the effects of the PAO-polyamine system on three medically important opportunistic fungi were examined. Yeasts of Cryptococcus neoformans, but not Candida albicans blastoconidia or Aspergillus fumigatus conidia, were efficiently killed by the system. Two putative end products of the system, hydrogen peroxide and acrolein, both killed C. neoformans at concentrations attainable with the whole system. However, catalase failed to inhibit activity of the whole system, making hydrogen peroxide an unlikely mediator of killing. Although C. albicans blastoconidia and A. fumigatus conidia were not killed by the PAO-polyamine system, germ tube formation by the former, and hyphal growth by the latter, were markedly inhibited. These data establish that the PAO-polyamine system possesses antifungal activity.     

A Technique to Screen American Beech for Resistance to the Beech Scale Insect (Cryptococcus fagisuga Lind.)

Beech bark disease (BBD) results in high levels of initial mortality, leaving behind survivor trees that are greatly weakened and deformed. The disease is initiated by feeding activities of the invasive beech scale insect, Cryptococcus fagisuga, which creates entry points for infection by one of the Neonectria species of fungus. Without scale infestation, there is little opportunity for fungal infection. Using scale eggs to artificially infest healthy trees in heavily BBD impacted stands demonstrated that these trees were resistant to the scale insect portion of the disease complex¹. Here we present a protocol that we have developed, based on the artificial infestation technique by Houston², which can be used to screen for scale-resistant trees in the field and in smaller potted seedlings and grafts. The identification of scale-resistant trees is an important component of management of BBD through tree improvement programs and silvicultural manipulation.     

榆树隐毡蚧各龄若虫和雄成虫形态及其生物学记述(同翅目: 蚧总科: 毡蚧科)

榆树隐毡蚧 Cryptococcus ulmi Tang et Hao是近年来在北京和山西中部发现的一种榆树新害虫。本文首次详细记述和图示了该虫幼期各虫态和雄成虫的形态特征 ;简要报道了其生物学特性 :一年发生 1代 ,以受精雌成虫在树干裂缝内越冬 ,卵胎生 ,每雌产仔 2 3～ 2 5头 ,平均值 35.2头。     

In vivo interaction between alveolar macrophages and Cryptococcus neoformans

In vivo interactions of rabbit alveolar macrophages (AM) and Cryptococcus neoformans, a yeast pathogenic for humans, were studied. As a control, inert silica particles of a similar diameter (5–6 μm) were used. Of 16 rabbits, 6 were instilled intratracheally with fluorescein-labelled heat-killed C. neoformans, 6 with fluorescein-labelled silica particles and 4 with saline only. After 24 h, the AM were collected by lung lavage, and phagocytosis, oxidative metabolism, phagolysosomal pH and morphology were studied. The accumulated number of yeasts attached to the AM was almost the same for C. neoformans as for the silica particles. The ingested fraction of C. neoformans was even higher than that of the silica particles. Quantitative NBT reduction by the AM, reflecting their oxidative metabolism, was markedly increased by exposure to C. neoformans for 24 h. The phagolysosomal pH was on the average lower in phagolysosomes with C. neoformans than with the silica particles, although approximately 2% of the phagolysosomes with C. neoformans had neutral pH. Phagolysosomes with neutral pH was not observed for silica particles. Electron microscopy showed presence of C. neoformans in phagolysosomes of AM. The conclusion of this study is that the phagocytic activity, oxidative metabolism and phagolysosomal pH AM against C. neoformans are significant 24 h after the exposure. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

新生隐球菌毒性因子研究进展

新生隐球菌为环境中的真菌,是引起免疫损伤患者脑膜脑炎的主要病原体。新生隐球菌有毒株能够快速适应宿主环境的诸多变化,改变基因/蛋白的表达,利用多种策略在宿主防御和治疗药物的压力下可塑性地适应和生存,并在宿主不同的组织器官中顽强生存,某些免疫系统完好的宿主也不能幸免。新生隐球菌应用伪装躲避识别、逃避固有免疫和适应性免疫应答、改变细胞内转运等手段使病原体穿越天然屏障在脑中生长/持续感染。了解其中的毒性因子在持续感染中的作用,有助于揭示新生隐球菌的致病机理。     

SARS病毒巨细胞病毒合并感染真菌及其染色方法的应用比较

目的几种染色方法显示星形隐球菌和曲菌的比较。方法Grocott-Gomori六胺银改良法,Gomori氏嗜银法和PAS结果Grocott-Gomori氏六胺银改良法显示上述两种真菌效果最好,该法对真菌的显示颜色鲜艳,图像清晰,真菌的孢子和菌丝被染成深黑色,易与其它成份相区别;Gomori氏嗜银法对大量含有菌丝的组织有一定的染色效果,PAS法也能将上述两种真菌显示出来,但所着染成份较多,较难区别。结论Grocott-Gomori氏六胺银改良法是染真菌的最好方法。     

Serotype and PCR-fingerprints of Clinical and Environmental isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans in Chiang Mai,Thailand

From May 1999 to April 2000, serotypes of clinical and environmental isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans were studied in Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand. Three hundred and eighty-five environmental samples, of which 100 were dove droppings, 55 pigeon droppings and 230 eucalyptus flower, were collected from 7 Amphoes in Chiang Mai. C. neoformans was isolated from 45 of 100 (45.0%) dove dropping samples, 9 of 55 (16.4%) pigeon dropping samples and 2 of 230 (0.9%) eucalyptus flower samples. Serotypes of 56 environmental isolates and 75 clinical isolates of C. neoformans,obtained during the same period, were determined by the slide agglutination test. Fifty-six environmental and 74 clinical isolates belonged to C. neoformans serotype A (C. neoformans var. grubii), and only one clinical isolate belonged to C. neoformans serotype AD. The isolation of C. neoformans var. grubii from eucalyptus flower samples suggests contamination of avian droppings. PCR-fingerprinting, using (GACA)4 as a primer, discriminated 131 clinical and environmental isolates into 2 groups (group I and II). Seventy-five clinical and 54 environmental isolates were of group I, which had two major specific bands of approximately 1,250 and 960 base pairs. Two environmental isolates, one from pigeon excreta and the other from a eucalyptus flower sample were of group II, which had two major specific bands of approximately 1,180 and 500 base pairs.     

罗伦隐球酵母胞外多糖的研究 Ⅰ.发酵条件

研究了罗伦隐球酵母(cryptococcus laurentii)产生胞外多糖的适宜条件。培养基组成(g/L):葡萄糖80.00,酵母膏1.25,KH_2PO_3.00,MgSO_4·7H_2O0.05,CaCO_3 10.00,pH6.0。在30℃,旋转式摇床(200r/min)上培养6天。胞外多糖产量最高可达17.38g/L,对底物的转化率为21.725％。