Nutritional immunity: targeting fungal zinc homeostasis

Alamir, Omran; Oladele, Rita O.; Ibe, Chibuike

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07805

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 136 publications

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“…These samples also presented copper and zinc in their composition. Both elements are important enzymatic cofactors needed during fungal parasitism ( Culbertson et al, 2020 ; Alamir et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative Biophysical and Ultrastructural Analysis of Melanins Produced by Clinical Strains of Different Species From the Trichosporonaceae Family

et al. 2022

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Melanin is one of the most studied virulence factors in pathogenic fungi. This pigment protects them from a series of both environmental and host stressors. Among basidiomycetes, Cryptococcus neoformans and Trichosporon asahii are known to produce melanin in the presence of phenolic precursors. Other species from the Trichosporonaceae family also produce this pigment, but the extent to this production among the clinically relevant species is unknown. For this reason, the aim of this study was to verify the production of melanin by different Trichosporonaceae species of clinical interest and to compare their pigments with the ones from C. neoformans and T. asahii, which are more prevalent in human infections. Melanin was produced in a minimal medium supplemented with 1 mM L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA). Pigment was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, Zeta potential measurements, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. It was found that, besides C. neoformans and T. asahii, Trichosporon japonicum, Apiotrichum montevideense, Trichosporon inkin, Trichosporon faecale, Cutaneotrichosporon debeurmannianum, and Cutaneotrichosporon arboriformis also produce melanin-like particles in the presence of L-DOPA. Melanin particles have negative charge and are smaller than original cells. Variations in color, fluorescence, and chemical composition was noticed between the studied strains. All melanins presented carbon, oxygen, sodium, and potassium in their composition. Melanins from the most pathogenic species also presented iron, zinc, and copper, which are important during parasitism. Biophysical properties of these melanins can confer to the Trichosporonaceae adaptive advantages to both parasitic and environmental conditions of fungal growth.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative Biophysical and Ultrastructural Analysis of Melanins Produced by Clinical Strains of Different Species From the Trichosporonaceae Family

et al. 2022

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“…Goliath cells are formed primarily under zinc starvation conditions what is related with immune system's strategy of limiting the development of infection [79,136]. Phylogenetic and phenotypic analyses showed that the cell enlargement as response to zinc starvation was species-specific and developed in the common ancestor of C. albicans, C. dubliniensis and C. tropicalis and was not observed in other Candida species studied so far [2,79]. It is well known that many other species of the genus Candida can form pseudohyphae, however these structures do not display the virulence characteristics known to true hyphae [119].…”

Section: Morphological Transformation As a Strategy To Averting The H...mentioning

confidence: 97%

Opportunistic Pathogens of the Genus Cryptococcus in Louis Pasteur Days and in 200th Anniversary of his Birth

Dyląg

2022

Postępy Mikrobiologii - Advancements of Microbiology

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This year we are celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Louis Pasteur, one of the fathers of microbiology. Interestingly, the time when Pasteur disproved the doctrine of „spontaneous generation” and announced the “germ theory of disease” coincides with the discovery of Cryptococcus neoformans and its role in cryptococcosis. Today, only in the realm of guesswork can remain the correct answer to the question „whether the observed parallelism of these events was accidental?” or „whether Pasteur’s discoveries constituted a solid foundation of the research on the etiological factors of cryptococcosis?”. Until recently, it might seem that all major virulence factors of pathogenic fungi of the Cryptococcus species complex have been thoroughly described. Meanwhile, the simultaneous publication in 2018 of three in vitro protocols for the induction of Titan cells, also known as giant cells, opened up new possibilities for research on the relatively uncharacterized virulence factor that is crucial for Cryptococcus spp. Research on the titanization process makes us realize how little we know about the virulence factors of these fungi, and how much more can be improved in the context of the treatment and prevention of cryptococcosis. The following review is not only a historical outline of research on Cryptococcus spp. and cryptococcosis, but also synthetically describes the virulence factors of these basidiomycetous yeasts, with particular emphasis on the titanization process. The phenomenon of titanization as a process of a specific morphological transformation, like Titan cells, are completely new terms in Polish literature, which will be introduced to readers here. We live in a post-antibiotic era where the lack of effective and non-toxic drugs affects patients all over the world. Specifically, the availability of only fluconazole, amphotericin B and flucytosine in therapy of cryptococcosis constitutes a significant limitation. For this reason, research on the virulence factors of Cryptococcus spp. will allow to find new effective antimycotics, including inhibitors of the titanization process.

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“…Nutritional immunity primarily affects enzymatic and metabolic functions, while metal overload contributes to the generation of ROS, reactive nitrogen species, protein mismetallization, and subsequent respiratory arrest. 533 , 537 – 539 …”

Section: Role Of Cellular Zinc Metabolism Under Physiological Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cellular zinc metabolism and zinc signaling: from biological functions to diseases and therapeutic targets

Chen,

Yu,

Chan

et al. 2024

Sig Transduct Target Ther

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Zinc metabolism at the cellular level is critical for many biological processes in the body. A key observation is the disruption of cellular homeostasis, often coinciding with disease progression. As an essential factor in maintaining cellular equilibrium, cellular zinc has been increasingly spotlighted in the context of disease development. Extensive research suggests zinc’s involvement in promoting malignancy and invasion in cancer cells, despite its low tissue concentration. This has led to a growing body of literature investigating zinc’s cellular metabolism, particularly the functions of zinc transporters and storage mechanisms during cancer progression. Zinc transportation is under the control of two major transporter families: SLC30 (ZnT) for the excretion of zinc and SLC39 (ZIP) for the zinc intake. Additionally, the storage of this essential element is predominantly mediated by metallothioneins (MTs). This review consolidates knowledge on the critical functions of cellular zinc signaling and underscores potential molecular pathways linking zinc metabolism to disease progression, with a special focus on cancer. We also compile a summary of clinical trials involving zinc ions. Given the main localization of zinc transporters at the cell membrane, the potential for targeted therapies, including small molecules and monoclonal antibodies, offers promising avenues for future exploration.

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Nutritional immunity: targeting fungal zinc homeostasis

Cited by 6 publications

References 136 publications

Comparative Biophysical and Ultrastructural Analysis of Melanins Produced by Clinical Strains of Different Species From the Trichosporonaceae Family

Comparative Biophysical and Ultrastructural Analysis of Melanins Produced by Clinical Strains of Different Species From the Trichosporonaceae Family

Opportunistic Pathogens of the Genus Cryptococcus in Louis Pasteur Days and in 200th Anniversary of his Birth

Cellular zinc metabolism and zinc signaling: from biological functions to diseases and therapeutic targets

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