Biology subjects

Filler, S. G.

Publications and source records attributed to Filler, S. G..

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

bioRxiv2019

Flotillin-dependent lipid-raft microdomains are required for functional phagolysosomes against fungal infections

Lipid rafts form signaling platforms on biological membranes with incompletely characterized role in immune response to infection. Here we report that lipid raft microdomains are essential components of the phagolysosomal membrane of macrophages. Genetic deletion of the lipidraft chaperons flotillin-1 and flotillin-2 demonstrate that the assembly of both major defense complexes vATPase and NADPH oxidase on the phagolysosomal membrane requires lipid rafts. Furthermore, we discovered a new virulence mechanism leading to the dysregulation of lipid-raft formation by melanized wild-type conidia of the important human-pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. This results in reduced phagolysosomal acidification. Phagolysosomes with ingested melanized conidia contain a reduced amount of free Ca2+ ions as compared to phagolysosomes with melanin-free conidia. In agreement with a role of Ca2+ for generation of functional lipid rafts, we show that Ca2+-dependent calmodulin activity is required for lipid-raft formation on the phagolysosome. We identified a single nucleotide polymorphism in the human FLOT1 gene that results in heightened susceptibility for invasive aspergillosis in hematopoietic stem-cell transplant recipients. Collectively, flotillin-dependent lipid rafts on the phagolysosomal membrane play an essential role in protective antifungal immunity in humans.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2018

Activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor initiates innate immune responses during oropharyngeal candidiasis

During oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC), Candida albicans invades and damages oral epithelial cells, which respond by producing proinflammatory mediators that recruit phagocytes to foci of infection. The ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2) detects {beta}-glucan and plays a central role in stimulating epithelial cells to release proinflammatory mediators during OPC. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) also interacts with C. albicans and is known to be activated by the Als3 adhesin/invasin and the Ece1/Candidalysin pore-forming toxin. Here, we investigated the interactions among EphA2, EGFR, Als3 and Ece1/Candidalysin during OPC. We found that Als3 and Ece1/Candidalysin function in the same pathway to damage epithelial cells in vitro. They also work together to cause OPC in mice. EGFR and EphA2 constitutively associate with each other as part of a physical complex and are mutually dependent for C. albicans-induced activation. In vitro, either Als3 or Ece1/Candidalysin is required for C. albicans to activate EGFR, sustain EphA2 activation, and stimulate epithelial cells to secrete CXCL8/IL-8 and CCL20. In the mouse model of OPC, Ece1/Candidalysin alone activates EGFR and induces CXCL1/KC and CCL20 production. Ece1/Candidalysin is also necessary for the production of IL-1 and IL-17A independently of Als3 and EGFR. These results delineate the complex interplay between host cell receptors and C. albicans virulence factors during the induction of OPC and the resulting oral inflammatory response. Author summaryOropharyngeal candidiasis occurs when the fungus Candida albicans proliferates in the mouth. The disease is characterized by fungal invasion of the superficial epithelium and a localized inflammatory response. Two C. albicans virulence factors contribute to the pathogenesis of OPC, Als3 which enables the organisms to adhere to and invade host cells and Ece1/Candidalysin which is pore-forming toxin that damages host cells. Two epithelial cell receptors, ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2) and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are activated by C. albicans. Here, we show that EphA2 and EGFR form part of complex and that each receptor is required to activate the other. Als3 and Ece1/Candidalysin function in the same pathway to damage epithelial cells. In isolated epithelial cells, both of these virulence factors activate EphA2 and EGFR, and stimulate the production of inflammatory mediators. In the mouse model of OPC, Ece1/Candidalysin elicits of a subset of the oral inflammatory response. Of the cytokines and chemokines induced by this toxin, some require the activation of EGFR while others are induced independently of EGFR. This work provides a deeper understanding of the interactions among C. albicans virulence factors and host cell receptors during OPC.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2018

Exposure to the oral host niche yields rapid phenotypic and genotypic diversification in Candida albicans

In vitro studies suggest that stress may generate random standing variation, and that different cellular and ploidy states may evolve more rapidly under stress. Yet this idea has not been tested with pathogenic fungi growing within their host niche in vivo. Here, we analyzed the generation of both genotypic and phenotypic diversity during exposure of Candida albicans to the mouse oral cavity. Ploidy, aneuploidy, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and recombination were determined using flow cytometry and ddRADseq. Colony phenotypic changes (CPs) in size and filamentous growth were evident without selection, and were enriched among colonies selected for LOH of the GAL1 marker. Aneuploidy and LOH occurred on all chromosomes (Chrs), with aneuploidy more frequent for smaller Chrs and whole Chr LOH more frequent for larger Chrs. Large genome shifts in ploidy to haploidy often maintained one or more heterozygous disomic Chrs, consistent with random Chr missegregation events. Most isolates displayed several different types of genomic changes, suggesting that the oral environment rapidly generates diversity de novo. In sharp contrast, following in vitro propagation isolates were not enriched for multiple LOH events, except in those that underwent haploidization and/or had high levels of Chr loss. The frequency of events was overall 100 times higher for C. albicans populations following in vivo passage compared to in vitro. These hyperdiverse in vivo isolates likely provide C. albicans with the ability to adapt rapidly to the diversity of stress environments it encounters inside the host.\n\nAuthor summaryAdaption is a continuous dynamic process that requires genotypic and phenotypic variation. Here we studied the effects of a single passage in a mouse oropharyngeal model of infection on the appearance of diversity in C. albicans, a common commensal of the human oral cavity and GI tract. We found that variation could be rapidly detected following oral colonization, with the frequency of genome change being considerably higher with pre-selection for recombination and colony phenotypic changes. Importantly, one third of all isolates had multiple genome changes, significantly higher than expected by chance alone. We suggest that some cells in the population are naturally hypervariable and that they are a major source of diversity upon which selection can act in stressful conditions in vivo and in vitro.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2017

Epha2, An Epithelial Cell Pattern Recognition Receptor For Fungal β-Glucans

AbstractOral epithelial cells discriminate between pathogenic and non-pathogenic stimuli, and only induce an inflammatory response when they are exposed to high levels of a potentially harmful microorganism. The pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in epithelial cells that mediate this differential response are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that the ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2) is an oral epithelial cell PRR that binds to exposed {beta}-glucans on the surface of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Binding of C. albicans to EphA2 on oral epithelial cells activates signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling in an inoculum-dependent manner, and is required for induction of a pro-inflammatory and antifungal response. Inhibition of EphA2 in mice decreases IL-17 signaling during oropharyngeal candidiasis, resulting in increased oral fungal burden and fungal dissemination. Our study reveals that EphA2 functions as PRR for {beta}-glucans that senses epithelial cell fungal burden and is required for the maximal mucosal inflammatory response to C. albicans.\n\nOne Sentence SummaryEphA2 is a pattern recognition receptor that senses fungal {beta}-glucans to induce an inflammatory response in oral epithelial cells.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2017

Microbial glycoside hydrolases as antibiofilm agents with cross-kingdom activity

Galactosaminogalactan and Pel are cationic heteropolysaccharides produced by the opportunistic pathogens, Aspergillus fumigatus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. These exopolysaccharides both contain 1,4-linked N-acetyl-D-galactosamine and play an important role in biofilm formation by these organisms. Proteins containing glycoside hydrolase domains have recently been identified within the biosynthetic pathway of each exopolysaccharide. Recombinant hydrolase domains from these proteins (Sph3h from A. fumigatus and PelAh from P. aeruginosa) were found to degrade their respective polysaccharides in vitro. We therefore hypothesized that these glycoside hydrolases could exhibit anti-biofilm activity, and further, given the chemical similarity between galactosaminogalactan and Pel, that they might display cross-species activity. Treatment of A. fumigatus with Sph3h disrupted A. fumigatus biofilms with an EC50 of 0.4 nM. PelAh treatment also disrupted pre-formed A. fumigatus biofilms with EC50 values similar to those obtained for Sph3h. In contrast, Sph3h was unable to disrupt P. aeruginosa Pel-based biofilms, despite being able to bind to the exopolysaccharide. Treatment of A. fumigatus hyphae with either Sph3h or PelAh significantly enhanced the activity of the antifungals posaconazole, amphotericin B and caspofungin, likely through increasing antifungal penetration of hyphae. Both enzymes were non-cytotoxic and protected A549 pulmonary epithelial cells from A. fumigatus-induced cell damage for up to 24 hours. Intratracheal administration of Sph3h was well tolerated, and reduced pulmonary fungal burden in a neutropenic mouse model of invasive aspergillosis. These findings suggest that glycoside hydrolases can exhibit activity against diverse microorganisms and may be useful as therapeutic agents by degrading biofilms and attenuating virulence.\n\nSignificanceThe production of biofilms is an important strategy used by both bacteria and fungi to colonize surfaces and to enhance resistance to killing by immune cells and antimicrobial agents. We demonstrate that glycoside hydrolases derived from the opportunistic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus and Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa can be exploited to disrupt pre-formed fungal biofilms and reduce virulence. Additionally, these glycoside hydrolases can be utilized to potentiate antifungal drugs by increasing their hyphal penetration, to protect human cells from fungal-induced injury and to attenuate virulence of A. fumigatus in a mouse model of invasive aspergillosis. The findings of this study identify recombinant microbial glycoside hydrolases as promising therapeutics with the potential for anti-biofilm activity against pathogens across different taxonomic kingdoms.

microbiology↗