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Defect internalization and tyrosine kinase activation in Aire deficient antigen presenting cells exposed to Candida albicans antigens.

Patients with Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type I (APS I) present with multiple endocrine failures due to organ-specific autoimmune disease, thought to be T-cell-mediated. Paradoxically, APS I patients suffer from chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis. The mutated gene has been identified as the Autoimmune regulator (AIRE). Aire is expressed in medullary epithelial cells of the thymus and in antigen presenting cells in the periphery. T cells from Aire deficient mice and men displayed an enhanced proliferative response against Candida antigen in vitro, suggesting that Aire deficient T cells are competent in recognizing Candida albicans. In contrast, monocytes from APS I patients displayed a decreased and delayed internalization of zymosan. Furthermore, Candida antigen activated monocytes from APS I patients show decreased and altered phoshotyrosine kinase activation. In conclusion, Aire deficient APCs have a defect receptor mediated internalization of Candida which affects kinase activation, likely altering the innate Candida immune response.

Animals↗

In vitro activity of voriconazole against Candida species isolated in Taiwan.

The activity of voriconazole was determined against 285 Candida species consisting of 53 resistant isolates, 43 susceptible-dose dependent and 189 isolates susceptible to fluconazole. The MIC(50) and MIC(90) to fluconazole were 8 and 64 mg/l, respectively. The range of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to voriconazole was from 0.0325 to 2 mg/l and the MIC(50) and MIC(90) were 0.125 and 0.5 mg/l, respectively. Only 3 of 285 tested isolates had MICs to voriconazole equal to 2 mg/l. A total of 38 isolates, consisted of 3 Candida albicans, 5 Candida krusei, 7 Candida tropicalis and 21 Candida glabrata, had >/= 0.5 mg/l to voriconazole. There was correlation between the susceptibility to fluconazole and voriconazole.

Antifungal Agents↗

A meta-analysis of medical versus surgical therapy for Candida endocarditis.

OBJECTIVES: The optimal management of Candida infective endocarditis (IE) is unknown. METHODS: We reviewed all 879 cases of Candida IE reported from 1966-2002 in the peer-reviewed literature to better understand the role of medical and surgical therapies. This review included 163 patients from 105 reports that met our inclusion criteria: 31 cases treated with antifungal monotherapy, 25 cases treated with medical antifungal combination therapy, and 107 cases treated with adjunctive surgical plus medical antifungal therapy. We also used meta-analytic techniques to evaluate 22 observational case-series (72 patients) of the 105 reports with two or more patients with definite Candida IE. RESULTS: We found that in patients who underwent adjunctive surgery there was a lower reported proportion of deaths [prevalence odds ratio (POR)=0.56; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.16, 1.99)]. Higher mortality was noted in patients treated prior to 1980 (POR=2.03; 95% CI=0.55, 7.61), treated with antifungal monotherapy (POR=1.49; 95% CI=0.39, 5.81), infected with Candida parapsilosis (POR=1.51; 95% CI=0.41, 5.52), or with left-sided endocarditis (POR=2.36; 95% CI=0.55, 10.07). CONCLUSIONS: Medical antifungal therapy of Candida IE is poorly characterized, and recent antifungal developments lend promise for those patients who cannot undergo surgery.

Adolescent↗

In vitro antifungal susceptibility of clinical isolates of Candida spp. obtained from patients with different predisposing factors to candidosis.

The increase in the number of infections caused by Candida species and the consequent use of antifungal agents favours an increase of resistant isolates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal susceptibility of Candida spp. isolates from patients with different systemic predisposing factors to candidosis. Seventy-nine Candida spp. isolates were assayed for in vitro susceptibility to amphotericin B, fluconazole, 5-flucytosine and itraconazole using the technique proposed by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Four C. albicans, one C. guilliermondii, four C. parapsilosis and two C. tropicalis isolates were resistant to amphotericin B. Only two isolate was resistant to itraconazole. All the isolates tested were susceptible to fluconazole and flucytosine. It could be concluded that the most efficient drugs against the Candida isolates studied were fluconazole and flucytosine and that all of the antifungal agents used in this study were effective against the Candida spp. isolates tested.

Antifungal Agents↗

Metschnikowia noctiluminum sp. nov., Metschnikowia corniflorae sp. nov., and Candida chrysomelidarum sp. nov., isolated from green lacewings and beetles.

Fourteen yeast isolates belonging to the Metschnikowia clade were isolated from the digestive tracts of lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), soldier beetles and leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Cantharidae and Chrysomelidae), and a caddisfly (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae). The insect hosts were associated with sugary substances of plants, a typical habitat for yeasts in this clade. Based on DNA sequence comparisons and phenetic characters, the yeasts were identified as Candida picachoensis, Candida pimensis, and four undescribed taxa. Among the undescribed taxa, three yeasts were distinguished from one another and from other described taxa by nucleotide differences in the ribosomal DNA repeat, which were sufficient to consider them as new species. Two of the novel yeast species are described as Metschnikowia noctiluminum (NRRL Y-27753(T)) and M. cornifloraespp. nov. (NRRL Y-27750(T)) based in part on production of needle-shaped ascospores, which are found in most Metschnikowia species. Sexual reproduction was not observed in the third new yeast, Candida chrysomelidarumsp. nov. (NRRL Y-27749(T)). A fourth isolate, NRRL Y-27752, was not significantly distinct from Metschnikowia viticola and Candida kofuensis to be described as a new species. Phylogenetic analysis of the D1/D2 loop sequences placed M. noctiluminum within the M. viticola clade, while C. chrysomelidarum was a sister taxon of Candida rancensis. Metschnikowia corniflorae was phylogenetically distinct from other new species and fell outside of the large-spored Metschnikowia group.

Animals↗

In vitro activity of essential oil from Ocimum gratissimum L. against four Candida species.

Development of effective strategies for treatment of candidiasis and other fungal diseases has posed a challenge, considering the increase in opportunistic fungal infections in HIV-positive and immunocompromised patients. The in vitro antifungal activity of essential oil from Ocimum gratissimum was investigated in order to evaluate its efficacy against Candida albicans, Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida tropicalis. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy and negative staining in light microscopy were performed to reveal the effects of the essential oil on the morphology of these yeasts. Determination of minimal inhibitory concentrations and time-kill curves demonstrated that the essential oil showed fungicidal activity against all of the Candida species studied. Analysis of the ultrastructure of the yeast cells revealed changes in the cell wall and in the morphology of some subcellular organelles. Bud formation in the yeasts was impaired in treated cells. The essential oil of O. gratissimum is a potential candidate as a phytotherapeutic agent in some fungal diseases and for the control of fungi in the environment.

Antifungal Agents↗

Infectious crystalline keratopathy caused by Candida guilliermondii.

PURPOSE: To describe the manifestations of infectious crystalline keratopathy caused by Candida guilliermondii in a corneal transplant performed for pseudophakic bullous keratopathy. METHOD: Case report. RESULTS: Candida guilliermondii was identified as the causative organism of an indolent infectious crystalline keratopathy. Incisional lamellar biopsy provided diagnostic culture and histopathologic results. Histopathology showed aggregates of yeast elements between corneal stromal lamellae, without inflammation. The infection progressed despite a 6-week course of topical amphotericin B and an additional 6-week course of topical and oral fluconazole. Repeat penetrating keratoplasty resulted in clear graft, with no recurrent infection. CONCLUSIONS: Fungal keratopathy should be included in the differential diagnosis of infectious crystalline keratopathy. Numerous Candida species have been isolated in addition to the most common causative bacterial organism, Streptococcus viridans. Candida guilliermondii is yet one more causative agent of infectious crystalline keratopathy. Candida guilliermondii, a rare human pathogen, was resistant to medical therapy in this case.

Aged↗

Candida pericarditis: clinical profile and treatment.

BACKGROUND: Candida pericarditis is a rare medical and surgical emergency which, unless treated, leads to impaired cardiac function and death. To facilitate early diagnosis, the clinical features of this condition should be identified. METHODS: Twenty-five cases of Candida pericarditis reported in the last 30 years along with 1 new case were reviewed with regard to demographics, precipitating factors, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome. RESULTS: The syndrome occurred in immunocompromised (73%), antibiotic-treated (62%), or postpericardiotomy (54%) patients. The clinical presentation was frequently subtle and nonspecific. Nevertheless, unexplained fever, an increasing cardiac shadow on chest roentgenogram, or the development of cardiac tamponade may be suggestive. Positive culture for Candida in pericardial fluid or histologic evidence of yeast forms in pericardial tissue establishes the diagnosis. A combination of pericardiocentesis followed by operative drainage and antifungal agents is the usual treatment. Untreated, Candida pericarditis is 100% lethal, whereas prompt diagnosis and treatment lead to cure (mean follow-up, 19 months). CONCLUSIONS: Fever and evolving cardiac tamponade in immunocompromised or postpericardiotomy patients may be suggestive of Candida pericarditis; the presence of organisms in pericardial fluid is diagnostic. Pericardiocentesis followed by operative drainage and antifungal agents appears to be the treatment that is most likely to be curative.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Expression and characterization of protein geranylgeranyltransferase type I from the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans and identification of yeast selective enzyme inhibitors.

Protein geranylgeranyltransferase type I (GGTase I) is a heterodimeric zinc metalloenzyme catalyzing protein geranylgeranylation at cysteine residues present in C-terminal signature sequences referred to as CaaX (X=Leu) motifs. We have studied GGTase I as a potential antifungal target and recently reported its purification and cloning from the yeast Candida albicans (Ca GGTase I), an important human pathogen. Here, we report the high yield bacterial expression of Ca GGTase I by coexpression of maltose binding protein fusion proteins of both the alpha (Ram2p) and beta (Cdc43p) subunits. The cleaved and purified recombinant Ca GGTase I was demonstrated to be functional and structurally intact as judged by the presence of one equivalent of a tightly bound zinc atom and the near stoichiometric formation, isolation and catalytic turnover of a geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate-GGTase I complex. Kinetic analysis was performed with a native substrate protein, Candida Cdc42p, which exhibited significant pH dependent substrate inhibition, a feature not observed with other Ca GGTase I substrates. Prenyl acceptor substrate specificity was studied with a series of peptides in which both the CaaX motif, and the sequence preceding it, were varied. The prenyl acceptor K(M)s were found to vary nearly 100-fold, with biotinyl-TRERKKKKKCVIL, modeled after a presumably geranylgeranylated Candida protein, Crl1p (Rho4p), being the optimal substrate. A screen for inhibitors of Ca GGTase I identified compounds showing selectivity for the Candida versus human GGTase I. The most potent and selective compound, L-689230, had an IC(50) of 20 nM and >12,500-fold selectivity for Ca GGTase I. The lack of significant anti-Candida activity for any of these inhibitors is consistent with the recent finding that GGTase I is not required for C. albicans viability [R. Kelly et al., J. Bacteriol. 182 (2000) 704-713].

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗

Nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) detection of medically important Candida species.

Nucleic Acid Sequence Based Amplification (iNASBA), an isothermal amplification technique for nucleic acids, was evaluated for the identification of medically important Candida species using primers selected from 18S rRNA sequences conserved in fungi. An RNA fragment of 257 nucleotides was amplified for Candida albicans. Nineteen different fungi were tested for rRNA amplification with the NASBA. All were positive when analyzed on agarose gel, whereas human RNA was negative. For the identification of Candida species, NASBA amplification products were analyzed in an enzyme bead-based detection format, using species-specific biotinylated probes and a generic Candida HRPO probe or a membrane-based system using biotinylated probes and avidin-HPRO. Discrimination of the major human pathogenic Candida spp. was based on a panel of biotinylated probes for C. krusei, C. tropicalis, C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. lusitaniae. Using rRNA dilutions obtained from pure cultures of C. albicans, the combination of NASBA and the enzymatic bead-based detection yielded a sensitivity equivalent to 0.01 CFU. In a model system using 1 ml of artificially contaminated blood as few as 1-10 CFU of C. albicans could be detected. Testing of 68 clinical blood samples from patients suspected of candidemia showed that eight samples were positive for C. albicans and one for C. glabrata. Testing of 13 clinical plasma samples from patients suspected of fungemia identified the presence of C. albicans in two specimens. The whole procedure of sample preparation, amplification and identification by hybridization can be performed in 1 day. This speed and the observed sensitivity of the assay make the NASBA a good alternative to PCR for the detection of candidemia.

Candida↗

In vitro activity of voriconazole against Candida species.

The in vitro activity of voriconazole was compared with that of itraconazole and fluconazole against 181 isolates of Candida albicans, 124 isolates of Candida glabrata, and 20 isolates of Candida krusei obtained from the early 1980s through the mid-1990s. Voriconazole had greater intrinsic activity than fluconazole or itraconazole against all three Candida species. For C. glabrata, C. krusei, and C. albicans, the MIC50 values for voriconazole were 1 microgram/mL, 0.5 microgram/mL, and 0.01 microgram/mL, respectively compared with fluconazole MIC50 values of 8 micrograms/mL, 64 micrograms/mL, and 0.25 microgram/mL, respectively. If isolates from AIDS patients were excluded, MIC values for isolates from the 1990s were no higher than those noted for isolates from the 1980s. Voriconazole, a new triazole antifungal agent, appears to have enhanced activity against these three species of Candida; the clinical relevance of these findings should be studied in treatment trials.

Antifungal Agents↗

Evaluation of the levels of oral Candida in patients with Sjögren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of oral Candida in patients with Sjögren's syndrome METHODS: The Candida count and salivary flow rate of patients with Sjögren's syndrome were compared with those of healthy control subjects. Candida cultures were obtained from oral rinses. The numbers of colony-forming units were determined through use of the Spiral System. RESULTS: The mean Candida count of patients with Sjögren's syndrome was 1672 +/- 1455 colony-forming units per mL; the count of healthy control subjects was 0.00 colony-forming units per mL. The mean salivary flow rate of patients with Sjögren's syndrome was significantly lower than that of healthy control subjects (0.16 +/- 0.13 mL/min/gland vs 0.55 +/- 0.24 mL/min/gland, respectively; p = 0.0001). However, Spearman rank correlation analyses did not reveal a significant correlation between salivary flow rate and Candida count (in colony-forming units per mL) among patients with Sjögren's syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Alteration in the oral microbial flora in patients with Sjögren's syndrome may be enhanced by the reduction in salivary output.

Candida↗

Lysophosphatidylcholine derived from deer antler extract suppresses hyphal transition in Candida albicans through MAP kinase pathway.

A family of 2-lysophosphatidylcholines (lyso-PCs) was isolated from deer antler extract, guided exclusively by hyphal transition inhibitory activity in Candida albicans. Structural determination of the isolated lyso-PCs by spectroscopic methods, including infrared spectroscopy, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), 13C NMR, 2D correlation spectroscopy NMR, fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry, confirmed that the natural products were composed of at least four different lyso-PCs varying in fatty acid moiety at the sn-1 position of the glycerol backbone. The major lyso-PCs were confirmed as 1-stearoyl-, 1-oleoyl-, 1-linoleoyl- and 1-palmitoyl-2-lyso-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholines. Lyso-PC specifically suppressed the morphogenic transition from yeast to hyphae in C. albicans, without affecting the growth of either yeast or hyphae. Lyso-PC exerted hyphal transition that suppressed activity in the broad spectrum of the Candida species, such as C. albicans, Candida krusei, Candida guilliermondii and Candida parapsilosis. Northern analysis indicated that the suppression was mediated through the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway.

Animals↗

Four new Candida species from geographically diverse locations.

Four new species of Candida are described based on their unique nucleotide sequences in the D1/D2 domain of large subunit (26S) ribosomal DNA. Candida peoriaensis (type strain NRRL YB-1497, CBS 8800) and C. ponderosae (type strain NRRL YB-2307, CBS 8801) are members of the Pichia anomala clade and were isolated in the U.S. from, respectively, the stump of an elm tree (Ulmus sp.) and from insect frass of a Ponderosa pine (Pinusponderosa). Candida ghanaensis (type strain NRRL YB-1486, CBS 8798) is a phylogenetically divergent species from soil in Ghana and appears related to the Dipodascus/Geotrichum clade. Candida litsaeae (type strain NRRL YB-3246, CBS 8799) was isolated from the frass of an insect-infested Litsaea polyantha tree from India, and is a divergent species that is most closely related to Candida ontarioensis.

Animals↗

Fungal prophylaxis by reduction of fungal colonization by oral administration of bovine anti-Candida antibodies in bone marrow transplant recipients.

Candida overgrowth and invasion constitute a serious threat with a high mortality in BMT recipients. Currently available topical antifungal prophylaxis is largely ineffective, and as resistance to existing, absorbable drugs for systemic use is rapidly developing, new forms of therapy are needed. We investigated the effect of oral treatment of BMT recipients with a bovine immunoglobulin product derived from animals immunized against several Candida species. The natural Candida colonization was first followed in 19 patients to establish the colonization pattern. Half of the patients were found to be colonized prior to transplantation and altogether 72% were colonized at some point during follow-up. Those with a high pre-transplant concentration of Candida in saliva (>100 CFU/ml) remained colonized throughout the BMT treatment period. The therapeutic effect was monitored in two other patient groups. The first group consisted of nine patients, where, due to a low number of primary colonized patients, response in colonized patients was suggestive of a therapeutic effect. In the second group, 10 patients with a high level of colonization (>100 CFU/ml) were given 10 g daily of the product in three divided doses. The results suggest a treatment-related reduction in Candida colonization in a majority (7/10) of patients and one patient became completely negative. As no adverse effects were noted, our findings encourage additional studies in immunocompromised, transplant patients.

Administration, Oral↗

Phospholipid molecular species distribution of some medically important Candida species analysed by fast atom bombardment mass spectroscopy.

The aim of this study was to obtain detailed information on phospholipids (PL) of the medically important Candida species and to determine their possible chemotaxonomic significance. Lipids were extracted from 22 strains representing 8 Candida species and their PL molecular species distributions were determined by Fast Atom Bombardment Mass Spectroscopy (FAB MS) in negative ion mode. Fifteen major lower mass peaks (m/z 221 to 289) were attributable to the expected presence of carboxylate anions and 24 major higher mass peaks (m/z 557 to 837) were attributable to phospholipid anions. Major carboxylate peaks were of the following m/z and identities : 253, C16:1; 255, C16:0; 277, C18:3; 279, C18:2; 281, C18:1; and 283, C18:0. The most abundant peaks consistent with the presence of phospholipid molecular species anions include those of m/z 673, 743, 833, 834 and 836 tentatively identified as phosphatidic acid (PA) (34:1), phosphatidylglycerol (PG) (34:3), phosphtidylinositol (PI) (34:2) and two unknown molecular species. This profile is diagnostic for the genus Candida. Quantitative differences were observed between different Candida species. Thus, polar lipid molecular species distribution in Candida spp. has chemotaxonomic significance, especially so in the case of carboxylate anions.

Candida↗

In vitro susceptibility of Candida species to lactoferrin.

Lactoferrin is an antimicrobial protein present in human mucosal secretions as well as saliva. As there is no information on the relative fungicidal activity of human and bovine lactoferrin, an oral isolate of Candida albicans was studied for its susceptibility to these two proteins. Exposure to a concentration of 20 micrograms ml-1 of either HLF or BLF at 37 degrees C inactivated the yeast to the same degree irrespective of the incubation time of 45, 90 or 150 min. A similar study, using 20 micrograms ml-1 BLF and an incubation time of 150 min, elicited varying anticandidal activity against 35 isolates belonging to six different Candida species. Thus, BLF was fungicidal for the six Candida species in the following decreasing order, C. tropicalis > C. krusei > C. albicans > C. guilliermondii > C. parapsilosis > C. glabrata; the latter being the most resistant. These Candida species also demonstrated significant intra-species variation in susceptibility to the protein (P < 0.05). When the yeast cells exposed to BLF were examined by cryo-scanning electron microscopy, profound cell wall changes such as cell surface blebs, swelling and cell collapse were noted. These findings suggest that lactoferrin, a constituent of saliva, may differentially modulate the carriage of Candida species in the oral cavity.

Animals↗

In vitro activity of rilopirox against fluconazole-susceptible and fluconazole-resistant Candida isolates from patients with HIV infection.

The in vitro antifungal activity of the new hydroxypyridone antimycotic rilopirox has been evaluated against 38 fluconazole-susceptible and -resistant clinical isolates of Candida albicans together with other Candida species isolated from patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and oropharyngeal candidosis. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of both rilopirox and fluconazole were measured by a microdilution method using high-resolution medium supplemented with asparagine and glucose at pH 7.0. In comparison, an agar dilution technique was carried out for susceptibility testing of the antifungal agents. Rilopirox was found to be able to inhibit growth of all clinical yeast isolates. The rilopirox MICs at which 50% and 90% of strains were inhibited (MIC50 and MIC90 respectively), as determined by the microdilution method, were 4 and 8 micrograms ml-1 respectively. The highest MIC values for rilopirox using microdilution and the agar dilution method were 32 or 25 micrograms ml-1 respectively. On the other hand, for fluconazole, the MIC50 and MIC90 achieved were 0.5 and 128 micrograms ml-1, respectively, which means that the MIC90 value of fluconazole was 16-fold higher than that of rilopirox. Using the agar dilution technique, the MIC values of rilopirox were in the range 0.006-25 micrograms ml-1 with a median of 3.12 micrograms ml-1. For fluconazole, the MIC90 value was four-fold higher than that for rilopirox, indicating a considerable proportion of yeast strains with high MICs of 100 micrograms ml-1, suggesting in vitro resistance to this azole antifungal. All strains with diminished fluconazole susceptibility were susceptible to rilopirox. Even Candida krusei and Candida glabrata exhibited good in vitro susceptibility to rilopirox. Therefore, this new antifungal agent may be used as an alternative not only in the treatment of vaginal candidosis, but also in oropharyngeal Candida infections, e.g. in AIDS patients.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗