Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year(sorted ascending) Filter | PMID Filter |
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| 'Popping the Clutch': Novel Mechanisms Regulating Sexual Development in Cryptococcus neoformans. | Sexual reproduction in fungal pathogens such as Cryptococcus provides natural selection and adaptation of the organisms to environmental conditions by allowing beneficial mutations to spread. However, successful mating in these fungi requires a time-critical induction of signaling pheromones when appropriate partners become available. Recently, it has been shown that the fungus uses the transcriptional equivalent of the racing technique: 'popping the clutch'-pushing in the clutch pedal, putting ... | 2011 | 21912854 |
| therapeutic drug monitoring of voriconazole in children. | voriconazole is an extended-spectrum triazole antifungal with activity against a wide variety of pathogens, including aspergillus, candida, cryptococcus neoformans, fusarium, and scedosporium. it exerts its antifungal activity by blocking the synthesis of fungal cell membranes and is considered the first-line treatment for invasive aspergillosis. because the pharmacokinetics of voriconazole can demonstrate considerable variability, it has been suggested that monitoring plasma levels of voriconaz ... | 2011 | 22210097 |
| cryptococcus neoformans ca(2+) homeostasis requires a chloride channel/antiporter clc1 in jec21, but not in h99. | clc-type chloride/proton antiporters are required for copper/iron homeostasis in fungi. a relationship between clcs and ca(2+) homeostasis has not been found before. here we demonstrate the requirement of the antiporter clc1 for ca(2+) homeostasis/signaling in cryptococcus neoformans. the deletion of clc1 in jec21 resulted in a mutant hypersensitive to cyclosporine a, an inhibitor of calcineurin. intracellular ca(2+) deficiency in the mutant tx1 was confirmed with fluo-3 staining epi-fluoresc ... | 2011 | 22093100 |
| Dithiocarbamates are strong inhibitors of the beta-class fungal carbonic anhydrases from Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida albicans and Candida glabrata. | A series of N-mono- and N,N-disubstituted dithiocarbamates have been investigated as inhibitors of three ß-carbonic anhydrases (CAs, EC 4.2.1.1) from the fungal pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida albicans and Candida glabrata, that is, Can2, CaNce103 and CgNce103, respectively. These enzymes were inhibited with efficacies between the subnanomolar to the micromolar range, depending on the substitution pattern at the nitrogen atom from the dithiocarbamate zinc-binding group. This new class ... | 2011 | 22209456 |
| Development of specific SCAR markers for detecting Histoplasma capsulatum in clinical and environmental samples. | Sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers, generated by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR, were developed to detect Histoplasma capsulatum selectively in clinical and environmental samples. A 1200-bp RAPD-PCR-specific band produced with the 1281-1283 primers was cloned, sequenced, and used to design two SCAR markers, 1281-1283(220) and 1281-1283(230). The specificity of these markers was confirmed by Southern hybridization. To evaluate the relevance of the SCAR markers f ... | 2011 | 22189121 |
| Emerging themes in cryptococcal capsule synthesis. | Cryptococcus neoformans, a basidiomycete yeast and opportunistic pathogen, expends significant biosynthetic effort on construction of a polysaccharide capsule with a radius that may be many times that of the cell. Beyond posing a stimulating challenge in terms of defining biosynthetic pathways, the capsule is required for this yeast to cause fatal disease. This combination has focused the attention of researchers on this system. Here we briefly review two aspects of the rapidly advancing field o ... | 2011 | 21889889 |
| proanthocyanidin-rich extracts from cranberry fruit ( vaccinium macrocarpon ait.) selectively inhibit the growth of human pathogenic fungi candida spp. and cryptococcus neoformans. | cranberry ( vaccinium macrocarpon ) has been shown in clinical studies to reduce infections caused by escherichia coli and other bacteria, and proanthocyanidins are believed to play a role. the ability of cranberry to inhibit the growth of opportunistic human fungal pathogens that cause oral, skin, respiratory, and systemic infections has not been well-studied. fractions from whole cranberry fruit were screened for inhibition of five candida species and cryptococcus neoformans , a causative ... | 2011 | 22066866 |
| Variation in chromosome copy number influences the virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans and occurs in isolates from AIDS patients. | The adaptation of pathogenic fungi to the host environment via large-scale genomic changes is a poorly characterized phenomenon. Cryptococcus neoformans is the leading cause of fungal meningoencephalitis in HIV/AIDS patients, and we recently discovered clinical strains of the fungus that are disomic for chromosome 13. Here, we examined the genome plasticity and phenotypes of monosomic and disomic strains, and compared their virulence in a mouse model of cryptococcosis | 2011 | 22032296 |
| srebp coordinates iron and ergosterol homeostasis to mediate triazole drug and hypoxia responses in the human fungal pathogen aspergillus fumigatus. | sterol regulatory element binding proteins (srebps) are a class of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors that regulate diverse cellular responses in eukaryotes. adding to the recognized importance of srebps in human health, srebps in the human fungal pathogens cryptococcus neoformans and aspergillus fumigatus are required for fungal virulence and susceptibility to triazole antifungal drugs. to date, the exact mechanism(s) behind the role of srebp in these observed phenotypes is not clear. ... | 2011 | 22144905 |
| structural analysis of fungal cerebrosides. | of the ceramide monohexosides (cmhs), gluco- and galactosyl-ceramides are the main neutral glycosphingolipids expressed in fungal cells. their structural determination is greatly dependent on the use of mass spectrometric techniques, including fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry, electrospray ionization, and energy collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry. nuclear magnetic resonance has also been used successfully. such a combination of techniques, combined with classical analytical ... | 2011 | 22164155 |
| Clinico-radiological features of subarachnoid hyperintensity on diffusion-weighted images in patients with meningitis. | AIM: To investigate the clinical and radiological features of meningitis with subarachnoid diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) hyperintensity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical features, laboratory data, and radiological findings, including the number and distribution of subarachnoid DWI hyperintense lesions and other radiological abnormalities, of 18 patients seen at five institutions were evaluated. RESULTS: The patients consisted of eight males and 10 females, whose ages ranged from 4 months t ... | 2011 | 22192625 |
| cryptococcus gattii: a resurgent fungal pathogen. | cryptococcus gattii and cryptococcus neoformans are causal agents of cryptococcosis, which manifests as pneumonia and meningitis. c. gattii has recently received widespread attention owing to outbreaks in british columbia, canada and the us pacific northwest. the biology of this tree-dwelling yeast is relatively unexplored, and there are few clues about how it causes infections in humans and animals. in this review, we summarize recent discoveries about c. gattii genetics and its ecological nich ... | 2011 | 21880492 |
| insertional mutagenesis combined with an inducible filamentation phenotype reveals a conserved ste50 homologue in cryptococcus neoformans that is required for monokaryotic fruiting and sexual reproduction. | cryptococcus neoformans typically grows in a yeast-like morphology; however, under specific conditions the fungus can produce hyphae that are either dikaryotic or monokaryotic. in this study, we developed a simple method for inducing robust monokaryotic fruiting and combined the assay with agrobacterium tumefaciens insertional mutagenesis to screen for hyphal mutants. a c. neoformans homologue of the saccharomyces cerevisiae ste50 gene was identified and characterized. ste50 was found to be requ ... | 2011 | 21299652 |
| the marine sponge-derived polyketide endoperoxide plakortide f acid mediates its antifungal activity by interfering with calcium homeostasis. | plakortide f acid (pfa), a marine-derived polyketide endoperoxide, exhibits strong inhibitory activity against the opportunistic fungal pathogens candida albicans, cryptococcus neoformans, and aspergillus fumigatus. in the present study, transcriptional profiling coupled with mutant and biochemical analyses were conducted using the model organism saccharomyces cerevisiae to investigate the mechanism of action of this compound. pfa elicited a transcriptome response indicative of a ca(2+) imbalanc ... | 2011 | 21300833 |
| bullous cellulitis with cryptococcus neoformans. | 2011 | 21301925 | |
| genome variation in cryptococcus gattii, an emerging pathogen of immunocompetent hosts. | cryptococcus gattii recently emerged as the causative agent of cryptococcosis in healthy individuals in western north america, despite previous characterization of the fungus as a pathogen in tropical or subtropical regions. as a foundation to study the genetics of virulence in this pathogen, we sequenced the genomes of a strain (wm276) representing the predominant global molecular type (vgi) and a clinical strain (r265) of the major genotype (vgiia) causing disease in north america. we compared ... | 2011 | 21304167 |
| [ocular complications of hiv infection: experience of the northern excellence pole of morocco]. | hiv infection is associated with a wide variety of ophthalmic manifestations. the objective of this study was to identify the ocular complications of hiv/aids in morocco. | 2011 | 21276636 |
| meningitis in korean patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: analysis of demographics, clinical features and outcomes; experience from affiliated hospitals of the catholic university of korea. | meningitis is a rare complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (sle), potentially leading to a fatal outcome. the demographic, clinical, and laboratory features, and the outcomes of meningitis were evaluated in korean patients with sle. in a retrospective medical record review of 1420 sle patients, 20 patients who had developed septic or aseptic meningitis were identified. in 11 patients, the causative microorganisms were identified ('septic meningitis'), and cryptococcus neoformans was the m ... | 2011 | 21282295 |
| surface localization of glucosylceramide during cryptococcus neoformans infection allows targeting as a potential antifungal. | cryptococcus neoformans (cn) is a significant human pathogen that, despite current treatments, continues to have a high morbidity rate especially in sub-saharan africa. the need for more tolerable and specific therapies has been clearly shown. in the search for novel drug targets, the gene for glucosylceramide synthase (gcs1) was deleted in cn, resulting in a strain (?gcs1) that does not produce glucosylceramide (glccer) and is avirulent in mouse models of infection. to understand the biology be ... | 2011 | 21283686 |
| cryptococcal osteomyelitis of the skull. | an otherwise healthy 65-year-old male from a rural area presented with a 1-month old non-tender scalp mass. he had a history of being stuck with a stone in the parietal region a year earlier but hadn't developed any complications. needle aspiration of the mass revealed numerous yeast cells, which were confirmed to be cryptoccus neoformans. this case describes a rare presentation of c. neoformans infection in a human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)-negative patient. moreover, while osteomyelitis due ... | 2011 | 21284568 |
| cryptococcus neoformans infection in ulcerative colitis with immunosuppressants. | 2011 | 21287669 | |
| role of sphingosine-1-phosphate (s1p) and s1p receptor 2 in the phagocytosis of cryptococcus neoformans by alveolar macrophages. | the pathogenic fungus cryptococcus neoformans is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised individuals. infection of the human host occurs through inhalation of infectious propagules following environmental exposure. in the lung, c. neoformans can reside in the extracellular environment of the alveolar spaces or, upon phagocytosis, it can survive and grow intracellularly within alveolar macrophages (ams). in previous studies, we found that sphingosine kinase 1 (sk1) influence ... | 2011 | 21292747 |
| structures of cryptococcus neoformans protein farnesyltransferase reveal strategies for developing inhibitors that target fungal pathogens. | cryptococcus neoformans is a fungal pathogen that causes life-threatening infections in immunocompromised individuals, including aids patients and transplant recipients. few antifungals can treat c. neoformans infections, and drug resistance is increasing. protein farnesyltransferase (ftase) catalyzes post-translational lipidation of key signal transduction proteins and is essential in c. neoformans. we present a multidisciplinary study validating c. neoformans ftase (cnftase) as a drug target, ... | 2011 | 21816822 |
| in vitro c3 deposition on cryptococcus capsule occurs via multiple complement activation pathways. | complement can be activated via three pathways: classical, alternative, and lectin. cryptococcus gattii and cryptococcus neoformans are closely related fungal pathogens possessing a polysaccharide capsule composed mainly of glucuronoxylomannan (gxm), which serves as a site for complement activation and deposition of complement components. we determined c3 deposition on cryptococcus spp. by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy after incubation with serum from c57bl/6j mice as well as mice defic ... | 2011 | 21723612 |
| cryptococcal meningitis in an hiv-negative patient with rheumatoid arthritis treated with rituximab. | 2011 | 21700684 | |
| bifocal cryptococcal osteomyelitis: management of a patient with concurrent femur and rib infections. | abstract: a case of cryptococcus neoformans osteomyelitis involving both the femur and rib is reported. a 50-year-old male presented with a 1-month history of a persistently painful right hip. radiography revealed an osteolytic area in the subcapital region of the right femoral neck and trochanteric region, and magnetic resonance imaging (mri) revealed an intramedullary lesion in the peritrochanteric region. a tc99m whole body bone scan showed significantly increased uptake in the posterior aspe ... | 2011 | 21818749 |
| the copper regulon of the human fungal pathogen cryptococcus neoformans h99. | cryptococcus neoformans is a human fungal pathogen that is the causative agent of cryptococcosis and fatal meningitis in immuno-compromised hosts. recent studies suggest that copper (cu) acquisition plays an important role in c.ôçâneoformans virulence, as mutants that lack cuf1, which activates the ctr4 high affinity cu importer, are hypo-virulent in mouse models. to understand the constellation of cu-responsive genes in c.ôçâneoformans and how their expression might contribute to virulence, we ... | 2011 | 21819456 |
| a sensitive high-throughput assay for evaluating host-pathogen interactions in cryptococcus neoformans infection. | cryptococcus neoformans causes serious disease in immunocompromised individuals, leading to over 600,000 deaths per year worldwide. part of this impact is due to the organism's ability to thwart what should be the mammalian hosts' first line of defense against cryptococcal infection: internalization by macrophages. even when c. neoformans is engulfed by host phagocytes, it can survive and replicate within them rather than being destroyed; this ability is central in cryptococcal virulence. it is ... | 2011 | 21829509 |
| the effect of l-dopa on cryptococcus neoformans growth and gene expression. | cryptococcus neoformans is unusual among melanotic fungi in that it requires an exogenous supply of precursor to synthesize melanin. c. neoformans melanizes during mammalian infection in a process that presumably uses host-supplied compounds such as catecholamines. l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-dopa) is a natural catecholamine that is frequently used to induce melanization in c. neoformans and l-dopa-melanized cryptococci manifest resistance to radiation, phagocytosis, detergents and heavy met ... | 2011 | 21705857 |
| ptilomycalin a inhibits laccase and melanization in cryptococcus neoformans. | the antifungal spirocyclic guanidine alkaloid, ptilomycalin a, from marine sponge monanchora arbuscula, inhibits melanogenesis of cryptococcus neoformans in vitro through inhibition of biosynthesis of laccase in the melanin biosynthetic pathway with an ic(50) of 7.3++m. | 2011 | 21715177 |
| unusual cause of cellulitis in a patient with hepatitis c and cirrhosis. | 2011 | 21683822 | |
| cryptococcus neoformans galactoxylomannan is a potent negative immunomodulator, inspiring new approaches in anti-inflammatory immunotherapy. | cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen responsible for life-threatening infections in immunocompromised individuals and occasionally in those with no known immune impairment. the fungus is endowed with several virulence factors, including capsular polysaccharides that play a key role in virulence. the capsule is composed of 90-95% glucuronoxylomannan (gxm), 5-8% galactoxylomannan (galxm) and <1% mannoproteins. capsular polysaccharides are shed into tissue where they produce ... | 2011 | 21843086 |
| identification of a zds-like gene zds3 as a new mediator of stress resistance, capsule formation and virulence of the human pathogenic yeast cryptococcus neoformans. | the fungal zds proteins are regulators of the serine/threonine phosphatase 2a (pp2a) and the protein kinase a. here, we characterize a zds-like gene zds3 that plays a broad range of roles in the basidiomycetous pathogenic yeast cryptococcus neoformans. zds3 harbors the conserved activation domain zds_c of zds proteins. by gene disruption, zds3 is shown to play roles in capsule production, cell wall integrity, growth at a high temperature, resistance to h(2) o(2) stress, osmotic pressures and glu ... | 2011 | 21726407 |
| cryptococcal titan cell formation is regulated by g-protein signaling in response to multiple stimuli. | the titan cell is a recently described morphological form of the pathogenic fungus cryptococcus neoformans. occurring during the earliest stages of lung infection, titan cells are 5-10 times larger than the normal yeast-like cells, thereby resisting engulfment by lung phagocytes and favoring persistence of infection. these enlarged cells exhibit altered capsule structure, thickened cell wall, increased ploidy, and resistance to nitrosative and oxidative stress. we demonstrate that two g protein- ... | 2011 | 21821718 |
| meningitis caused by filobasidium uniguttulatum: case report and overview of the literature. | cryptococcal meningitis is mainly caused by cryptococcus neoformans and cryptococcus gattii, but occasionally other cryptococcus species and phylogenetically related species are involved. herein, we present a case of cryptococcal meningitis from china, which was caused by an azole and flucytosine resistant filobasidium uniguttulatum. in addition, we present an overview of the literature of meningitis caused by cryptococcus species other than c. neoformans and c. gattii. eight cases were related ... | 2011 | 21729175 |
| monoclonal antibodies specific for immunorecessive epitopes of glucuronoxylomannan, the major capsular polysaccharide of cryptococcus neoformans, reduce serotype bias in an immunoassay for cryptococcal antigen. | immunoassay for detection of glucuronoxylomannan (gxm), the major capsular polysaccharide of cryptococcus neoformans, is an important tool for diagnosis of cryptococcosis. however, immunoassays that are based solely or in part on detection with polyclonal antibodies may show serotype bias in detection of gxm, particularly limited sensitivity for serotype c. in this study, we describe detection of gxm in an antigen capture sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) that used a cocktail of ... | 2011 | 21697342 |
| nonlytic exocytosis of cryptococcus neoformans from macrophages occurs in vivo and is influenced by phagosomal ph. | abstract a unique aspect of the interaction of the fungus cryptococcus neoformans with macrophages is the phenomenon of nonlytic exocytosis, also referred to as "vomocytosis" or phagosome extrusion/expulsion, which involves the escape of fungal cells from the phagocyte with the survival of both cell types. this phenomenon has been observed only in vitro using subjective and time-consuming microscopic techniques. in spite of recent advances in our knowledge about its mechanisms, a major question ... | 2011 | 21828219 |
| antimicrobial sesquiterpenoids from laurus nobilis l. | activity-guided fractionations of leaf extracts from laurus nobilis l. led to the isolation of a known sesquiterpene lactone, deacetyl laurenobiolide (1). compound 1 showed antimicrobial activity against periopathic pathogens (actinomyces viscosus, porphyromonas gingivalis, prevotella intermedia and actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans), opportunistic gram-positive bacteria (staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus pyogenes) and fungi (candida albicans, cryptococcus neoformans and aspergillus fum ... | 2011 | 21678158 |
| the homeostasis of iron, copper, and zinc in paracoccidioides brasiliensis, cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii, and cryptococcus gattii: a comparative analysis. | iron, copper, and zinc are essential for all living organisms. moreover, the homeostasis of these metals is vital to microorganisms during pathogenic interactions with a host. most pathogens have developed specific mechanisms for the uptake of micronutrients from their hosts in order to counteract the low availability of essential ions in infected tissues. we report here an analysis of genes potentially involved in iron, copper, and zinc uptake and homeostasis in the fungal pathogens paracoccidi ... | 2011 | 21833306 |
| eosinophils contribute to il-4 production and shape the t-helper cytokine profile and inflammatory response in pulmonary cryptococcosis. | susceptibility to infection with cryptococcus neoformans is tightly determined by production of il-4. in this study, we investigated the time course of il-4 production and its innate cellular source in mice infected intranasally with c. neoformans. we show that pulmonary il-4 production starts surprisingly late after 6 weeks of infection. interestingly, in the lungs of infected mice, pulmonary t helper (th) cells and eosinophils produce significant amounts of il-4. in eosinophil-deficient +ödblg ... | 2011 | 21699881 |
| invasion of cryptococcus neoformans into human brain microvascular endothelial cells is mediated through the lipid rafts-endocytic pathway via the dual specificity tyrosine-phosphorylation-regulated kinase 3 (dyrk3). | cryptococcus neoformans is a neurotropic fungal pathogen, which provokes the onset of devastating meningoencephalitis. we used human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hbmec) as the in vitro model to investigate how c. neoformans traverses across the blood-brain barrier. in this report, we present several lines of evidence indicating that c. neoformans invasion is mediated through the endocytic pathway via lipid rafts. human cd44 molecules from lipid rafts can directly interact with hyaluron ... | 2011 | 21693704 |
| characterisation of clinical isolates of the cryptococcus neoformans-c. gattii species complex from the amazonas state in brazil. | background: the differentiation and classification of pathogenic cryptococcus species provides useful data for epidemiological studies and for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of patients. objectives: the aim of this study was to characterise 40 clinical cryptococcus obtained from patients at the tropical medicine foundation of amazonas (fmtam) from 2006 to 2008. methods: it was used phenotypic (i.e., enzyme production and antifungal resistance) and molecular biological (ura5-rflp) experimen ... | 2011 | 21699993 |
| efficacy of intravenous amphotericin b-polybutylcyanoacrylate nanoparticles against cryptococcal meningitis in mice. | amphotericin b deoxycholate (amb), a classic antifungal drug, remains the initial treatment of choice for deep fungal infections, but it is not appropriate for treatment of cryptococcal meningitis due to its inability to pass through the blood-brain barrier (bbb). we examined the efficacy of amphotericin b-polybutylcyanoacrylate nanoparticles (amb-pbca-nps) modified with polysorbate 80 that had a mean particle diameter less than 100 nanometers (69.0 -¦ 28.6 nm). amb-pbca-nps were detected in the ... | 2011 | 21720503 |
| dynamics of cryptococcus neoformans-macrophage interactions reveal that fungal background influences outcome during cryptococcal meningoencephalitis in humans. | abstract cryptococcosis is a multifaceted fungal infection with variable clinical presentation and outcome. as in many infectious diseases, this variability is commonly assigned to host factors. to investigate whether the diversity of cryptococcus neoformans clinical (clincn) isolates influences the interaction with host cells and the clinical outcome, we developed and validated new quantitative assays using flow cytometry and j774 macrophages. the phenotype of clincn-macrophage interactions was ... | 2011 | 21828220 |
| Functional analysis of host factors that mediate the intracellular lifestyle of Cryptococcus neoformans. | Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn), the major causative agent of human fungal meningoencephalitis, replicates within phagolysosomes of infected host cells. Despite more than a half-century of investigation into host-Cn interactions, host factors that mediate infection by this fungal pathogen remain obscure. Here, we describe the development of a system that employs Drosophila S2 cells and RNA interference (RNAi) to define and characterize Cn host factors. The system recapitulated salient aspects of fu ... | 2011 | 21698225 |
| [Cryptococcal meningitis in children: description of 3 cases]. | Cryptococcal meningitis is much less common in children than adults. The purpose of this report is to describe 3 cases of cryptococcal meningitis observed in children admitted to the Neurology Department of the Fann University Hospital Center in Dakar, Senegal between July 2003 and November 2008. There were 2 girls whose ages were 8 and 15 years and one 9-year-old boy. All 3 patients presented acute or chronic meningoencephalitis. Diagnosis was based on direct microscopic examination of India in ... | 2011 | 21695878 |
| toward an integrated model of capsule regulation in cryptococcus neoformans. | cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes serious human disease in immunocompromised populations. its polysaccharide capsule is a key virulence factor which is regulated in response to growth conditions, becoming enlarged in the context of infection. we used microarray analysis of cells stimulated to form capsule over a range of growth conditions to identify a transcriptional signature associated with capsule enlargement. the signature contains 880 genes, is enriche ... | 2011 | 22174677 |
| Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Findings of Pyogenic, Tuberculous, and Cryptococcus Intracranial Abscesses. | Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) complements conventional methods used to differentiate intracranial cystic lesions. We report MRS findings of three cases that were diagnosed as pyogenic, tuberculous, and Cryptococcus abscesses before instituting any medical or surgical therapy. The pyogenic brain abscess had typical specific spectral findings (i.e., the demonstration of amino acids). Lactate and lipid peaks were visible in the tuberculous abscess. Cryptococcus neoformans can appear ... | 2011 | 22002661 |
| toll-like receptor 9 modulates macrophage antifungal effector function during innate recognition of candida albicans and saccharomyces cerevisiae. | phagocytic responses are critical for effective host defense against opportunistic fungal pathogens. macrophages sample the phagosomal content and orchestrate the innate immune response. toll-like receptor 9 (tlr9) recognizes unmethylated cpg dna and is activated by fungal dna. here we demonstrate that specific triggering of tlr9 recruitment to the macrophage phagosomal membrane is a conserved feature of fungi of distinct phylogenetic origins, including candida albicans, saccharomyces cerevisiae ... | 2011 | 21947771 |
| [primary cutaneous cryptococcosis in a pigeon breeder]. | a danish 73 year-old male patient with polymyalgia rheumatica and in prednisone treatment presented with a cutaneous ulcer on the hand caused by a scratch from a pigeon. initial treatment with antibiotics was unsuccessful. biopsy revealed cryptococcus neoformans and the patient recovered on antifungal treatment. primary cutaneous cryptococcosis is a rare manifestation of a c. neoformans infection. this case exemplifies the importance of differential diagnosis in immunosuppressed patients who do ... | 2011 | 21958488 |
| chronological aging is associated with biophysical and chemical changes in the capsule of cryptococcus neoformans. | does the age of a microbial cell affect its virulence factors? to our knowledge, this question has not been addressed previously, but the answer is of great relevance for chronic infections where microbial cells persist and age in hosts. cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated human-pathogenic fungus notorious for causing chronic infections where cells of variable age persist in tissue. the major virulence factor for c. neoformans is a polysaccharide (ps) capsule. to understand how chronologi ... | 2011 | 21968999 |
| post-translational modifications of proteins in the pathobiology of medically relevant fungi. | post-translational modifications of proteins drive a wide variety of cellular processes in eukaryotes, regulating cell growth and division as well as adaptive and developmental processes. with regard to the fungal kingdom, most information about post-translational modifications has been generated through studies of the model yeasts saccharomyces cerevisiae and schizosaccharomyces pombe, where for example, the roles of protein phosphorylation, glycosylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, sumoylati ... | 2011 | 22158711 |
| cryptococcus neoformans modulates extracellular killing by neutrophils. | we recently established a key role for host sphingomyelin synthase (sms) in regulating the killing activity of neutrophils against cryptococcus neoformans. in this paper, we studied the effect of c. neoformans on the killing activity of neutrophils and whether sms would still be a player against c. neoformans in immunocompromised mice lacking t and natural killer (nk) cells (tgε26 mice). to this end, we analyzed whether c. neoformans would have any effect on neutrophil survival and killing in vi ... | 2011 | 21960987 |
| bovine cryptococcal meningoencephalitis. | cryptococcal meningitis and encephalitis is reported in a 5-year-old bull. the clinical signs included multifocal neurological deficits manifested by hypermetria, ataxia, depression, circling, impaired vision, head pressing, low head carriage, wide-based stance, and falling to the side or backwards. at necropsy, 6 cavities with a gelatinous content were observed in the brain and brain stem, and the meninges were thickened and off white. numerous yeasts, with a nonstaining capsule, and associated ... | 2011 | 21908375 |
| correlation of susceptibility of cryptococcus neoformans to amphotericin b with clinical outcome. | testing of cryptococcus neoformans for susceptibility to antifungal drugs by standard microtiter methods has not been shown to correlate with clinical outcomes. this report describes a modified quantitative broth macrodilution susceptibility method showing a correlation with both the patient's quantitative biological response in the cerebrospinal fluid (csf) and the survival of 85 patients treated with amphotericin b (amb). the spearman rank correlation between the quantitative in vitro measure ... | 2011 | 21947402 |
| detection of yeasts in blood cultures by the luminex xtag fungal assay. | a multiplex-pcr luminex xmap bead probe fluid array using xtag analyte-specific reagents (multiplex xtag fungal asr assay) was employed for detection of clinically significant candida species, cryptococcus neoformans, histoplasma capsulatum, and blastomyces dermatitidis from blood cultures. we tested 132 blood cultures negative (n = 10) or positive (n = 97) for yeasts and/or bacteria (n = 25). the assay showed sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 99%, respectively. the xtag fungal asr assay i ... | 2011 | 22170902 |
| biophysical methods for the study of microbial surfaces. | the challenge in studying the surface architecture of different microbial pathogens is to integrate the most current biochemical, spectroscopic, microscopic, and processing techniques. individually these methods have insufficient sensitivity to reveal complex structures, such as branched, large, viscous polymers with a high structure hydration, size, and complexity. however, when used in combination biophysical techniques are our primary source of information for understanding polydisperse molec ... | 2011 | 22013430 |
| adaptation of cryptococcus neoformans to mammalian hosts: integrated regulation of metabolism and virulence. | the basidiomycete fungus, cryptococcus neoformans, infects humans via inhalation of desiccated yeast cells or spores from the environment. in the absence of effective immune containment, the initial pulmonary infection often spreads to the central nervous system to result in meningoencephalitis. the fungus must therefore make the transition from the environment to different mammalian niches that include the intracellular locale of phagocytic cells and extracellular sites in the lung, bloodstream ... | 2011 | 22140231 |
| in vitro antifungal activity of dna topoisomerase inhibitors. | in this paper we report the results of the study of the in vitro effect of eight anticancer dna topoisomerase inhibitors on the growth of aspergillus fumigatus, a. niger, candida glabrata and cryptococcus neoformans. only one compound, idarubicin, displayed promising antifungal activity against a. niger, c. glabrata and c. neoformans with mic(50) values varying between 3.6 and 14.2 μm (1.8-7.1 μg/ml). three other compounds, aclarubicin, doxorubicin and mitoxantrone, showed some antifungal activi ... | 2011 | 21939347 |
| the synthesis of xanthones, xanthenediones, and spirobenzofurans: their antibacterial and antifungal activity. | exposure of the phenol, (5-bromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)(2,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)methanone 18 to ceric ammonium nitrate (can) resulted in the formation of 7-bromo-3,4a-dimethoxy-2h-xanthene-2,9(4ah)-dione 19 and 5-bromo-2',5'-dimethoxy-3h-spiro[benzofuran-2,1'-cyclohexa[2,5]diene]-3,4'-dione 20. the brominated spirobenzofuran 20 was then subjected to suzuki-miyaura reactions to give six derivatives 22a-f. these compounds, related diones and xanthones displayed mostly noteworthy antimicrobial activity, p ... | 2011 | 22014830 |
| evaluation of the detection of melanin by the fontana-masson silver stain in tissue with a wide range of organisms including cryptococcus. | it is not uncommon for surgical pathologists to encounter yeast and yeast-like organisms in tissue sections, and correct identification is imperative for guiding therapy. the fontana-masson silver stain for detecting melanin has been accepted as a relatively specific stain for diagnosing cryptococcosis in tissue based on few studies with limited numbers of organisms. this study was designed to test the value of the fontana-masson silver by investigating a large collection of tissues with infecti ... | 2011 | 22154051 |
| methylxanthine inhibit fungal chitinases and exhibit antifungal activity. | chitinases are necessary for fungal cell wall remodeling and cell replication. methylxanthines have been shown to competitively inhibit family 18 chitinases in vitro. we sought to determine the effects of methylxanthines on fungal chitinases. fungi demonstrated variable chitinase activity and incubation with methylxanthines (0.5-10 mm) resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in this activity. all fungi tested, except for candida spp., demonstrated growth inhibition in the presence of methylxanthin ... | 2011 | 21968902 |
| wild-type mic distributions and epidemiologic cutoff values for fluconazole, posaconazole, and voriconazole when testing cryptococcus neoformans as determined by the clsi broth microdilution method. | when clinical susceptibility breakpoints (cbps) are absent, establishing wild-type (wt) mic distributions and epidemiologic cutoff values (ecvs) provides a sensitive means for detecting emerging resistance to antimicrobials. we determined species-specific ecvs for fluconazole (flc), posaconazole (psc), and voriconazole (vrc) using a large global collection of cryptococcus neoformans (cneo) isolates obtained from the artemis and sentry antimicrobial surveillance programs. from 2006 to 2009, 285 i ... | 2011 | 21917395 |
| induction of protective immunity against cryptococcosis. | cryptococcus neoformans, the predominant etiological agent of cryptococcosis, is an encapsulated fungal pathogen that can cause life-threatening infections of the central nervous system in immune compromised individuals resulting in high morbidity and mortality. consequently, several studies have endeavored to understand those mechanisms that mediate resistance and susceptibility to cryptococcus infection. in this review, we will examine the contributions of various components of the innate and ... | 2011 | 22143898 |
| cryptococcus neoformans suppresses the activation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells stimulated with its own dna, but not with dna from other fungi. | dna from cryptococcus neoformans activates bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (bm-dcs) in a tlr9-dependent manner. in this study, we examined the effect of the culture supernatants of c. neoformans on the activation of bm-dcs caused by its own dna. c. neoformans supernatants suppressed il-12p40, il-6 production and cd40 expression by bm-dcs stimulated with its own dna, but not with cpg-odn and dna from candida albicans, saccharomyces cerevisiae or escherichia coli. in a confocal microscopic ana ... | 2011 | 22092563 |
| identification of a cryptococcus neoformans cytochrome p450 lanosterol 14α-demethylase (erg11) residue critical for differential susceptibility between fluconazole/voriconazole and itraconazole/posaconazole. | cryptococcus neoformans strains resistant to azoles due to mutations causing alterations in the erg11 gene, encoding lanosterol 14α-demethylase, have rarely been reported. in this study, we have characterized a c. neoformans serotype a strain that is resistant to high concentrations of fluconazole (flc). this strain which was isolated from a flc treated patient contained five missense mutations in the erg11 gene as compared to the reference strain h99. molecular manipulations of the erg11 gene c ... | 2011 | 22155829 |
| methylation of glycosylated sphingolipid modulates membrane lipid topography and pathogenicity of cryptococcus neoformans. | in previous studies we showed that the replication of cryptococcus neoformans in the lung environment is controlled by the glucosylceramide (glccer) synthase gene (gcs1), which synthesizes the membrane sphingolipid glccer from the c9-methyl ceramide. here, we studied the effect of the mutation of the sphingolipid c9 methyltransferase gene (smt1), which adds a methyl group to position 9 of the sphingosine backbone of ceramide. the c. neoformansδsmt1 mutant does not make c9-methyl ceramide and, th ... | 2011 | 22151739 |
| [Pleiotropic drug resistance ABC transporters in fungi]. | Overexpression of pleiotropic drug resistance (PDR) efflux pumps of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily is the major cause of fungal multi-drug resistance and decreased efficacy of antifungal drugs. This review focused on recent progresses in understanding of the PDR efflux pumps of ABC transporter superfamily in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the fungal pathogens Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Aspergillus fumigates. The mechanisms underlying efflux pump-mediated ... | 2011 | 21993279 |
| long-term surveillance and treatment of subclinical cryptococcosis and nasal colonization by cryptococcus neoformans and c. gattii species complex in captive koalas (phascolarctes cinereus). | cryptococcosis is an important systemic mycosis caused by members of the cryptococcus neoformans species complex. this disease is potentially fatal in various animals, including koalas. we describe the long-term surveillance and treatment of subclinical cryptococcosis and nasal colonization of koalas by cryptococcus neoformans and c. gattii. of the 15 animals investigated through the use of samples obtained by nasal swabs, antigen titer measurements, and pathologic examination, c. neoformans was ... | 2011 | 21859391 |
| Curtains. | A 55-year-old immunocompetent man presented with headache, nausea, progressive bilateral upper lid ptosis, and diplopia. Examination showed bilateral asymmetric upper lid ptosis with limited adduction and elevation of both eyes. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed enhancing intra-axial and extra-axial midbrain lesions. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid were positive for cryptococcal antigen and cerebrospinal fluid fungal cultures grew Cryptococcus neoformans. Treatment with liposomal amphote ... | 2011 | 21855953 |
| fulminant intracranial hypertension due to cryptococcal meningitis in a child with nephrotic syndrome. | cryptococcus neoformans has a worldwide distribution. meningoencephalitis is the most common manifestation of cryptococcosis. the outcome of a patient with cryptococcal infection depends on the immune status of the host. patients with nephrotic syndrome are particularly susceptible to cryptococcal infection not only due to innate changes in their immune system but also because of the immunosuppressive agents used in the treatment. we report an 8-year-old boy with nephrotic syndrome, who develope ... | 2011 | 22013311 |
| expression and characterization of cryptococcus neoformans recombinant app1. | we characterized cryptococcus neoformans recombinant antiphagocytic protein 1 (rapp1) by sds-page, gel filtration chromatography, circular dichroism, and fluorescence spectroscopy. rapp1 produced by c. neoformans var. grubii contains an odd number of cysteines; therefore, it has the ability to form intermolecular disulfide bridges which can lead to the formation of amyloid fibrils in the absence of β-mercaptoethanol or dtt in vitro. alternate approaches to over-expression of rapp1 in the lepidop ... | 2011 | 21971702 |
| identification of novel hybrids between cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii vni and cryptococcus gattii vgii. | cryptococcus neoformans and cryptococcus gattii are pathogenic yeasts causing meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts. the fungus is typically haploid, and sexual reproduction occurs normally between individuals with opposite mating types, α and a. c. neoformans var. grubii (serotype a) is comprised of molecular types vni, vnii, and vnb, and c. neoformans var. neoformans (serotype d) contains the molecular type vniv. additional ... | 2011 | 22081254 |
| contributions of the myd88-dependent receptors il-18r, il-1r, and tlr9 to host defenses following pulmonary challenge with cryptococcus neoformans. | signaling via the adapter protein, myd88, is important in the host defense against cryptococcus neoformans infection. while certain toll-like receptors (tlrs) can enhance the clearance of cryptococcus, the contributions of myd88-dependent, tlr-independent pathways have not been fully investigated. we examined the roles of il-1r and il-18r in vivo by challenging c57bl/6 mice with a lethal strain of cryptococcus. we found that the absence of il-18r, but not il-1r, causes a shift in the survival cu ... | 2011 | 22039448 |
| Environmental prevalence of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii in India: an update. | An overview of work done to-date in India on environmental prevalence, population structure, seasonal variations and antifungal susceptibility of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii is presented. The primary ecologic niche of both pathogens is decayed wood in trunk hollows of a wide spectrum of host trees, representing 18 species. Overall, C. neoformans showed a higher environmental prevalence than that of C. gattii which was not found in the avian habitats. Apart from their arboreal ... | 2011 | 22133016 |
| Efficient Regioselective Three-Component Domino Synthesis of 3-(1,2,4-Triazol-5-yl)-1,3-thiazolidin-4-ones as Potent Antifungal and Antituberculosis Agents. | In research for promising antibacterial and antifungal compounds, a series of 2-aryl 3-[1,2,4]triazol-5-yl 4-thiazolidinones 1 were synthesized by a domino reaction of 5-amino-1H-[1,2,4]triazoles 3, aromatic aldehydes, and a-mercaptoacids in boiling toluene in the presence of molecular sieves 4 Å. Of the twenty novel 3-[1,2,4]triazol-5-yl 4-thiazolidinone derivatives, four compounds 2-benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-6-yl-3-[(3-morpholin-4-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-yl)]-1,3-thiazolidin-4-one (1i), 2-(4-chloroph ... | 2011 | 21932255 |
| Dynamic virulence: real-time assessment of intracellular pathogenesis links Cryptococcus neoformans phenotype with clinical outcome. | While a myriad of studies have examined host factors that predispose persons to infection with the opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, comparatively little has been done to examine how virulence factor differences among cryptococcal isolates may impact outcome. In the recent report by Alanio et al. (A. Alanio, M. Desnos-Ollivier, and F. Dromer, mBio 2:e00158-11, 2011), novel flow cytometry-based techniques were employed to demonstrate an association between the phenotype of C. ... | 2011 | 21954307 |
| voriconazole, combined with amphotericin b, in the treatment for pulmonary cryptococcosis caused by c. neoformans (serotype a) in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (scid). | cryptococcosis is a subacute or chronic systemic mycosis with a cosmopolitan nature, caused by yeast of the genus cryptococcus neoformans. the model of systemic cryptococcosis in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (scid) is useful for immunological and therapeutic study of the disease in immunodeficient hosts. amphotericin b, fluconazole and flucytosine are the drugs most commonly used to treat cryptococcosis. voriconazole is a triazole with high bioavailability, large distribution volum ... | 2011 | 22071662 |
| isolated cryptococcal osteomyelitis in an immunocompetent patient. | cryptococcosis is a rare infection in hiv-negative individuals. while the lungs and the central nervous system are most commonly infected, skeletal cryptococcosis is uncommon and isolated osteomyelitis due to cryptococcus neoformans is quite rare. to our knowledge, only 47 cases of isolated cryptococcal osteomyelitis have been reported from 1974 to 2005. we report a case of isolated cryptococcal osteomyelitis in an immunocompetent patient, who received 12 weeks of fluconazole with complete recov ... | 2011 | 21918309 |
| antifungal activity of phenolic-rich lavandula multifida l. essential oil. | this study evaluates the antifungal activity and mechanism of action of a new chemotype of lavandula multifida from portugal. the essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography (gc) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (gc/ms), and the minimal inhibitory concentration (mic) and minimal lethal concentration (mlc) of the oil and its major compounds were determined against several pathogenic fungi responsible for candidosis, meningitis, dermatophytosis, and aspergillosis. the influence of the ... | 2011 | 22020493 |
| a β-resorcylic macrolide from the seagrass-derived fungus fusarium sp. psu-es73. | a new β-resorcylic macrolide, 5'-hydroxyzearalenone (1), and six known β-resorcylic macrolides were isolated from the seagrass-derived fungus fusarium sp. psu-es73. their structures were established by analysis of spectral data. all of the isolated compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial activity against staphylococcus aureus, both standard and methicillin-resistant strains, as well as their antifungal activity against cryptococcus neoformans. only the known compound zearalenone (2) dis ... | 2011 | 22076763 |
| cryptococcus neoformans capsular enlargement and cellular gigantism during galleria mellonella infection. | we have studied infection of cryptococcus neoformans in the non-vertebrate host galleria mellonella with particular interest in the morphological response of the yeast. inoculation of c. neoformans in caterpillars induced a capsule-independent increase in haemocyte density 2 h after infection. c. neoformans manifested a significant increase in capsule size after inoculation into the caterpillar. the magnitude of capsule increase depended on the temperature, being more pronounced at 37°c than at ... | 2011 | 21915338 |
| Evaluation of the in vitro activity of amphotericin B by time-kill curve methodology against large and small capsulate C. neoformans isolates. | We have evaluated and compared the activity of amphotericin B (AMB) by time-kill curve methodology against 20 clinical Cryptococcus neoformans isolates in which capsule induction in vitro was performed. Overall, large capsulated isolates were more resistant to killing by AMB over time when compared with those small capsulate ones. | 2011 | 21917396 |
| iron influences the abundance of the iron regulatory protein cir1 in the fungal pathogen cryptococcus neoformans. | the gata-type, zinc-finger protein cir1 regulates iron uptake, iron homeostasis and virulence factor expression in the fungal pathogen cryptococcus neoformans. the mechanisms by which cir1 senses iron availability, although as yet undefined, are important for understanding the proliferation of the fungus in mammalian hosts. we investigated the influence of iron availability on cir1 and found that the abundance of the protein decreases upon iron deprivation. this destabilization was influenced by ... | 2011 | 21963719 |
| Multiple Disguises for the Same Party: The Concepts of Morphogenesis and Phenotypic Variations in Cryptococcus neoformans. | Although morphological transitions (such as hyphae and pseudohyphae formation) are a common feature among fungi, the encapsulated pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans is found during infection as blastoconidia. However, this fungus exhibits striking variations in cellular structure and size, which have important consequences during infection. This review will summarize the main aspects related with phenotypic and morphological variations in C. neoformans, which can be divided in three classe ... | 2011 | 21922016 |
| Fungal polysaccharides: biological activity beyond the usual structural properties. | Studies on structure and function of polysaccharides in biological systems classically involve sequence and compositional analyses, anomeric configuration, type of glycosidic linkage, and presence of substituents. Recent studies, however, indicates that other structural parameters, so far little explored, can directly influence the biological activity of microbial polysaccharides. Among these parameters, we highlight the molecular dimensions of Cryptococcus neoformans polysaccharides, which appe ... | 2011 | 21886639 |
| unravelling secretion in cryptococcus neoformans: more than one way to skin a cat. | secretion pathways in fungi are essential for the maintenance of cell wall architecture and for the export of a number of virulence factors. in the fungal pathogen, cryptococcus neoformans, much evidence supports the existence of more than one route taken by secreted molecules to reach the cell periphery and extracellular space, and a significant degree of crosstalk between conventional and non-conventional secretion routes. the need for such complexity may be due to differences in the nature of ... | 2011 | 21898146 |
| The casein kinase I protein Cck1 regulates multiple signaling pathways and is essential for cell integrity and fungal virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans. | Casein kinases regulate a wide range of cellular functions in eukaryotes, including phosphorylation of proteins that are substrates for degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Our previous study demonstrated that Fbp1, a component of the SCF(FBP1) E3 ligase complex, was essential for Cryptococcus virulence. Because the Saccharomyces cerevisiae homolog of Fbp1, Grr1, requires casein kinase I (Yck1 and Yck2) to phosphorylate its substrates, we investigated the function of casein kin ... | 2011 | 21926330 |
| The effects of gamma radiation, UV and visible light on ATP levels in yeast cells depend on cellular melanization. | Previously we have shown that growth of melanized fungi is stimulated by low levels of gamma radiation. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of visible light, UV light, and gamma radiation on the energy level (ATP concentration) in melanized Cryptococcus neoformans cells. Melanized C. neoformans cells as well as non-melanized controls were subjected to visible, UV or gamma radiation, and ATP was quantified by measuring the amount of light emitted by the ATP-dependent reaction of luc ... | 2011 | 21944206 |
| Antifungal activity and chemical composition of essential oils from Smyrnium olusatrum L. (Apiaceae) from Italy and Portugal. | The essential oils and supercritical CO(2) extracts of wild Smyrnium olusatrum L. growing in Sardinia (Italy) and in Portugal were investigated. For the study, oils were isolated from total plant aerial part (umbels containing seeds). The content of ß-phellandrene (67.3% vs. 42.7%) and a-pinene (31.9% vs. 1.2%), respectively, the main components of Portuguese and Italian essential oils, declined during the maturation stage of the umbels. Contrarily, some other important components, particularly ... | 2011 | 21902563 |
| pulmonary cryptococcosis. | cryptococcosis is an invasive fungal infection (ifi), caused predominantly by cryptococcus neoformans or cryptococcus gattii, that affects both immunocompromised (ic) and non-ic patients. although the most serious disease manifestation is meningoencephalitis, cryptococcal pneumonia is underdiagnosed and may disseminate to the central nervous system (cns) and other sites depending upon host defenses and administration of appropriate antifungal therapy. the clinical presentation of pulmonary crypt ... | 2011 | 22167400 |
| identification of novel mimicry epitopes for cardiac myosin heavy chain-α that induce autoimmune myocarditis in a/j mice. | myocarditis is one cause of sudden cardiac death in young adolescents, and individuals affected with myocarditis can develop dilated cardiomyopathy, a frequent reason for heart transplantation. exposure to environmental microbes has been suspected in the initiation of heart autoimmunity, but the direct causal link is lacking. we report here identification of novel mimicry epitopes that bear sequences similar to those in cardiac myosin heavy chain (myhc)-α 334-352. these epitopes represent bacill ... | 2011 | 21939961 |
| chronic suppurative cryptococcal extensor tenosynovitis in a patient with castleman's disease: a case report. | cryptococcus neoformans is an ubiquitously occurring encapsulated fungus that is commonly found in the environment. it is also an opportunistic pathogen that has potential to cause systemic fungal infection, predominantly in the immunocompromised host with cell-mediated immunological defects. cryptococcal tenosynovitis is an extremely rare condition, with only a few cases previously documented in the literature. we report a case of chronic suppurative cryptococcal extensor tenosynovitis in a pat ... | 2011 | 23204976 |
| mechanisms of uniparental mitochondrial dna inheritance in cryptococcus neoformans. | in contrast to the nuclear genome, the mitochondrial genome does not follow mendelian laws of inheritance. the nuclear genome of meiotic progeny comes from the recombination of both parental genomes, whereas the meiotic progeny could inherit mitochondria from one, the other, or both parents. in fact, one fascinating phenomenon is that mitochondrial dna in the majority of eukaryotes is inherited from only one particular parent. typically, such unidirectional and uniparental inheritance of mitocho ... | 2011 | 22783110 |
| the camp/protein kinase a pathway and virulence in cryptococcus neoformans. | the basidiomycete fungus cryptococcus neoformans is an important pathogen of immunocompromised people. the ability of the fungus to sense its environment is critical for proliferation and the generation of infectious propagules, as well as for adaptation to the mammalian host during infection. the conserved camp/protein kinase a pathway makes an important contribution to sensing, as demonstrated by the phenotypes of mutants with pathway defects. these phenotypes include loss of the ability to ma ... | 2011 | 22783095 |
| gene expression in fungi. | this contribution is based on the four presentations made at the special interest group (sig) meeting titled gene expression in fungi held during imc9 in edinburgh. this overview is independent from other articles published or that will be published by each speaker. in the sig meeting, basic principles of in vivo animal models for virulence studies were discussed. infection associated genes of candida albicans and fungal adaptation to the host was summarized. azole susceptibility was evaluated a ... | 2011 | 22679585 |
| species distribution and susceptibility profile of yeasts isolated from blood cultures: results of a multicenter active laboratory-based surveillance study in argentina. | the mycology department of the instituto nacional de enfermedades infecciosas "dr. c. malbrán", conducted the second national multicenter survey on fungemia due to yeasts in argentina. the aim was to obtain updated data of the frequency of the causative species encountered and their in vitro susceptibility to seven antifungal agents. yeast species were identified by micromorphological and biochemical studies. antifungal susceptibility testing was performed by the reference microdilution method e ... | 2011 | 22430989 |
| [neuromeningeal cryptococcosis in mali]. | cryptococcal meningitis is the most common fatal central nervous system infection in aids patients in sub-saharan africa. the purpose of this prospective study conducted from march 2003 to february 2004 in the internal medicine and infectious diseases departments of the point g university hospital center was to investigate the clinical, prognostic and epidemiological profile of cryptococcus neoformans infection in patients hospitalized for brain and meningeale infection (bmi). diagnosis of neuro ... | 2011 | 22393627 |
| cryptococcus-related immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome(iris): pathogenesis and its clinical implications. | this review provides an overview of cryptococcus neoformans immunology and focuses on the pathogenesis of cryptococcus-related paradoxical immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (iris). cryptococcal iris has three phases: (1) before antiretroviral therapy (art), with a paucity of cerebrospinal fluid (csf) inflammation and defects in antigen clearance; (2) during initial art immune recovery, with pro-inflammatory signaling by antigen-presenting cells without an effector response; and (3) at ... | 2011 | 22389746 |
| active pharmaceutical ingredient (api) from an estuarine fungus, microdochium nivale (fr.). | various marine habitats sustain variety of bio-sources of ecological and biotech potentials. pharmaceutical potential compound cyclosporine a was reported from marine fungus microdochium nivale associated with porteresia coarctata, a marine salt marsh grass from mangrove environment distributed along the central west coast (cwc) of india. this study involves association of m. nivale with p. coarctata plant, fermentation conditions, purification of cyclosporine a, chemical characterization etc. i ... | 2011 | 22319884 |