Analysis of the cyp51 genes contribution to azole resistance in Aspergillus section Nigri with the CRISPR-Cas9 technique.

Cyp51 contribution to azole resistance has been broadly studied and characterized in Aspergillus fumigatus, whereas it remains poorly investigated in other clinically relevant species of the genus, such as those of section Nigri In this work, we aimed to analyze the impact of cyp51 genes (cyp51A and cyp51B) on the voriconazole (VRC) response and resistance of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus tubingensis We generated CRISPR-Cas9 cyp51A and cyp51B knock-out mutants from strains with different genetic backgrounds and diverse patterns of azole susceptibility. Single gene deletions of cyp51 genes resulted in 2 to 16-fold decrease of the VRC Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values, which were below the VRC Epidemiological Cutoff Value (ECV) established by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) irrespective of their parental strains susceptibilities. Gene expression studies in the tested species confirmed that cyp51A participates more actively than cyp51B in the transcriptional response of azole stress. However, ergosterol quantification revealed that both enzymes comparably impact the total ergosterol content within the cell, as basal and VRC-induced changes to ergosterol content was similar in all cases. These data contribute to our understanding on Aspergillus azole resistance, especially in non-fumigatus species.

ERG11 Polymorphism in Voriconazole-Resistant Candida tropicalis: Weak Role of ERG11 Expression, Ergosterol Content, and Membrane Permeability.

Mutations in ERG11 were detected by gene sequencing and amino acid alignment in 18 Candida tropicalis strains with different degrees of sensitivity to voriconazole (VRC). ERG11 expression, sterol content, and membrane permeability were also evaluated. We report three missense mutations in ERG11 that resulted in resistance to VRC. The transcriptional levels of ERG11 as well as the ergosterol content and membrane permeability demonstrated no correlation to only a slight correlation with the obtained MIC values, but the data did suggest a tendency toward such a correlation.

Expression of ERG11 and efflux pump genes CDR1, CDR2 and SNQ2 in voriconazole susceptible and resistant Candida glabrata strains.

Candida glabrata causes difficult to treat invasive candidiasis due to its antifungal resistance, mainly to azoles. The aim of the present work was to study the role of the genes ERG11, CDR1, CDR2, and SNQ2 on the resistance to voriconazole (VRC) in a set of C. glabrata strains with known in vitro and in vivo susceptibility to this drug. Eighteen clinical isolates of C. glabrata were exposed in vitro to VRC, and the expression of the cited genes was quantified by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR). In addition, the ERG11 gene was amplified and sequenced to detect possible mutations. Ten synonymous mutations were found in 15 strains, two of them being reported for the first time; however, no amino acid changes were detected. ERG11 and CDR1 were the most expressed genes in all the strains tested, while the expression of CDR2 and SNQ2 was modest. Our results show that gene expression does not directly correlate with the VRC MIC. In addition, the expression profiles of ERG11 and efflux pump genes did not change consistently after exposure to VRC. Although individual analysis did not result in a clear correlation between MIC and gene expression, we did observe an increase in ERG11 and CDR1 expression in resistant strains. It is of interest that considering both in vitro and in vivo results, the slight increase in such gene expression correlates with the observed resistance to VRC.

New Insights into the Cyp51 Contribution to Azole Resistance in Aspergillus Section Nigri.

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a severe condition mainly caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, although other species of the genus, such as section Nigri members, can also be involved. Voriconazole (VRC) is the recommended treatment for IA; however, the prevalence of azole-resistant Aspergillus isolates has alarmingly increased in recent years, and the underlying resistance mechanisms in non-fumigatus species remain unclear. We have determined the in vitro susceptibility of 36 strains from section Nigri to VRC, posaconazole (POS), and itraconazole (ITC), and we have explored the role of Cyp51A and Cyp51B, both targets of azoles, in azole resistance. The three drugs were highly active; POS displayed the best in vitro activity, while ITC and VRC showed MICs above the established epidemiological cutoff values in 9 and 16% of the strains, respectively. Furthermore, expression studies of cyp51A and cyp51B in control condition and after VRC exposure were performed in 14 strains with different VRC susceptibility. We found higher transcription of cyp51A, which was upregulated upon VRC exposure, but no correlation between MICs and cyp51 transcription levels was observed. In addition, cyp51A sequence analyses revealed nonsynonymous mutations present in both, wild-type and non-wild-type strains of A. niger and A. tubingensis Nevertheless, a few mutations were exclusively present in non-wild-type A. tubingensis strains. Altogether, our results suggest that azole resistance in section Nigri is not clearly explained by Cyp51A protein alteration or by cyp51 gene upregulation, which indicates that other mechanisms might be involved.

RNAi-Based Functional Genomics Identifies New Virulence Determinants in Mucormycosis.

Mucorales are an emerging group of human pathogens that are responsible for the lethal disease mucormycosis. Unfortunately, functional studies on the genetic factors behind the virulence of these organisms are hampered by their limited genetic tractability, since they are reluctant to classical genetic tools like transposable elements or gene mapping. Here, we describe an RNAi-based functional genomic platform that allows the identification of new virulence factors through a forward genetic approach firstly described in Mucorales. This platform contains a whole-genome collection of Mucor circinelloides silenced transformants that presented a broad assortment of phenotypes related to the main physiological processes in fungi, including virulence, hyphae morphology, mycelial and yeast growth, carotenogenesis and asexual sporulation. Selection of transformants with reduced virulence allowed the identification of mcplD, which encodes a Phospholipase D, and mcmyo5, encoding a probably essential cargo transporter of the Myosin V family, as required for a fully virulent phenotype of M. circinelloides. Knock-out mutants for those genes showed reduced virulence in both Galleria mellonella and Mus musculus models, probably due to a delayed germination and polarized growth within macrophages. This study provides a robust approach to study virulence in Mucorales and as a proof of concept identified new virulence determinants in M. circinelloides that could represent promising targets for future antifungal therapies.

Efficacy, Biodistribution, and Nephrotoxicity of Experimental Amphotericin B-Deoxycholate Formulations for Pulmonary Aspergillosis.

An experimental micellar formulation of 1:1.5 amphotericin B-sodium deoxycholate (AMB:DCH 1:1.5) was obtained and characterized to determine its aggregation state and particle size. The biodistribution, nephrotoxicity, and efficacy against pulmonary aspergillosis in a murine model were studied and compared to the liposomal commercial formulation of amphotericin B after intravenous administration. The administration of 5 mg/kg AMB:DCH 1:1.5 presented 2.8-fold-higher lung concentrations (18.125 ± 3.985 µg/g after 6 daily doses) and lower kidney exposure (0.391 ± 0.167 µg/g) than liposomal commercial amphotericin B (6.567 ± 1.536 and 5.374 ± 1.157 µg/g in lungs and kidneys, respectively). The different biodistribution of AMB:DCH micelle systems compared to liposomal commercial amphotericin B was attributed to their different morphologies and particle sizes. The efficacy study has shown that both drugs administered at 5 mg/kg produced similar survival percentages and reductions of fungal burden. A slightly lower nephrotoxicity, associated with amphotericin B, was observed with AMB:DCH 1:1.5 than the one induced by the liposomal commercial formulation. However, AMB:DCH 1:1.5 reached higher AMB concentrations in lungs, which could represent a therapeutic advantage over liposomal commercial amphotericin B-based treatment of pulmonary aspergillosis. These results are encouraging to explore the usefulness of AMB:DCH 1:1.5 against this disease.

Sterol Biosynthesis and Azole Tolerance Is Governed by the Opposing Actions of SrbA and the CCAAT Binding Complex.

Azole drugs selectively target fungal sterol biosynthesis and are critical to our antifungal therapeutic arsenal. However, resistance to this class of drugs, particularly in the major human mould pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus, is emerging and reaching levels that have prompted some to suggest that there is a realistic probability that they will be lost for clinical use. The dominating class of pan-azole resistant isolates is characterized by the presence of a tandem repeat of at least 34 bases (TR34) within the promoter of cyp51A, the gene encoding the azole drug target sterol C14-demethylase. Here we demonstrate that the repeat sequence in TR34 is bound by both the sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) SrbA, and the CCAAT binding complex (CBC). We show that the CBC acts complementary to SrbA as a negative regulator of ergosterol biosynthesis and show that lack of CBC activity results in increased sterol levels via transcriptional derepression of multiple ergosterol biosynthetic genes including those coding for HMG-CoA-synthase, HMG-CoA-reductase and sterol C14-demethylase. In agreement with these findings, inactivation of the CBC increased tolerance to different classes of drugs targeting ergosterol biosynthesis including the azoles, allylamines (terbinafine) and statins (simvastatin). We reveal that a clinically relevant mutation in HapE (P88L) significantly impairs the binding affinity of the CBC to its target site. We identify that the mechanism underpinning TR34 driven overexpression of cyp51A results from duplication of SrbA but not CBC binding sites and show that deletion of the 34 mer results in lack of cyp51A expression and increased azole susceptibility similar to a cyp51A null mutant. Finally we show that strains lacking a functional CBC are severely attenuated for pathogenicity in a pulmonary and systemic model of aspergillosis.

Correction: Sterol Biosynthesis and Azole Tolerance Is Governed by the Opposing Actions of SrbA and the CCAAT Binding Complex.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005775.].

Scedosporium and Lomentospora: an updated overview of underrated opportunists.

Species of Scedosporium and Lomentospora are considered as emerging opportunists, affecting immunosuppressed and otherwise debilitated patients, although classically they are known from causing trauma-associated infections in healthy individuals. Clinical manifestations range from local infection to pulmonary colonization and severe invasive disease, in which mortality rates may be over 80%. These unacceptably high rates are due to the clinical status of patients, diagnostic difficulties, and to intrinsic antifungal resistance of these fungi. In consequence, several consortia have been founded to increase research efforts on these orphan fungi. The current review presents recent findings and summarizes the most relevant points, including the Scedosporium/Lomentospora taxonomy, environmental distribution, epidemiology, pathology, virulence factors, immunology, diagnostic methods, and therapeutic strategies.

Voriconazole MICs are predictive for the outcome of experimental disseminated scedosporiosis.

Background: Scedosporiosis is associated with a mortality rate of up to 90% in patients suffering from disseminated infections. Recommended first-line treatment is voriconazole, but epidemiological cut-off values and clinical breakpoints have not been determined. Objectives: To correlate voriconazole treatment response in mice suffering from disseminated scedosporiosis with MIC values determined using CLSI broth microdilution, Etest (bioMérieux) and disc diffusion. Methods: Voriconazole MICs for 31 Scedosporium apiospermum strains were determined using CLSI broth microdilution, Etest and disc diffusion. Groups of mice were challenged intravenously with 1 out of 16 S. apiospermum strains (voriconazole CLSI broth microdilution MIC range: 0.125-8.0 mg/L) and treated with 40 mg/kg voriconazole orally by gavage once daily. Efficacy of voriconazole was evaluated by a statistically significant ( P < 0.05) reduction in fungal burden in brain. Results: A categorical agreement of 90.4% was reached for CLSI broth microdilution and disc diffusion and of 93.6% for CLSI broth microdilution and Etest. Correlation of CLSI MICs and in vivo outcome was good, as mice challenged with strains with an MIC ≤2 mg/L responded to voriconazole therapy in 92.3% and those challenged with strains with an MIC ≥4 mg/L responded to voriconazole therapy in 33.3%. Conclusions: CLSI broth microdilution and Etest deliver comparable results that enable a prediction of in vivo outcome. Our results suggest that voriconazole is able to reduce fungal burden in the brain of 92.3% of all mice challenged with strains with voriconazole CLSI MICs ≤2 mg/L, while mice challenged with strains with CLSI MICs ≥4 mg/L showed limited response to voriconazole treatment.

Synergistic effect of anidulafungin combined with posaconazole in experimental aspergillosis.

Clinical and experimental data have shown discrepancies on the efficacy of combinations between triazoles and echinocandins. In this study, anidulafungin plus posaconazole have shown efficacy against a murine systemic infection by three strains of Aspergillus fumigatus. The combination increased mice survival and reduced burden in the kidneys over the corresponding monotherapies and voriconazole. Clearance of kidneys was observed in 62% to 100% of animals (strain dependant). We observed good in vitro- in vivo correlation when a cutoff < 1 was indicative of synergy. Our results showed that the combination could be a therapeutical option, especially against infections refractory to the first line therapy.

Combined antifungal therapy against systemic murine infections by rare Cryptococcus species.

Cryptococcus albidus and Cryptococcus laurentii are uncommon species of this genus that in recent decades have increasingly caused opportunistic infections in humans, mainly in immunocompromised patients; the best therapy for such infection being unknown. Using a murine model of systemic infection by these fungi, we have evaluated the efficacy of amphotericin B (AMB) at 0.8 mg/kg, administered intravenously, fluconazole (FLC) or voriconazole (VRC), both administered orally, at 25 mg/kg and the combination of AMB plus VRC against three C. albidus and two C. laurentii strains. All the treatments significantly reduced the fungal burden in all the organs studied. The combination showed a synergistic effect in the reduction in fungal load, working better than both monotherapies. The histopathological study confirmed the efficacy of the treatments.

Virulence and Resistance to Antifungal Therapies of Scopulariopsis Species.

Scopulariopsisis an emerging opportunistic fungus characterized by its high resistance to antifungal therapies. We have developed a murine model of disseminated infection in immunosuppressed animals by intravenous inoculation ofScopulariopsis brevicaulisandScopulariopsis brumptii, the most clinically relevant species, in order to evaluate their virulence and their responses to conventional antifungal treatments. Survival and tissue burden studies showed thatS. brumptiiwas more virulent thanS. brevicaulis The three drugs tested, liposomal amphotericin B, posaconazole, and voriconazole, prolonged the survival of mice infected withS. brumptii, but none showed efficacy againstS. brevicaulis The different therapies were only able to modestly reduce the fungal burden of infected tissue; however, in general, despite the high serum levels reached, they showed poor efficacy in the treatment of the infection. Unfortunately, the most effective therapy forScopulariopsisinfections remains unresolved.

In Vivo Synergy of Amphotericin B plus Posaconazole in Murine Aspergillosis.

Aspergillus fumigatus is the main mold causing invasive fungal infection that shows high mortality rates. Therapeutic failure and the increase in drug resistance make it necessary to explore alternative treatments for this infection. We have evaluated the efficacy of amphotericin B at 0.8 mg/kg or 0.3 mg/kg of body weight combined with 40 mg/kg of posaconazole against three A. fumigatus isolates in a murine model of disseminated infection. The combination of the polyene and the azole led to a greater increase in survival and a significantly greater reduction in tissue burden than monotherapies.

Virulence and Experimental Treatment of Trichoderma longibrachiatum, a Fungus Refractory to Treatment.

Different inocula of Trichoderma longibrachiatum were tested in a murine model, and only the highest one (1 × 10(7) CFU/animal) killed all of the mice at day 15 postinfection, with spleen and liver the most affected organs. The efficacies of amphotericin B deoxycholate, liposomal amphotericin B, voriconazole, and micafungin were evaluated in the same model, with very poor results. Our study demonstrated the low virulence but high resistance to antifungal compounds of this fungus.

Antifungal therapies in murine infections by Candida kefyr.

Candida kefyr is an emerging pathogen able to cause disseminated infection, especially in immunocompromised patients. Although guidelines for the treatment of invasive candidiasis have been published, no specific recommendations against C. kefyr are available. We determine the in vitro killing activity of amphotericin B (AMB), fluconazole (FLC) and caspofungin (CFG) as well as their efficacy in a murine model of systemic infection by two C. kefyr strains. Time-kill curves of AMB, FLC and CFG were determined in final volumes of 10 ml containing the assayed drugs ranged from 0.03 to 32 µg ml-1 at different time points and efficacy of the drugs was evaluated in a systemic model of candidiasis, conducted in immunosuppressed mice, through survival, (1→3)-ß-D-glucan levels in serum and fungal load in kidneys. AMB and CFG showed fungicidal and FLC fungistatic activity against both isolates. The three drugs were able to reduce fungal burden in kidneys and (1→3)-ß-D-glucan concentration in serum of infected mice, with CFG showing the highest efficacy, followed by FLC. In conclusion, CFG showed efficacy over AMB and FLC against the systemic candidiasis by C. kefyr. The established epidemiological cut-off for anidulafungin seems the best indicator of outcome for echinocandins.

Efficacy of Posaconazole in a Murine Model of Systemic Infection by Saprochaete capitata.

The fungus Saprochaete capitata causes opportunistic human infections, mainly in immunocompromised patients with hematological malignancies. The best therapy for this severe infection is still unknown. We evaluated the in vitro killing activity and the in vivo efficacy of posaconazole at 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg twice a day (BID) in a murine neutropenic model of systemic infection with S. capitata by testing a set of six clinical isolates. Posaconazole showed fungistatic activity against all of the isolates tested. The different doses of the drug, especially the highest one, showed good efficacy, measured by prolonged survival, reduction of (1-3)-ß-D-glucan levels in serum, tissue burden reduction, and histopathology.

In Vitro and In Vivo Efficacy of Amphotericin B Combined with Posaconazole against Experimental Disseminated Sporotrichosis.

We evaluated the combination of posaconazole with amphotericin B in vitro and in a murine model of systemic infections caused by Sporothrix brasiliensis and Sporothrix schenckii sensu stricto. In vitro data demonstrated a synergistic effect, and although posaconazole alone was effective against sporotrichosis, efficacy in terms of survival and burden reduction was increased with the combination. This combination might be an option against disseminated sporotrichosis, especially when itraconazole or amphotericin B at optimal doses are contraindicated.

HapX-mediated iron homeostasis is essential for rhizosphere competence and virulence of the soilborne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum.

Soilborne fungal pathogens cause devastating yield losses and are highly persistent and difficult to control. During the infection process, these organisms must cope with limited availability of iron. Here we show that the bZIP protein HapX functions as a key regulator of iron homeostasis and virulence in the vascular wilt fungus Fusarium oxysporum. Deletion of hapX does not affect iron uptake but causes derepression of genes involved in iron-consuming pathways, leading to impaired growth under iron-depleted conditions. F. oxysporum strains lacking HapX are reduced in their capacity to invade and kill tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants and immunodepressed mice. The virulence defect of ΔhapX on tomato plants is exacerbated by coinoculation of roots with a biocontrol strain of Pseudomonas putida, but not with a siderophore-deficient mutant, indicating that HapX contributes to iron competition of F. oxysporum in the tomato rhizosphere. These results establish a conserved role for HapX-mediated iron homeostasis in fungal infection of plants and mammals.

Oral particle uptake and organ targeting drives the activity of amphotericin B nanoparticles.

There are very few drug delivery systems that target key organs via the oral route, as oral delivery advances normally address gastrointestinal drug dissolution, permeation, and stability. Here we introduce a nanomedicine in which nanoparticles, while also protecting the drug from gastric degradation, are taken up by the gastrointestinal epithelia and transported to the lung, liver, and spleen, thus selectively enhancing drug bioavailability in these target organs and diminishing kidney exposure (relevant to nephrotoxic drugs). Our work demonstrates, for the first time, that oral particle uptake and translocation to specific organs may be used to achieve a beneficial therapeutic response. We have illustrated this using amphotericin B, a nephrotoxic drug encapsulated within N-palmitoyl-N-methyl-N,N-dimethyl-N,N,N-trimethyl-6-O-glycol chitosan (GCPQ) nanoparticles, and have evidenced our approach in three separate disease states (visceral leishmaniasis, candidiasis, and aspergillosis) using industry standard models of the disease in small animals. The oral bioavailability of AmB-GCPQ nanoparticles is 24%. In all disease models, AmB-GCPQ nanoparticles show comparable efficacy to parenteral liposomal AmB (AmBisome). Our work thus paves the way for others to use nanoparticles to achieve a specific targeted delivery of drug to key organs via the oral route. This is especially important for drugs with a narrow therapeutic index.