Project description:Candida auris is amongst the most important emerging fungal pathogens, yet mechanistic insights in its immune recognition and control are lacking. Here, we integrate transcriptional and functional immune cell profiling to uncover innate anti-C. auris defense mechanisms. C. auris induces a specific transcriptome in human mononuclear cells, a stronger cytokine response compared to C. albicans, but a lower macrophage lysis capacity. C. auris-induced innate immune activation is mediated through recognition of C-type lectin receptors, mainly elicited by structurally unique C. auris mannoproteins. In in-vivo experimental models of disseminated candidiasis, C. auris was less virulent than C. albicans. Collectively, these results demonstrate that C. auris is a strong inducer of innate host defense and identify possible targets for adjuvant immunotherapy.
Project description:Candida auris has been globally recognized as a multidrug-resistant human fungal pathogen that contributes for the worldwide occurrence of nosocomial outbreaks. It has been reported that C. auris was able to avoid neutrophil attack, suggestive of an impaired innate immune response. Whether C. auris evades the innate immune recognition of BMDM (bone marrow derived macrophage) remains poorly understood, and as for well-known Candida species -C. albicans, it can trigger immune response. To determine whether occurs difference between immune response stimulated by C. auris or C. albicans, we performed mRNA-seq of BMDM stimulated by C. auris or C. albicans.
Project description:Candida auris clinical isolate FY279 was exposed to tebuconazole (32μg/ml). Randomly14 adaptors were chosen. 10 adaptors obtained resistance to tebuconazole. These resistant adaptors were sequenced.
Project description:Approximately 1 million cells of Candida auris isolate FY279 were spread on YPD plate supplemented with 8ug/ml tunicamycin. Randomly 21 adaptors were chosen. These adaptors were sequenced.
Project description:The limited number of antifungals and the emergence of multidrug-resistant Candida auris pose a significant challenge to human medicine. Here, we utilized combinatorial drug therapy as an approach to augment the activity of current azole antifungals against C. auris. We evaluated the fluconazole chemosensitization activity of 1547 FDA-approved drugs and clinical molecules against an azole-resistant strain of C. auris. This led to the discovery that lopinavir, an antiviral drug, is a potent agent capable of sensitizing C. auris to the effect of azole antifungals. At a therapeutically achievable concentration (4-8 µg/ml), lopinavir exhibited potent synergistic interactions with azole drugs, particularly with itraconazole, against C. auris (ΣFICI ranged from 0.05-0.50). The lopinavir/itraconazole combination enhanced the survival rate of C. auris-infected Caenorhabditis elegans by 90% and reduced the fungal burden in infected nematodes by 88.5% (p < 0.05). Moreover, lopinavir enhanced the antifungal activity of itraconazole against other medically important Candida species including C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis. Comparative transcriptomic profiling revealed that lopinavir interferes with glucose permeation and ATP synthesis. This compromises the function of the efflux pumps presents in C. auris enhancing sensitivity to azole antifungals, as demonstrated by Nile red efflux assays. This study presents lopinavir as a novel, potent and broad-spectrum azole chemosensitizing agent that warrants further investigation against recalcitrant Candida infections.
Project description:Candida auris occupies similar niches in various infections as Pseudomonas aeruginosa; however, the details of their interspecies communication remain largely unknown. To gain deeper insights into this bacterial–fungal relationship, phenotypic and transcriptomic analyses were conducted in the presence of the primary P. aeruginosa quorum-sensing molecule, 3-oxo-C12-homoserine lactone (HSL), against C. auris, with the results compared to those of C. albicans. We demonstrated a significant HSL-induced reduction in adhesion of C. auris cells at 100- and 200-μM concentrations. Furthermore, HSL exposure reduced intracellular iron and zinc levels and modulated C. auris metabolism toward beta-oxidation, which may be associated with the observed reduction in in vivo virulence at lower HSL concentrations compared with C. albicans. RNA-sequencing transcriptome analysis revealed 67 and 306 upregulated genes, as well as 111 and 168 downregulated genes, in response to 100 and 200 μM HSL, respectively. We identified 45 overlapping upregulated and 25 overlapping downregulated genes between the two HSL concentrations. Our findings indicate that HSL-induced effects are not specific to C. albicans; additionally, several characteristics are present in C. auris but not in C. albicans following HSL exposure. Similar to other Candida-derived C12 compounds (e.g., farnesol), HSL reduces several C. auris survival strategies, which may significantly influence the nature of P. aeruginosa–C. auris co-habitation.