The chitin connection.
The chitin connection.
复制标题
作者：
Goldman DL;Vicencio AG
几丁质是N-乙酰葡糖胺的聚合物，是真菌细胞壁的重要组成部分。壳聚糖是甲壳素的脱乙酰化形式，在维持细胞壁完整性方面也很重要，并且是新生隐球菌毒力所必需的。在他们的文章中，吉尔伯特等人[N. M.吉尔伯特湖G.贝克角，澳-地A. Specht和J. K. Lodge，mBio 3（1）：e00007-12，2012]证明了负责壳聚糖合成的酶，几丁质脱乙酰酶（CDA），差异性地附着于细胞膜和细胞壁。生物活性定位于细胞膜，在那里它通过糖基磷脂酰肌醇（GPI）锚共价连接。这项研究的结果显着增强了我们对隐球菌细胞壁生物学的理解。除了几丁质在支持结构稳定性中的作用之外，几丁质和具有几丁质酶活性的宿主酶在宿主防御和修饰炎症反应中具有重要作用。因此，几丁质似乎提供了真菌和宿主之间的联系，涉及先天性和适应性免疫反应。近年来，几丁质酶在变应性炎症尤其是哮喘发病机制中的作用受到越来越多的关注。我们回顾这些发现，并探讨真菌感染，几丁质酶的诱导，和哮喘之间的可能联系。
Chitin, a polymer of N-acetylglucosamine, is an essential component of the fungal cell wall. Chitosan, a deacetylated form of chitin, is also important in maintaining cell wall integrity and is essential for Cryptococcus neoformans virulence. In their article, Gilbert et al. [N. M. Gilbert, L. G. Baker, C. A. Specht, and J. K. Lodge, mBio 3(1):e00007-12, 2012] demonstrate that the enzyme responsible for chitosan synthesis, chitin deacetylase (CDA), is differentially attached to the cell membrane and wall. Bioactivity is localized to the cell membrane, where it is covalently linked via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. Findings from this study significantly enhance our understanding of cryptococcal cell wall biology. Besides the role of chitin in supporting structural stability, chitin and host enzymes with chitinase activity have an important role in host defense and modifying the inflammatory response. Thus, chitin appears to provide a link between the fungus and host that involves both innate and adaptive immune responses. Recently, there has been increased attention to the role of chitinases in the pathogenesis of allergic inflammation, especially asthma. We review these findings and explore the possible connection between fungal infections, the induction of chitinases, and asthma.