Reduced virulence of melanized Cryptococcus neoformans in Galleria mellonella
Reduced virulence of melanized Cryptococcus neoformans in Galleria mellonella
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DOI：
10.4161/viru.29234
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发表时间：
2014-07-01
期刊：
影响因子：
5.2
通讯作者：
McClelland, Erin E.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Eisenman, Helene C.;Duong, Raymond;McClelland, Erin E.
真菌黑色素在许多病原真菌的毒力中发挥着重要作用。在这项研究中，我们研究了黑色素在新型隐球菌和无脊椎动物宿主大蜡螟之间相互作用中的作用。新生隐球菌能够在大蜡螟匀浆存在的情况下黑化，表明黑色素底物的存在。通过回收被抗黑色素抗体识别的耐酸颗粒来证实黑色化。此外，我们还测试了真菌黑化对毒力的影响。令人惊讶的是，感染黑化真菌细胞的大蜡螟幼虫比感染非黑化真菌的幼虫寿命更长。当比较大蜡螟对黑化细胞和非黑化细胞的细胞免疫反应时，两组均观察到炎症结节。然而，感染黑化细胞的幼虫的反应更强。这些结果表明真菌黑色素激活大蜡螟的免疫反应，从而导致黑化细胞的毒力降低。
Fungal melanins are important in the virulence of many pathogenic fungi. In this study, we examined the role of melanin in the interaction between Cryptococcus neoformans and the invertebrate host, Galleria mellonella. C. neoformans was able to melanize in the presence of G. mellonella homogenate, indicating the presence of melanin substrates. Melanization was confirmed by the recovery of acid-resistant particles that were recognized by anti-melanin antibodies. In addition, we tested the effect of fungal melanization on virulence. Surprisingly, G. mellonella larvae infected with melanized fungal cells lived longer than those infected with non-melanized fungi. When the cellular immune response of G. mellonella to melanized and non-melanized cells was compared, inflammatory nodules were observed in both groups. However the response was stronger in larvae infected with melanized cells. These results suggest that fungal melanin activates the immune response of G. mellonella, thereby resulting in the decreased virulence observed with melanized cells.