Echinocandin drugs such as caspofungin (CASP), micafungin, and anidulafungin inhibit fungal cell wall biogenesis by blocking Fks1-mediated β-glucan deposition into the cell surface. Candins have become suitable drugs to treat life-threatening diseases caused by several fungal species, including Candida albicans, that are pathogenic for humans. Here, we present the discovery of a novel CASP-induced flocculation phenotype of C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBCL6 somatic mutations affect normal and tumoral post germinal center B-lymphocytes. Our objective was to analyse expression, mutations and polymorphisms in the BCL6 gene and to correlate those variables with the clinical outcome in early-stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). CLL samples were used for characterisation of the mutational status of BCL6/ immunoglobulin variable heavy chain (IGHV) genes, and expression of BCL6 was determined by real time PCR and immunoblot.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChronic lymphocytic leukemia is an adult-onset leukemia with a heterogeneous clinical behavior. When chronic lymphocytic leukemia cases were divided on the basis of IgV(H) mutational status, widely differing clinical courses were revealed. Since IgV(H) sequencing is difficult to perform in a routine diagnostic laboratory, finding a surrogate for IgV(H) mutational status seems an important priority.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFB cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a lymphoproliferative disorder with a variable clinical course. Patients with unmutated IgV(H) gene show a shorter progression-free and overall survival than patients with immunoglobulin heavy chain variable regions (IgV(H)) gene mutated. In addition, BCL6 mutations identify a subgroup of patients with high risk of progression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe echinocandin caspofungin is a new antifungal drug that blocks cell wall synthesis through inhibition of beta-(1-3)-glucan synthesis. Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells are able to tolerate rather high caspofungin concentrations, displaying high viability at low caspofungin doses. To identify yeast genes implicated in caspofungin tolerance, we performed a genome-wide microarray analysis.
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