Auranofin is active against Histoplasma capsulatum and reduces the expression of virulence-related genes.

Background: Auranofin is an approved anti-rheumatic drug that has a broad-range inhibitory action against several microorganisms, including human pathogenic fungi. The auranofin activity against Histoplasma capsulatum, the dimorphic fungus that causes histoplasmosis, has not been properly addressed. Since there are few therapeutic options for this life-threatening systemic mycosis, this study evaluated the effects of auranofin on H.

Saps1-3 Antigens in : Differential Modulation Following Exposure to Soluble Proteins, Mammalian Cells, and Infection in Mice.

The secreted aspartic peptidases (Saps) of play crucial roles in various steps of fungal-host interactions. Using a flow cytometry approach, this study investigated the expression of Saps1-3 antigens after (i) incubation with soluble proteins, (ii) interaction with mammalian cells, and (iii) infection in immunosuppressed BALB/c mice. Supplementation strategies involving increasing concentrations of bovine serum albumin (BSA) added to yeast carbon base (YCB) medium as the sole nitrogenous source revealed a positive and significant correlation between BSA concentration and both the growth rate and the percentage of fluorescent cells (%FC) labeled with anti-Saps1-3 antibodies.

Ironing out the Links: Ferroptosis in epilepsy and SUDEP.

Iron is a crucial element for almost all organisms because it plays a vital role in oxygen transport, enzymatic processes, and energy generation due to its electron transfer capabilities. However, its dysregulation can lead to a form of programmed cell death known as ferroptosis, which is characterized by cellular iron accumulation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and unrestricted lipid peroxidation. Both iron and ferroptosis have been identified as key players in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases.

Proceedings of the second international meeting on endemic mycoses of the Americas (IMEMA) and first international symposium on implantation mycoses (ISIM).

The second international meeting on endemic mycoses of the Americas (IMEMA) and the first international symposium on implantation mycoses (ISIM) took place in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, on September 25-27, 2023. The conference provided a platform for researchers, clinicians, and experts to discuss the latest developments in the field of endemic and implantation mycoses. Topics included epidemiology, diagnostic advances, treatment strategies, and the impact of environmental factors on the spread of these fungal diseases.

First occurrence of feline sporotrichosis in a metropolitan area of Central-West Brazil.

Sporotrichosis is a neglected mycosis that affects human and animal hosts, including domestic cats. In Brazil, its most frequently diagnosed etiological agent is Sporothrix brasiliensis. Zoonotic transmission of S.

Skin innate immune response against fungal infections and the potential role of trained immunity.

Fungal skin infections are distributed worldwide and can be associated with economic and social traits. The immune response related to skin cells is complex and its understanding is essential to the comprehension of each cell's role and the discovery of treatment alternatives. The first studies of trained immunity (TI) described the ability of monocytes, macrophages and natural killer (NK) cells to develop a memory-like response.

Human interleukin-36γ plays a crucial role in cytokine induction during Sporothrix brasiliensis and S. schenckii infection in keratinocytes and PBMCs.

Cytokines of the interleukin (IL)-1 superfamily including the different IL-36 isoforms, have been reported as mediators of acute and chronic inflammation in human skin diseases, such as psoriasis. Here, we demonstrated for the first time that Sporothrix schenckii and S. brasiliensis, the fungi that cause subcutaneous infection sporotrichosis, can induce the expression of IL-36α, IL-36γ and IL-36Ra in human keratinocytes and primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

Vaccine development for pathogenic fungi: current status and future directions.

Introduction: Fungal infections are caused by a broad range of pathogenic fungi that are found worldwide with different geographic distributions, incidences, and mortality rates. Considering that there are relatively few approved medications available for combating fungal diseases and no vaccine formulation commercially available, multiple groups are searching for new antifungal drugs, examining drugs for repurposing and developing antifungal vaccines, in order to control deaths, sequels, and the spread of these complex infections.

Areas Covered: This review provides a summary of advances in fungal vaccine studies and the different approaches under development, such as subunit vaccines, whole organism vaccines, and DNA vaccines, as well as studies that optimize the use of adjuvants.

Targeting the P10 Peptide in Maturing Dendritic Cells via the DEC205 Receptor In Vivo: A New Therapeutic Strategy against Paracoccidioidomycosis.

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic mycosis caused by , a thermally dimorphic fungus, which is the most frequent endemic systemic mycosis in many Latin American countries, where ~10 million people are believed to be infected. In Brazil, it is ranked as the tenth most common cause of death among chronic infectious diseases. Hence, vaccines are in development to combat this insidious pathogen.

The story of Paracoccidiodes gp43.

This review is about Dr. Luiz Rodolpho Raja Gabaglia Travassos' scientific contributions to paracoccidioidomycosis as told by myself, Rosana Puccia, but co-written with Dr. Carlos P.

Evaluation of an automated genome interpretation model for rare disease routinely used in a clinical genetic laboratory.

Purpose: The analysis of exome and genome sequencing data for the diagnosis of rare diseases is challenging and time-consuming. In this study, we evaluated an artificial intelligence model, based on machine learning for automating variant prioritization for diagnosing rare genetic diseases in the Baylor Genetics clinical laboratory.

Methods: The automated analysis model was developed using a supervised learning approach based on thousands of manually curated variants.

Biodistribution and Adjuvant Effect of an Intranasal Vaccine Based on Chitosan Nanoparticles against Paracoccidioidomycosis.

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a fungal infection caused by the thermodimorphic sp. PCM mainly affects the lungs, but, if it is not contained by the immune response, the disease can spread systemically. An immune response derived predominantly from Th1 and Th17 T cell subsets facilitates the elimination of cells.

Hemorrhagic fever viruses: Pathogenesis, therapeutics, and emerging and re-emerging potential.

Hemorrhagic fever viruses (HFVs) pose a threat to global public health owing to the emergence and re-emergence of highly fatal diseases. Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) caused by these viruses are mostly characterized by an acute febrile syndrome with coagulation abnormalities and generalized hemorrhage that may lead to life-threatening organ dysfunction. Currently, the events underlying the viral pathogenicity associated with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome still underexplored.

In Vitro Antifungal Activity of LL-37 Analogue Peptides against spp.

Fungal infections have increased in recent decades with considerable morbidity and mortality, mainly in immunosuppressed or admitted-to-the-ICU patients. The fungal resistance to conventional antifungal treatments has become a public health problem, especially with that presents resistance to several antifungals. Therefore, generating new alternatives of antifungal therapy is fundamental.

Differential recognition and cytokine induction by the peptidorhamnomannan from Sporothrix brasiliensis and S. Schenckii.

Sporotrichosis is a deep mycosis caused by dimorphic species of the genus Sporothrix, with differences in pathogenicity between S. schenckii and S. brasiliensis species.

Minilungs from Human Embryonic Stem Cells to Study the Interaction of Streptococcus pneumoniae with the Respiratory Tract.

The new generation of organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells holds a promising strategy for modeling host-bacteria interaction studies. Organoids recapitulate the composition, diversity of cell types, and, to some extent, the functional features of the native organ. We generated lung bud organoids derived from human embryonic stem cells to study the interaction of Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) with the alveolar epithelium.

Immunoproteomic and Immunopeptidomic Analyses of Reveal Promiscuous and Conserved Epitopes Among Fungi With Vaccine Potential.

As there are more than 6 million human deaths due to mycoses each year, there is an urgent need to develop fungal vaccines. Moreover, given the similarities among pathogenic fungi, it may be possible to create a multi-fungi vaccine. In this study, we combined immunoproteomic and immunopeptidomic methods, for which we have adapted a technique based on co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) that made it possible to map epitopes for the first time in a natural context using murine dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages (Mφ).

Antibody- Based Immunotherapy Combined With Antimycotic Drug TMP- SMX to Treat Infection With .

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are promising alternatives to treat infectious diseases, especially given their potential for applications in combination therapies with antimicrobial drugs to enhance the antifungal efficacy. Protection mediated by mAbs used to treat experimental paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) has been demonstrated previously. Our aim in the present work was to characterize a monoclonal antibody (mAbF1.

The influence of sample processing time on the performance of Microsporum canis cultures in cats.

Background: Fungal culture is widely used as a diagnostic tool for detecting dermatophytosis. However, the presence of fungal contaminants can influence the culture's performance and compromise the diagnosis.

Objective: To verify whether the sample processing time can affect the performance of fungal culture for the diagnosis of Microsporum canis infection in cats.