Pulmonary cryptococcosis induces chitinase in the rat.
Alfin G. Vicencio,Swati Narain,Zhongfang Du,Wang Yong Zeng,James Ritch,Arturo Casadevall,David L. Goldman +6 more
TLDR
A possible link between respiratory fungal infections, including C. neoformans, and asthma through the induction of AMCase is indicated through the induced chitinase activity within the lung and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of infected rats.Abstract:
Background: We previously demonstrated that chronic pulmonary infection with Cryptococcus neoformans results in enhanced allergic inflammation and airway hyperreactivity in a rat model. Because the cell wall of C. neoformans consists of chitin, and since acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase) has recently been implicated as a novel mediator of asthma, we sought to determine whether such infection induces chitinase activity and expression of AMCase in the rat. Methods: We utilized a previously-established model of chronic C. neoformans pulmonary infection in the rat to analyze the activity, expression and localization of AMCase. Results: Our studies indicate that intratracheal inoculation of C. neoformans induces chitinase activity within the lung and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of infected rats. Chitinase activity is also elicited by pulmonary infection with other fungi (e.g. C. albicans), but not by the inoculation of dead organisms. Enhanced chitinase activity reflects increased AMCase expression by airway epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages. Systemic cryptococcosis is not associated with increased pulmonary chitinase activity or AMCase expression. Conclusion: Our findings indicate a possible link between respiratory fungal infections, including C. neoformans, and asthma through the induction of AMCase.read more
Citations
More filters
Book ChapterDOI
Cryptococcus neoformans: Latency and Disease
TL;DR: This chapter reviews the evidence of disease after acute infection and reactivation of latent infection, considering the newer epidemiological and serological studies and the older anatomical evidence.
Journal ArticleDOI
Infections and asthma: new insights into old ideas.
Carla M. Sevin,R. S. Peebles +1 more
TL;DR: Cite this as: C. M. Sevin and R. S. Peebles Jr, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2010 (40) 1142–1154.
Journal ArticleDOI
Cryptococcus–Epithelial Interactions
TL;DR: The fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans, causes devastating levels of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised individuals, such as those with HIV, and the interaction of cryptococci and the respiratory epithelia is the focus of this review.
Journal ArticleDOI
In good company: association between fungal glycans generates molecular complexes with unique functions.
TL;DR: Interactions between glycans that result in the formation of structures with different functions strongly suggest that additional molecular complexes with unknown properties may exist in fungal pathogens.
Journal ArticleDOI
Chitinases and lung diseases.
TL;DR: The role of chitinases in lung diseases is discussed based on the available information from the literature and recent evidence revealed that chit inases may have role into some processes of immune responses and inflammatory system.
References
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
Acidic Mammalian Chitinase in Asthmatic Th2 Inflammation and IL-13 Pathway Activation
Zhou Zhu,Tao Zheng,Robert J. Homer,Yoon Keun Kim,Ning Yuan Chen,Lauren Cohn,Qutayba Hamid,Jack A. Elias +7 more
TL;DR: It is shown that acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase) is induced via a T helper-2 (Th2)–specific, interleukin-13 (IL-13)–mediated pathway in epithelial cells and macrophages in an aeroallergen asthma model and expressed in exaggerated quantities in human asthma.
Journal ArticleDOI
A Chitinase-like Protein in the Lung and Circulation of Patients with Severe Asthma
Geoffrey L. Chupp,Chun Geun Lee,Nizar N. Jarjour,Yun M. Shim,Carole Holm,Susan He,James Dziura,Jennifer L. Reed,Anthony J. Coyle,Peter A. Kiener,Mark R. Cullen,Martine Grandsaigne,Marie-Christine Dombret,Michel Aubier,Marina Pretolani,Jack A. Elias +15 more
TL;DR: YKL-40 is found in increased quantities in the serum and lungs in a subgroup of patients with asthma, in whom expression of chitinase in both compartments correlates with the severity of asthma.
Journal ArticleDOI
Identification of a novel acidic mammalian chitinase distinct from chitotriosidase
Rolf G. Boot,E. F. C. Blommaart,Erwin Swart,K. Ghauharali-Van der Vlugt,Nora Bijl,C. Moe,Allen R. Place,Johannes M. F. G. Aerts +7 more
TL;DR: The study has revealed the existence of a chitinolytic enzyme in the gastrointestinal tract and lung that may play a role in digestion and/or defense.
Journal ArticleDOI
Serologic evidence for Cryptococcus neoformans infection in early childhood.
David L. Goldman,Hnin Khine,Jacob Abadi,Dania J. Lindenberg,Liise Anne Pirofski,Ramata Niang,Arturo Casadevall +6 more
TL;DR: The results suggest that the low incidence of symptomatic cryptococcal disease in children with AIDS is not a result of lack of exposure to C neoformans, and provide both indirect and direct evidence of C neo formans infection in immunocompetent children.
Journal ArticleDOI
Relationship of indoor allergen exposure to skin test sensitivity in inner-city children with asthma☆☆☆★★★♢
Peyton A. Eggleston,David L. Rosenstreich,Henry Lynn,Peter J. Gergen,Dean Baker,Meyer Kattan,Kathleen M. Mortimer,Herman Mitchell,Dennis R. Ownby,Raymond G. Slavin,Floyd J. Malveaux +10 more
TL;DR: Despite widespread exposure to household allergens, the strongest relationship between exposure and sensitization was seen in the bedroom and suggested that exposure to low doses of allergen, 2 U/g or less, was a risk factor and that the risk plateaus above 4 U/G.