The microbial and host factors that govern Candida gastrointestinal colonization and dissemination

Interactions between the immune system and the microbiome play a crucial role on the human health. These interactions start in the prenatal period and are critical for the maturation of the immune system in newborns and infants. Several factors influence the composition of the infant’s microbiota and subsequently the development of the immune system. They include maternal infection, antibiotic treatment, environmental exposure, mode of delivery, breastfeeding, and food introduction. In this review, we focus on the ontogeny of the immune system and its association to microbial colonization from conception to food diversification. In this context, we give an overview of the mother–fetus interactions during pregnancy, the impact of the time of birth and the mode of delivery, the neonate gastrointestinal colonization and the role of breastfeeding, weaning, and food diversification. We further review the impact of the vaccination on the infant’s microbiota and the reciprocal case. Finally, we discuss several potential therapeutic interventions that might help to improve the newborn and infant’s health and their responses to vaccination. Throughout the review, we underline the main scientific questions that are left to be answered and how the non-human primate model could help enlighten the path.

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The Leucine-Rich Repeat Domain Can Determine Effective Interaction Between RPS2 and Other Host Factors in Arabidopsis RPS2-Mediated Disease Resistance

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/158.1.439 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 158 (1) ◽

pp. 439-450 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Diya Banerjee ◽

Xiaochun Zhang ◽

Andrew F Bent

Keyword(s):

Disease Resistance ◽

Pseudomonas Syringae ◽

Plant Disease Resistance ◽

Effective Interaction ◽

Molecular Genetic ◽

Defense Responses ◽

Host Factors ◽

Leucine Rich Repeat ◽

Domain Swap ◽

Allele Specific

Abstract Like many other plant disease resistance genes, Arabidopsis thaliana RPS2 encodes a product with nucleotide-binding site (NBS) and leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains. This study explored the hypothesized interaction of RPS2 with other host factors that may be required for perception of Pseudomonas syringae pathogens that express avrRpt2 and/or for the subsequent induction of plant defense responses. Crosses between Arabidopsis ecotypes Col-0 (resistant) and Po-1 (susceptible) revealed segregation of more than one gene that controls resistance to P. syringae that express avrRpt2. Many F2 and F3 progeny exhibited intermediate resistance phenotypes. In addition to RPS2, at least one additional genetic interval associated with this defense response was identified and mapped using quantitative genetic methods. Further genetic and molecular genetic complementation experiments with cloned RPS2 alleles revealed that the Po-1 allele of RPS2 can function in a Col-0 genetic background, but not in a Po-1 background. The other resistance-determining genes of Po-1 can function, however, as they successfully conferred resistance in combination with the Col-0 allele of RPS2. Domain-swap experiments revealed that in RPS2, a polymorphism at six amino acids in the LRR region is responsible for this allele-specific ability to function with other host factors.

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Mechanisms of Hepatocellular Injury in Hepatitis A

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13050861 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 861

Author(s):

Minghang Wang ◽

Zongdi Feng

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

Liver Injury ◽

Hepatitis A ◽

Acute Viral Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis A Virus ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Cytotoxic T Cells ◽

Host Factors ◽

Hepatocellular Injury

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is a common cause of acute viral hepatitis worldwide. Despite decades of research, the pathogenic mechanisms of hepatitis A remain incompletely understood. As the replication of HAV is noncytopathic in vitro, a widely accepted concept has been that virus-specific cytotoxic T cells are responsible for liver injury. However, accumulating evidence suggests that natural killer (NK) cells, NKT cells, and even non-HAV-specific CD8+ T cells contribute to liver damage during HAV infection. In addition, intrinsic death of virus-infected hepatocytes has been implicated as a cause of liver injury in a murine model of hepatitis A. Furthermore, genetic variations in host factors such as T cell immunoglobulin-1 (TIM1) and IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP) have been linked to hepatitis A severity. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the mechanisms of hepatocellular injury in hepatitis A. Different mechanisms may be involved under different conditions and they are not necessarily mutually exclusive. A better understanding of these mechanisms would aid in diagnosis and treatment of diseases associated with HAV infection.

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Dynamic monitor of CT scan within short interval in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis for nonneutropenic patients: a retrospective analysis in two centers

BMC Pulmonary Medicine ◽

10.1186/s12890-021-01512-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Fei Chen ◽

Yonghong Zhong ◽

Na Li ◽

Huijie Wang ◽

Yanbin Tan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ct Scan ◽

Respiratory Diseases ◽

Short Interval ◽

Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis ◽

Host Factors ◽

Antifungal Treatment ◽

Ct Scans ◽

Pulmonary Aspergillosis ◽

European Organization ◽

Life Threatening

Abstract Background In nonneutropenic patients with underlying respiratory diseases (URD), invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a life-threatening disease. Yet establishing early diagnosis in those patients remains quite a challenge. Methods A retrospective series of nonneutropenic patients with probable or proven IPA were reviewed from January 2014 to May 2018 in Department of Respiratory Medicine of two Chinese hospitals. Those patients were suspected of IPA and underwent lung computed tomography (CT) scans twice within 5–21 days. The items required for IPA diagnosis were assessed by their host factors, mycological findings and CT scans according to the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Mycoses Study Group (MSG) criteria (EORTC/MSG criteria). Results Together with the risk factors, mycological findings and nonspecific radiological signs on first CT, ten patients were suspected of IPA. With the appearance of cavities on second CT scan in the following days, all patients met the criteria of probable or possible IPA. Except one patient who refused antifungal treatment, nine patients received timely antifungal treatment and recovered well. One of the nine treated IPA cases was further confirmed by pathology, one was confirmed by biopsy. Conclusions Dynamic monitor of CT scan provided specific image evidences for IPA diagnosis. This novel finding might provide a noninvasive and efficient strategy in IPA diagnosis with URD.

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