scholarly journals Physical stress primes the immune response of Galleria mellonella larvae to infection by Candida albicans

2008 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 628-634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Mowlds ◽  
Aoife Barron ◽  
Kevin Kavanagh
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Physical Stress

scholarly journals Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Prime a Protective Immune Response in Galleria mellonella to Defend Against Candida albicans

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei-nian Xu ◽  
Li Li ◽  
Wen Pan ◽  
Huan-xin Zheng ◽  
Meng-lei Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Zinc Oxide ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Oxide Nanoparticles ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Zno Nps

Purpose: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) have exerted antimicrobial properties. However, there is insufficient evaluation regarding the in vivo antifungal activity of ZnO-NPs. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and mechanism of ZnO-NPs in controlling Candida albicans in the invertebrate Galleria mellonella.Methods:Galleria mellonella larvae were injected with different doses of ZnO-NPs to determine their in vivo toxicity. Non-toxic doses of ZnO-NPs were chosen for prophylactic injection in G. mellonella followed by C. albicans infection. Then the direct in vitro antifungal effect of ZnO-NPs against C. albicans was evaluated. In addition, the mode of action of ZnO-NPs was assessed in larvae through different assays: quantification of hemocyte density, morphology observation of hemocytes, characterization of hemocyte aggregation and phagocytosis, and measurement of hemolymph phenoloxidase (PO) activity.Results: Zinc oxide nanoparticles were non-toxic to the larvae at relatively low concentrations (≤20 mg/kg). ZnO-NP pretreatment significantly prolonged the survival of C. albicans-infected larvae and decreased the fungal dissemination and burden in the C. albicans-infected larvae. This observation was more related to the activation of host defense rather than their fungicidal capacities. Specifically, ZnO-NP treatment increased hemocyte density, promoted hemocyte aggregation, enhanced hemocyte phagocytosis, and activated PO activity in larvae.Conclusion: Prophylactic treatment with lower concentrations of ZnO-NPs protects G. mellonella from C. albicans infection. The innate immune response primed by ZnO-NPs may be part of the reason for the protective effects. This study provides new evidence of the capacity of ZnO-NPs in enhancing host immunity and predicts that ZnO-NPs will be attractive for further anti-infection applications.

scholarly journals The Aspergillus fumigatus toxin fumagillin suppresses the immune response of Galleria mellonella larvae by inhibiting the action of haemocytes

Microbiology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 157 (5) ◽  
pp. 1481-1488 ◽  
Author(s):  
John P. Fallon ◽  
Emer P. Reeves ◽  
Kevin Kavanagh
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Subsequent Infection ◽  
Nadph Oxidase Complex ◽  
Cellular Immune

Larvae of Galleria mellonella are widely used to evaluate microbial virulence and to assess the in vivo efficacy of antimicrobial agents. The aim of this work was to examine the ability of an Aspergillus fumigatus toxin, fumagillin, to suppress the immune response of larvae. Administration of fumagillin to larvae increased their susceptibility to subsequent infection with A. fumigatus conidia (P = 0.0052). It was demonstrated that a dose of 2 µg fumagillin ml−1 reduced the ability of insect immune cells (haemocytes) to kill opsonized cells of Candida albicans (P = 0.039) and to phagocytose A. fumigatus conidia (P = 0.016). Fumagillin reduced the oxygen uptake of haemocytes and decreased the translocation of a p47 protein which is homologous to p47phox, a protein essential for the formation of a functional NADPH oxidase complex required for superoxide production. In addition, toxin-treated haemocytes showed reduced levels of degranulation as measured by the release of a protein showing reactivity to an anti-myeloperoxidase antibody (P<0.049) that was subsequently identified by liquid chromatography-MS analysis as prophenoloxidase. This work demonstrates that fumagillin suppresses the immune response of G. mellonella larvae by inhibiting the action of haemocytes and thus renders the larvae susceptible to infection. During growth of the fungus in the larvae, this toxin, along with others, may facilitate growth by suppressing the cellular immune response.

scholarly journals Candida albicans increases the pathogenicity of Staphylococcus aureus during polymicrobial infection of Galleria mellonella larvae

Microbiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 166 (4) ◽  
pp. 375-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard Sheehan ◽  
Laura Tully ◽  
Kevin A. Kavanagh
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Type Species ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Larval Survival ◽  
Polymicrobial Infection ◽  
Nodule Formation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Link Type

This study detailed the responses of Galleria mellonella larvae to disseminated infection caused by co-infection with Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus . Doses of C. albicans (1×105 larva−1) and S. aureus (1×104 larva−1) were non-lethal in mono-infection but when combined significantly (P<0.05) reduced larval survival at 24, 48 and 72 h relative to larvae receiving S. aureus (2×104 larva−1) alone. Co-infected larvae displayed a significantly higher density of S. aureus larva−1 compared to larvae infected solely with S. aureus . Co-infection resulted in dissemination throughout the host and the appearance of large nodules. Co-infection of larvae with C. albicans and S. aureus (2×104 larva−1) resulted in an increase in the density of circulating haemocytes compared to that in larvae infected with only S. aureus . Proteomic analysis of co-infected larval haemolymph revealed increased abundance of proteins associated with immune responses to bacterial and fungal infection such as cecropin-A (+45.4-fold), recognition proteins [e.g. peptidoglycan-recognition protein LB (+14-fold)] and proteins associated with nodule formation [e.g. Hdd11 (+33.3-fold)]. A range of proteins were also decreased in abundance following co-infection, including apolipophorin (−62.4-fold), alpha-esterase 45 (−7.7-fold) and serine proteinase (−6.2-fold). Co-infection of larvae resulted in enhanced proliferation of S. aureus compared to mono-infection and an immune response showing many similarities to the innate immune response of mammals to infection. The utility of G. mellonella larvae for studying polymicrobial infection is highlighted.

Double positive CD4+CD8+ T cells are part of the adaptive immune response against Candida albicans

2019 ◽  
Vol 80 (12) ◽  
pp. 999-1005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Misme-Aucouturier ◽  
Adel Touahri ◽  
Marjorie Albassier ◽  
Francine Jotereau ◽  
Patrice Le Pape ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
T Cells ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Cd8 T Cells ◽  
Adaptive Immune Response ◽  
Double Positive ◽  
Adaptive Immune

scholarly journals Galleria mellonella lysozyme induces apoptotic changes in Candida albicans cells

2016 ◽  
Vol 193 ◽  
pp. 121-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aneta Sowa-Jasiłek ◽  
Agnieszka Zdybicka-Barabas ◽  
Sylwia Stączek ◽  
Jerzy Wydrych ◽  
Krzysztof Skrzypiec ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Galleria Mellonella

scholarly journals Phagocytes from Mice Lacking the Sts Phosphatases Have an Enhanced Antifungal Response to Candida albicans

mBio ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Frank ◽  
Shamoon Naseem ◽  
Gian Luigi Russo ◽  
Cindy Li ◽  
Kaustubh Parashar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Tyrosine Kinase ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Inflammasome Activation ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Enhanced Production ◽  
Immunological Mechanisms

ABSTRACT Mice lacking expression of the homologous phosphatases Sts-1 and Sts-2 (Sts−/− mice) are resistant to disseminated candidiasis caused by the fungal pathogen Candida albicans. To better understand the immunological mechanisms underlying the enhanced resistance of Sts−/− mice, we examined the kinetics of fungal clearance at early time points. In contrast to the rapid C. albicans growth seen in normal kidneys during the first 24 h postinfection, we observed a reduction in kidney fungal CFU within Sts−/− mice beginning at 12 to 18 h postinfection. This corresponds to the time period when large numbers of innate leukocytes enter the renal environment to counter the infection. Because phagocytes of the innate immune system are important for host protection against pathogenic fungi, we evaluated responses of bone marrow leukocytes. Relative to wild-type cells, Sts−/− marrow monocytes and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) displayed a heightened ability to inhibit C. albicans growth ex vivo. This correlated with significantly enhanced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by Sts−/− BMDCs downstream of Dectin-1, a C-type lectin receptor that plays a critical role in stimulating host responses to fungi. We observed no visible differences in the responses of other antifungal effector pathways, including cytokine production and inflammasome activation, despite enhanced activation of the Syk tyrosine kinase downstream of Dectin-1 in Sts−/− cells. Our results highlight a novel mechanism regulating the immune response to fungal infections. Further understanding of this regulatory pathway could aid the development of therapeutic approaches to enhance protection against invasive candidiasis. IMPORTANCE Systemic candidiasis caused by fungal Candida species is becoming an increasingly serious medical problem for which current treatment is inadequate. Recently, the Sts phosphatases were established as key regulators of the host antifungal immune response. In particular, genetic inactivation of Sts significantly enhanced survival of mice infected intravenously with Candida albicans. The Sts−/− in vivo resistance phenotype is associated with reduced fungal burden and an absence of inflammatory lesions. To understand the underlying mechanisms, we studied phagocyte responses. Here, we demonstrate that Sts−/− phagocytes have heightened responsiveness to C. albicans challenge relative to wild-type cells. Our data indicate the Sts proteins negatively regulate phagocyte activation via regulating selective elements of the Dectin-1–Syk tyrosine kinase signaling axis. These results suggest that phagocytes lacking Sts respond to fungal challenge more effectively and that this enhanced responsiveness partially underlies the profound resistance of Sts−/− mice to systemic fungal challenge.

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