Suscetibilidade in vitro e resistência a antifúngicosestudo comparativo entre os tipos moleculares VNI de Cryptococcus neoformans e VGI, VGII de Cryptococcus gattii pela citometria de fluxo

A criptococose é uma micose sistêmica adquirida pela inalação de basidiosporos ou leveduras desidratadas de Cryptococus neoformans e Cryptococus gattii, estas duas espécies podem causar criptococose oportunista e primária respectivamente. C. neoformans está constituído de tipos moleculares VNI-VNIV e C. gattii de VGI-VGIV que apresentam distribuição geográfica diferenciada, como por exemplo, o tipo VNI é cosmopolita e está associado a AIDS e VGI predominando na Austrália e EUA, o tipo VGII predominando no Brasil e America Latina. Este trabalho tem por objetivo realizar estudo comparado dos tipos moleculares VNI de C. neoformans, VGI e VGII de C. gattii analisando diferentes aspectos tais como: 1- Determinar o perfil da suscetibilidade in vitro da concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) de fluconazol (FLZ), itraconazol (ITZ), 5-fluorocitosina (5FC) e anfotericina B (AMB), isoladamente e de forma combinada de AMB com 5FC e AMB com Voriconazol (VRZ); 2- Determinar CIM pela citometria de fluxo (CMF) frente a FLZ, ITZ e AMB; 3- Definir a concentração mínima letal (CML) de AMB e 5FC, isoladamente e em combinação; 4- Avaliar a ação da melanina frente a 5FC e AMB na forma combinada e isolada de 5FC; 5- Induzir a resistência in vitro para FLZ e padronizar os fluorocromos: acetoximetil - calceína (calceina-AM), acetoximetil - 2\2019, 7\2019 -bis-(2-carboxietil)-5-(e -6)- carboxifluoresceína (BCECF-AM), rodamina 123 (Rh123) e iodeto de 3, 3\2019 \2013dipentiloxacarbocianina (DiOC5) na CMF para verificar a expressão de bombas de efluxo; 6- Comparar a expressão de bombas de efluxo Os resultados permitiram identificar diferentes fenótipos de suscetibilidade que foram analisados e comparados entre as duas espécies e os tipos moleculares, permitindo a produção de quatro artigos; sendo assim, concluímos que: 1- Na análise das CIMs o tipo molecular VGII apresentou-se menos suscetível em relação a VGI e VNI; já na combinação in vitro de AMB e VRZ foi observado 100% de indiferença, e na combinação de AMB e 5FC observou-se necessidade de padronização da concentração da glicose para obter testes que possam ser futuramente relacionados a casos clínicos; 2- O método de CMF demonstrou ser alternativa de leitura automatizada, reprodutível, para os testes de suscetibilidade antifúngica com uso de Laranja de Acridina e FUN-1; 3- Foi verificada a importância da realização do teste da CML para verificar a ação protetora da melanina frente a combinação de AMB e 5FC. 4- A expressão da melanina, na combinação de AMB e 5FC reduz a detecção do sinergismo e o efeito aditivo in vitro. 5. Os isolados induzidos à resistência ao FLZ permitiram obter resultados estatisticamente significativos na verificação de Bombas de efluxo in vitro na CMF com uso de fluorocromo Dioc5 e bloqueador de protonóforos CCCP; 6- Foi verificado que 65% de isolados não induzidos a resistência e 90% de isolados induzidos a resistência do tipo molecular VGII expulsam o FLZ com certa vantagem em relação aos tipos moleculares VGI e VNI. Os resultados deste trabalho contribuem para compreensão do comportamento in vitro de C. neoformans e C. gattii frente a drogas antifúngicas cujos resultados poderão ser aplicados em estudos clínicos de correlação in vitro e in vivo para melhor compreensão da terapêutica antifúngica da criptococose e validação dos testes de suscetibilidade para estas duas espécies

First isolation of Cryptococcus gattii molecular type VGII and Cryptococcus neoformans molecular type VNI from environmental sources in the city of Belém, Pará, Brazil

Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are important agents of meningoencephalitis in humans in the city of Belém. This clinical data suggests that the region may be a highly endemic area for the pathogenic Cryptococcus species within the state of Pará (PA), Northern Brazil. Preliminary analysis of 11 environmental samples from the city of Belém showed two positive locations, including a hollow of a kassod tree (Senna siamea) colonized simultaneously by C. gattii molecular type VGII and C. neoformans molecular type VNI, and a birdcage in a commercial aviary positive for C. neoformans, molecular type VNI. This is the first evidence of an environmental occurrence of molecular types VNI and VGII in PA.

Primary endemic Cryptococcosis gattii by molecular type VGII in the state of Pará, Brazil

In order to study the infectious agents causing human disseminated cryptococcosis in the state of Pará, North Brazil, 56 isolates of Cryptococcusspp. (54 isolated from cerebral spinal fluid and two from blood cultures) from 43 cases diagnosed between 2003-2007 were analysed. The species were determined through morphological and physiological tests and genotypes were determined by URA5-RFLP and PCR-fingerprinting (wild-type phage M13). The following species and genotypes were identified: Cryptococcus neoformans VNI (28/56, 50%), Cryptococcus gattii VGII (25/56, 44.64%) and C. gattii VGI (3/56, 5.26%). The genotype VNI occurred in 12 out of 14 HIV-positive adults, whereas the genotype VGII occurred in 11 out of 21 HIV-negative adults (p < 0.02, OR = 6.6 IC95% 0.98-56.0). All patients less than 12 years old were HIV negative and six cases were caused by the VGII genotype, one by the VGI and one by VNI. Therefore, endemic primary mycosis in HIV-negative individuals, including an unexpectedly high number of children, caused by the VGII genotype deserves further study and suggests the need for surveillance on cryptococcal infection in the state of Pará, Eastern Amazon.

Emergence and pathogenicity of highly virulent Cryptococcus gattii genotypes in the northwest United States.

Cryptococcus gattii causes life-threatening disease in otherwise healthy hosts and to a lesser extent in immunocompromised hosts. The highest incidence for this disease is on Vancouver Island, Canada, where an outbreak is expanding into neighboring regions including mainland British Columbia and the United States. This outbreak is caused predominantly by C. gattii molecular type VGII, specifically VGIIa/major. In addition, a novel genotype, VGIIc, has emerged in Oregon and is now a major source of illness in the region. Through molecular epidemiology and population analysis of MLST and VNTR markers, we show that the VGIIc group is clonal and hypothesize it arose recently. The VGIIa/IIc outbreak lineages are sexually fertile and studies support ongoing recombination in the global VGII population. This illustrates two hallmarks of emerging outbreaks: high clonality and the emergence of novel genotypes via recombination. In macrophage and murine infections, the novel VGIIc genotype and VGIIa/major isolates from the United States are highly virulent compared to similar non-outbreak VGIIa/major-related isolates. Combined MLST-VNTR analysis distinguishes clonal expansion of the VGIIa/major outbreak genotype from related but distinguishable less-virulent genotypes isolated from other geographic regions. Our evidence documents emerging hypervirulent genotypes in the United States that may expand further and provides insight into the possible molecular and geographic origins of the outbreak.

Cryptococcus gattii VGIII isolates causing infections in HIV/AIDS patients in Southern California: identification of the local environmental source as arboreal.

Ongoing Cryptococcus gattii outbreaks in the Western United States and Canada illustrate the impact of environmental reservoirs and both clonal and recombining propagation in driving emergence and expansion of microbial pathogens. C. gattii comprises four distinct molecular types: VGI, VGII, VGIII, and VGIV, with no evidence of nuclear genetic exchange, indicating these represent distinct species. C. gattii VGII isolates are causing the Pacific Northwest outbreak, whereas VGIII isolates frequently infect HIV/AIDS patients in Southern California. VGI, VGII, and VGIII have been isolated from patients and animals in the Western US, suggesting these molecular types occur in the environment. However, only two environmental isolates of C. gattii have ever been reported from California: CBS7750 (VGII) and WM161 (VGIII). The incongruence of frequent clinical presence and uncommon environmental isolation suggests an unknown C. gattii reservoir in California. Here we report frequent isolation of C. gattii VGIII MATα and MATa isolates and infrequent isolation of VGI MATα from environmental sources in Southern California. VGIII isolates were obtained from soil debris associated with tree species not previously reported as hosts from sites near residences of infected patients. These isolates are fertile under laboratory conditions, produce abundant spores, and are part of both locally and more distantly recombining populations. MLST and whole genome sequence analysis provide compelling evidence that these environmental isolates are the source of human infections. Isolates displayed wide-ranging virulence in macrophage and animal models. When clinical and environmental isolates with indistinguishable MLST profiles were compared, environmental isolates were less virulent. Taken together, our studies reveal an environmental source and risk of C. gattii to HIV/AIDS patients with implications for the >1,000,000 cryptococcal infections occurring annually for which the causative isolate is rarely assigned species status. Thus, the C. gattii global health burden could be more substantial than currently appreciated.

Molecular typing of IberoAmerican Cryptococcus neoformans isolates

A network was established to acquire basic knowledge of Cryptococcus neoformans in IberoAmerican countries. To this effect, 340 clinical, veterinary, and environmental isolates from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Guatemala, and Spain were typed by using M13 polymerase chain reaction-fingerprinting and orotidine monophosphate pyrophosphorylase (URA5) gene restriction fragment length polymorphsm analysis with Hhal and Sau961 in a double digest. Both techniques grouped all isolates into eight previously established molecular types. The majority of the isolates, 68.2% (n=232), were VNI (var. grubii, serotype A), which accords with the fact that this variety causes most human cryptococcal infections worldwide. A smaller proportion, 5.6% (n=19), were VNII (var. grubii, serotype A); 4.1% (n=14), VNIII (AD hybrid), with 9 isolates having a polymorphism in the URA5 gene; 1.8% (n=6), VNIV (var. neoformans, serotype D); 3.5% (n=12), VGI; 6.2% (n=21), VGII; 9.1% (n=31), VGIII, and 1.5% (n=5) VGIV, with all four VG types containing var. gattii serotypes B and C isolates.

Tipagem molecular, perfis de sensibilidade e caracterização de transcritos diferencialmente expressos durante a infecção de Cryptococcus neoformans

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Ancient Dispersal of the Human Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus gattii from the Amazon Rainforest

Over the past two decades, several fungal outbreaks have occurred, including the high-profile 'Vancouver Island' and 'Pacific Northwest' outbreaks, caused by Cryptococcus gattii, which has affected hundreds of otherwise healthy humans and animals. Over the same time period, C. gattii was the cause of several additional case clusters at localities outside of the tropical and subtropical climate zones where the species normally occurs. In every case, the causative agent belongs to a previously rare genotype of C. gattii called AFLP6/VGII, but the origin of the outbreak clades remains enigmatic. Here we used phylogenetic and recombination analyses, based on AFLP and multiple MLST datasets, and coalescence gene genealogy to demonstrate that these outbreaks have arisen from a highly-recombining C. gattii population in the native rainforest of Northern Brazil. Thus the modern virulent C. gattii AFLP6/VGII outbreak lineages derived from mating events in South America and then dispersed to temperate regions where they cause serious infections in humans and animals.