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International Journal of Molecular... Sep 2023The recurrence of bacterial infectious diseases is closely associated with bacterial persisters. This subpopulation of bacteria can escape antibiotic treatment by... (Review)
Review
The recurrence of bacterial infectious diseases is closely associated with bacterial persisters. This subpopulation of bacteria can escape antibiotic treatment by entering a metabolic status of low activity through various mechanisms, for example, biofilm, toxin-antitoxin modules, the stringent response, and the SOS response. Correspondingly, multiple new treatments are being developed. However, due to their spontaneous low abundance in populations and the lack of research on in vivo interactions between persisters and the host's immune system, microfluidics, high-throughput sequencing, and microscopy techniques are combined innovatively to explore the mechanisms of persister formation and maintenance at the single-cell level. Here, we outline the main mechanisms of persister formation, and describe the cutting-edge technology for further research. Despite the significant progress regarding study techniques, some challenges remain to be tackled.
Topics: Humans; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Anti-Bacterial Agents
PubMed: 37762613
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814311 -
International Journal of Molecular... Mar 2020Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents one of the most important human- and animal health-threatening issues worldwide. Bacterial capability to face antimicrobial... (Review)
Review
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents one of the most important human- and animal health-threatening issues worldwide. Bacterial capability to face antimicrobial compounds is an ancient feature, enabling bacterial survival over time and the dynamic surrounding. Moreover, bacteria make use of their evolutionary machinery to adapt to the selective pressure exerted by antibiotic treatments, resulting in reduced efficacy of the therapeutic intervention against human and animal infections. The mechanisms responsible for both innate and acquired AMR are thoroughly investigated. Commonly, AMR traits are included in mobilizable genetic elements enabling the homogeneous diffusion of the AMR traits pool between the ecosystems of diverse sectors, such as human medicine, veterinary medicine, and the environment. Thus, a coordinated multisectoral approach, such as One-Health, provides a detailed comprehensive picture of the AMR onset and diffusion. Following a general revision of the molecular mechanisms responsible for both innate and acquired AMR, the present manuscript focuses on reviewing the contribution of veterinary medicine to the overall issue of AMR. The main sources of AMR amenable to veterinary medicine are described, driving the attention towards the indissoluble cross-talk existing between the diverse ecosystems and sectors and their cumulative cooperation to this warning phenomenon.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Bacterial Proteins; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Microbial Viability
PubMed: 32168903
DOI: 10.3390/ijms21061914 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2022The advancements in nanotechnology and nanomedicine are projected to solve many glitches in medicine, especially in the fields of cancer and infectious diseases, which... (Review)
Review
The advancements in nanotechnology and nanomedicine are projected to solve many glitches in medicine, especially in the fields of cancer and infectious diseases, which are ranked in the top five most dangerous deadly diseases worldwide by the WHO. There is great concern to eradicate these problems with accurate diagnosis and therapies. Among many developed therapeutic models, near infra-red mediated phototherapy is a non-invasive technique used to invade many persistent tumors and bacterial infections with less inflammation compared with traditional therapeutic models such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgeries. Herein, we firstly summarize the up-to-date research on graphene phototheranostics for a better understanding of this field of research. We discuss the preparation and functionalization of graphene nanomaterials with various biocompatible components, such as metals, metal oxides, polymers, photosensitizers, and drugs, through covalent and noncovalent approaches. The multifunctional nanographene is used to diagnose the disease with confocal laser scanning microscopy, magnetic resonance imaging computed tomography, positron emission tomography, photoacoustic imaging, Raman, and ToF-SMIS to visualize inside the biological system for imaging-guided therapy are discussed. Further, treatment of disease by photothermal and photodynamic therapies against different cancers and bacterial infections are carefully conferred herein along with challenges and future perspectives.
Topics: Bacterial Infections; Cell Line, Tumor; Graphite; Humans; Multimodal Imaging; Nanocomposites; Neoplasms; Phototherapy; Theranostic Nanomedicine
PubMed: 36080351
DOI: 10.3390/molecules27175588 -
Clinics in Laboratory Medicine Dec 2020Recent improvements in next-generation sequencing technologies have enabled clinical laboratories to increasingly pursue pathogen genomics for infectious disease... (Review)
Review
Recent improvements in next-generation sequencing technologies have enabled clinical laboratories to increasingly pursue pathogen genomics for infectious disease diagnosis. Clinical laboratories can also benefit from whole-genome sequence characterization of cultured isolates, helping to resolve infection prevention questions pertaining to pathogen outbreaks and surveillance. Metagenomic sequencing from primary specimens can also provide laboratories with an unbiased universal test for situations where traditional methods fail to identify infectious etiologies despite, high clinical suspicion. Here, the most useful applications of whole-genome sequence and metagenomic sequencing are summarized, as are the main advantages, limitations, and considerations for building an in-house clinical genomics program.
Topics: Bacterial Infections; Genomics; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Humans; Metagenomics; Microbiological Techniques; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; Mycoses; Whole Genome Sequencing
PubMed: 33121614
DOI: 10.1016/j.cll.2020.08.003 -
BMB Reports Nov 2021Protein glycosylation is a common post-translational modification found in all living organisms. This modification in bacterial pathogens plays a pivotal role in their... (Review)
Review
Protein glycosylation is a common post-translational modification found in all living organisms. This modification in bacterial pathogens plays a pivotal role in their infectious processes including pathogenicity, immune evasion, and host-pathogen interactions. Importantly, many key proteins of host immune systems are also glycosylated and bacterial pathogens can notably modulate glycosylation of these host proteins to facilitate pathogenesis through the induction of abnormal host protein activity and abundance. In recent years, interest in studying the regulation of host protein glycosylation caused by bacterial pathogens is increasing to fully understand bacterial pathogenesis. In this review, we focus on how bacterial pathogens regulate remodeling of host glycoproteins during infections to promote the pathogenesis. [BMB Reports 2021; 54(11): 541-544].
Topics: Animals; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Glycoproteins; Glycosylation; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Protein Processing, Post-Translational
PubMed: 34674797
DOI: 10.5483/BMBRep.2021.54.11.129 -
Toxins Apr 2020Bacterial toxins play a key role in the pathogenesis of lung disease. Based on their structural and functional properties, they employ various strategies to modulate... (Review)
Review
Bacterial toxins play a key role in the pathogenesis of lung disease. Based on their structural and functional properties, they employ various strategies to modulate lung barrier function and to impair host defense in order to promote infection. Although in general, these toxins target common cellular signaling pathways and host compartments, toxin- and cell-specific effects have also been reported. Toxins can affect resident pulmonary cells involved in alveolar fluid clearance (AFC) and barrier function through impairing vectorial Na transport and through cytoskeletal collapse, as such, destroying cell-cell adhesions. The resulting loss of alveolar-capillary barrier integrity and fluid clearance capacity will induce capillary leak and foster edema formation, which will in turn impair gas exchange and endanger the survival of the host. Toxins modulate or neutralize protective host cell mechanisms of both the innate and adaptive immunity response during chronic infection. In particular, toxins can either recruit or kill central players of the lung's innate immune responses to pathogenic attacks, i.e., alveolar macrophages (AMs) and neutrophils. Pulmonary disorders resulting from these toxin actions include, e.g., acute lung injury (ALI), the acute respiratory syndrome (ARDS), and severe pneumonia. When acute infection converts to persistence, i.e., colonization and chronic infection, lung diseases, such as bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cystic fibrosis (CF) can arise. The aim of this review is to discuss the impact of bacterial toxins in the lungs and the resulting outcomes for pathogenesis, their roles in promoting bacterial dissemination, and bacterial survival in disease progression.
Topics: Adaptive Immunity; Animals; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Bacterial Toxins; Disease Progression; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Lung; Respiratory Tract Infections; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 32252376
DOI: 10.3390/toxins12040223 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jan 2021Precise and rapid identification and characterization of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance patterns are critical for the adequate treatment of infections, which... (Review)
Review
Precise and rapid identification and characterization of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance patterns are critical for the adequate treatment of infections, which represent an increasing problem in intensive care medicine. The current situation remains far from satisfactory in terms of turnaround times and overall efficacy. Application of an ineffective antimicrobial agent or the unnecessary use of broad-spectrum antibiotics worsens the patient prognosis and further accelerates the generation of resistant mutants. Here, we provide an overview that includes an evaluation and comparison of existing tools used to diagnose bacterial infections, together with a consideration of the underlying molecular principles and technologies. Special emphasis is placed on emerging developments that may lead to significant improvements in point of care detection and diagnosis of multi-resistant pathogens, and new directions that may be used to guide antibiotic therapy.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacterial Infections; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests
PubMed: 33466437
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010456 -
Cells Dec 2021Lymphatic vessels permeate tissues around the body, returning fluid from interstitial spaces back to the blood after passage through the lymph nodes, which are important... (Review)
Review
Lymphatic vessels permeate tissues around the body, returning fluid from interstitial spaces back to the blood after passage through the lymph nodes, which are important sites for adaptive responses to all types of pathogens. Involvement of the lymphatics in the pathogenesis of bacterial infections is not well studied. Despite offering an obvious conduit for pathogen spread, the lymphatic system has long been regarded to bar the onward progression of most bacteria. There is little direct data on live virulent bacteria, instead understanding is largely inferred from studies investigating immune responses to viruses or antigens in lymph nodes. Recently, we have demonstrated that extracellular bacterial lymphatic metastasis of virulent strains of drives systemic infection. Accordingly, it is timely to reconsider the role of lymph nodes as absolute barriers to bacterial dissemination in the lymphatics. Here, we summarise the routes and mechanisms by which an increasing variety of bacteria are acknowledged to transit through the lymphatic system, including those that do not necessarily require internalisation by host cells. We discuss the anatomy of the lymphatics and other factors that influence bacterial dissemination, as well as the consequences of underappreciated bacterial lymphatic metastasis on disease and immunity.
Topics: Animals; Bacterial Infections; Extracellular Matrix; Humans; Immunity; Lymphatic Metastasis; Rheology; Virulence
PubMed: 35011595
DOI: 10.3390/cells11010033 -
Trends in Molecular Medicine Dec 2020Children suffering from infectious diseases, both bacterial and viral, are often treated with empirical antibiotics. Keeping in mind both the menace of microorganisms... (Review)
Review
Children suffering from infectious diseases, both bacterial and viral, are often treated with empirical antibiotics. Keeping in mind both the menace of microorganisms and antibiotic toxicity, it is imperative to develop point-of-care testing (POCT) to discriminate bacterial from viral infections, and to define indications for antibiotic treatment. This article reviews potential protein biomarkers and host-derived gene expression signatures for differentiating between bacterial and viral infections in children, and focuses on emerging multiplex POCT devices for the simultaneous detection of sets of protein biomarkers or streamlined gene expression signatures that may provide rapid and cost-effective pathogen-discriminating tools.
Topics: Age Factors; Bacterial Infections; Biomarkers; Child; Diagnosis, Differential; Diagnostic Tests, Routine; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Point-of-Care Testing; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 33008730
DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2020.09.004 -
Infection and Immunity Mar 2021Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of viral disease has been demonstrated for infections caused by flaviviruses and influenza viruses; however, antibodies that enhance... (Review)
Review
Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of viral disease has been demonstrated for infections caused by flaviviruses and influenza viruses; however, antibodies that enhance bacterial disease are relatively unknown. In recent years, a few studies have directly linked antibodies with exacerbation of bacterial disease. This ADE of bacterial disease has been observed in mouse models and human patients with bacterial infections. This antibody-mediated enhancement of bacterial infection is driven by various mechanisms that are disparate from those found in viral ADE. This review aims to highlight and discuss historic evidence, potential molecular mechanisms, and current therapies for ADE of bacterial infection. Based on specific case studies, we report how plasmapheresis has been successfully used in patients to ameliorate infection-related symptomatology associated with bacterial ADE. A greater understanding and appreciation of bacterial ADE of infection and disease could lead to better management of infections and inform current vaccine development efforts.
Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial; Antibody-Dependent Enhancement; Antigens, Bacterial; Bacterial Adhesion; Bacterial Infections; Disease Management; Disease Susceptibility; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Immunity, Humoral; Phagocytosis; Prevalence; Proteolysis; Virulence
PubMed: 33558319
DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00054-21