CMR FigSearch
Home Help [Feedback] [For Subscribers] [Archive] [Search] [Contents]
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Ghannoum, M. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Ghannoum, M. A.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Clinical Microbiology Reviews, January 2000, p. 122-143, Vol. 13, No. 1
0893-8512/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Potential Role of Phospholipases in Virulence and Fungal Pathogenesis

Mahmoud A. Ghannoum*

Center for Medical Mycology, Mycology Reference Laboratory, University Hospitals of Cleveland, and Department of Dermatology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-5028

Microbial pathogens use a number of genetic strategies to invade the host and cause infection. These common themes are found throughout microbial systems. Secretion of enzymes, such as phospholipase, has been proposed as one of these themes that are used by bacteria, parasites, and pathogenic fungi. The role of extracellular phospholipase as a potential virulence factor in pathogenic fungi, including Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Aspergillus, has gained credence recently. In this review, data implicating phospholipase as a virulence factor in C. albicans, Candida glabrata, C. neoformans, and A. fumigatus are presented. A detailed description of the molecular and biochemical approaches used to more definitively delineate the role of phospholipase in the virulence of C. albicans is also covered. These approaches resulted in cloning of three genes encoding candidal phospholipases (caPLP1, caPLB2, and PLD). By using targeted gene disruption, C. albicans null mutants that failed to secrete phospholipase B, encoded by caPLB1, were constructed. When these isogenic strain pairs were tested in two clinically relevant murine models of candidiasis, deletion of caPLB1 was shown to lead to attenuation of candidal virulence. Importantly, immunogold electron microscopy studies showed that C. albicans secretes this enzyme during the infectious process. These data indicate that phospholipase B is essential for candidal virulence. Although the mechanism(s) through which phospholipase modulates fungal virulence is still under investigations, early data suggest that direct host cell damage and lysis are the main mechanisms contributing to fungal virulence. Since the importance of phospholipases in fungal virulence is already known, the next challenge will be to utilize these lytic enzymes as therapeutic and diagnostic targets.

* Mailing address: Center for Medical Mycology, Mycology Reference Laboratory, University Hospitals of Cleveland and Department of Dermatology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-5028. Phone: (216) 844 8580. Fax: (216) 844 1076. E-mail: mag3{at}po.cwru.edu.

Clinical Microbiology Reviews, January 2000, p. 122-143, Vol. 13, No. 1
0893-8512/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:



Home Help [Feedback] [For Subscribers] [Archive] [Search] [Contents]
Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. Clin. Vaccine Immunol.
J. Clin. Microbiol. ALL ASM JOURNALS

Copyright © 2000 by the American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.