Increased production of gliotoxin is related to the formation of biofilm by Aspergillus fumigatus: an immunological approach. Issue 3 (1st April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bugli, Francesca; Paroni Sterbini, Francesco; Cacaci, Margherita; Martini, Cecilia; Lancellotti, Stefano; Stigliano, Egidio; Torelli, Riccardo; Arena, Vincenzo; Caira, Morena; Posteraro, Patrizia; Sanguinetti, Maurizio; Posteraro, Brunella
• Is Part Of: Pathogens and disease. Volume 70:Issue 3(2014:Apr.)
• Page Start: 379
• Page End: 389
• Publication Date: 2014-04-01
• Subjects: Medical microbiology -- Periodicals; Pathogenic microorganisms -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Microbiology -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Pathogenesis -- Periodicals; Host-parasite relationships -- Periodicals; Systems biology -- Periodicals; 616.904105
• DOI: 10.1111/2049-632X.12152
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2049-632X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="fim12152-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Gliotoxin (GT) belongs to the epipolythiodioxopiperazine class of toxins secreted from certain fungi including <italic>Aspergillus fumigatus</italic>, which is the most prolific producer of this secondary metabolite. Recently, enhanced amounts of GT were found in <italic>in vitro</italic> biofilm‐grown <italic>A. fumigatus</italic> mycelium. To further correlate the <italic>A. fumigatus</italic> biofilm growth phenotype with the enhanced secretion of GT, a polyclonal antibody (pAb) was produced by immunizing mice against GT. By an indirect immunofluorescent assay, pAb was then able to recognize specifically GT onto <italic>A. fumigatus</italic> Af293 biofilm formed on human pulmonary epithelial cells. Then, treating Af293 biofilms with a compound which reduces the GT disulfide bonds provoked shutdown of the GT‐specific immunofluorescence (IF) signals along the hyphae. To explore the potential of GT for diagnostic use, pAb was shown to react with GT on hyphae into <italic>Aspergillus</italic> culture‐positive respiratory tract specimens from patients with probable invasive aspergillosis (IA) and into tissue specimens from the lungs of patients with proven IA. As the presence of fungal hyphae in clinical specimens strongly indicates the <italic>in vivo A. fumigatus</italic> growth as a biofilm, anti‐GT antibodies could be a specific and sensitive diagnostic tool for detecting <italic>A. fumigatus</italic> biofilm‐associated clinical infections.</p> </abstract>