Bidirectional paracrine signaling in the establishment of invasive aspergillosis

NIH RePORTER · NIH · R56 · $466,069 · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

ABSTRACT Invasive aspergillosis (IA) caused by Aspergillus fumigatus is characterized by uncontrolled filamentous hyphal growth deep into host tissues and is a fatal disease of immunocompromised patients with mortality rates as high as 90%. This high mortality rate indicates the critical need for improved antifungal therapeutic strategies. We have uncovered a bidirectional lipid signaling system between the fungus and host that mediates invasive hyphal growth and phagocyte activation. Based on strong preliminary data, this communication system consists of structurally similar fungal and host ligands (e.g. oxylipins) that are recognized by two fungal and one host G protein coupled receptor (GPCR). The fungal and host oxylipins work in opposition to regulate fungal growth and neutrophil chemotaxis. We hypothesize that fungal and host oxylipins are cross-Kingdom molecular analogs that signal through specific GPCR cascades, inducing penetrating hyphal growth and manipulating host defense responses to drive IA progression. Our data not only provide new insight into how eukaryotic pathogens and their hosts communicate with one another directly during disease but also provide a new foundation for experimental approaches to decipher, manipulate, and control this communication system in favor of the host. Accordingly, we will (1) Identify the oxylipins and their transcriptional cascades that regulate invasive branching growth and (2) Characterize the receptors by which fungus and host recognize each other’s oxylipins and the consequences of this recognition. GPCR are particularly propitious targets for therapeutic design (40% of current pharmaceuticals target GPCR). Thus, upon completion of this work, we anticipate that we will have delineated a new fungal-host ligand-receptor communication language amenable to therapeutic intervention to inhibit filamentous invasive growth during human disease.

Key facts

NIH application ID
10112325
Project number
1R56AI150669-01
Recipient
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
Principal Investigator
NANCY P KELLER
Activity code
R56
Funding institute
NIH
Fiscal year
2020
Award amount
$466,069
Award type
1
Project period
2020-03-11 → 2021-02-28