Journal of Microbiology

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Pycnogenol reduces the expression of P. aeruginosa T3SS and inflammatory response in NCI-H292 cells: Seung-Ho Kim, Da Yun Seo, Sang-Bae Han, Un-Hwan Ha, Ji-Won Park, Kyung-Seop Ahn; J. Microbiol. 2025;63(10):2503004. Published online September 19, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.71150/jm.2503004

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Abstract PDF Supplementary Material: Nosocomial infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) have become increasingly common, particularly among immunocompromised individuals, who experience high mortality rates and prolonged treatment durations due to the limited availability of effective therapies. In this study, we screened for anti-ExoS compounds targeting P. aeruginosa and identified pycnogenol (PYC) as a potent inhibitor of the type III secretion system (T3SS), a major virulence mechanism responsible for the translocation of effectors such as ExoS. Using ELISA, western blotting, and real-time PCR analyses in both P. aeruginosa and infected H292 cells, we found that PYC significantly reduced T3SS activity. Mechanistically, PYC suppressed the transcription of T3SS-related genes by downregulating exsA expression in P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, pretreatment with PYC attenuated the cytotoxic effects and reduced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and interleukin-18 (IL-18), in P. aeruginosa-infected H292 cells. These effects were associated with the inhibition of NF-κB signaling and inflammasome activation. Taken together, our findings suggest that PYC may serve as a promising therapeutic candidate against P. aeruginosa infections by targeting T3SS-mediated virulence and modulating host inflammatory responses.

The photosensitizer DH-I-180-3 regulates intracellular bacterial growth by increasing the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines via the NF-κB- and MAPK-mediated signaling pathways and promoting phagosome maturation in Salmonella-infected mouse macrophages: Hyo-Jung Kim, Eui-Kwon Jeong, Hyo-Ji Lee, Yu-Jin Jung; J. Microbiol. 2025;63(6):e2502003. Published online June 4, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.71150/jm.2502003

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Abstract PDF: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a known strategy for treating cancer; in PDT, photosensitizers are activated by light stimulation and then induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production to damage cancer tissues. Recently evidence has shown that PDT can also be used as a novel treatment strategy to control pathogenic bacteria. In previous studies, the photosensitizer DH-I-180-3 was reported to effectively regulate multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth. Here, we confirmed the effects of DH-I-180-3 on the antibacterial activity and inflammatory response of macrophages to Salmonella. Photoactivated DH-I-180-3 regulated intracellular bacterial growth in Salmonella-infected macrophages. Moreover, DH-I-180-3 increased intracellular ROS levels in Salmonella-infected macrophages. The phosphorylation of the intracellular signaling proteins IκBα and JNK1/2 was increased in DH-I-180-3-treated Salmonella-infected macrophages. Additionally, we observed that DH-I-180-3 significantly increased the mRNA expression and protein secretion of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α and promoted phagosome maturation by upregulating EEA1, LAMP1, and Cathepsin D in Salmonella-infected macrophages. Overall, these results demonstrate that photoactivated DH-I-180-3 enhances the bactericidal response to intracellular bacterial infection by promoting inflammatory signaling pathways and phagosome maturation. Therefore, DH-I-180-3 has the potential to be developed into PDT for treating bacterial-infection.

Alizarin, which reduces ExoS, attenuates inflammation by P. aeruginosa in H292 cells: Seung-Ho Kim, Hye In Ahn, Jae-Hoon Oh, Da Yun Seo, Jung-Hee Kim, Ok-kyoung Kwon, Ji-Won Park, Kyung-Seop Ahn; J. Microbiol. 2025;63(5):e2411012. Published online May 27, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.71150/jm.2411012

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Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is resistant to several drugs as well as antibiotics and is thus classified as multidrug resistant and extensively drug resistant. These bacteria have a secretion system called the "type 3 secretion system (T3SS)", which facilitates infection by delivering an effector protein. ExoenzymeS (ExoS) is known to induce cell death and activate caspase-1. In particular, patients infected with P. aeruginosa develop diseases associated with high mortality, such as pneumonia, because no drug targets an ExoS or T3SS. We selected natural compounds to treat T3SS-mediated pneumonia and chose alizarin, a red dye. We confirmed the effects of alizarin on T3SS by bacterial PCR and ELISA. It was confirmed that alizarin regulates ExoS by inhibiting exsA but also popD and pscF. Furthermore, in infected H292 cells, it not only attenuates inflammation by inhibiting lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) p65 but also interferes with the level of ExoS delivered into the host and modulates caspase-1. We confirmed this result and determined that it led to decreases in proinflammatory cytokines such as Interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and Interleukin-18 (IL-18). Therefore, we suggest that alizarin is a suitable drug for treating pneumonia caused by P. aeruginosa because it helps to attenuate inflammation by regulating T3SS and NF-κB signaling.

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Beyond pathogenicity: applications of the type III secretion system (T3SS) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Tianqi Su, Lin Zhang, Jie Shen, Danyu Qian, Yulei Guo, Zhenpeng Li
Frontiers in Microbiology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef

Journal Articles

H-NS is a Transcriptional Repressor of the CRISPR-Cas System in Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 19606: Kyeongmin Kim, Md Maidul Islam, Seunghyeok Bang, Jeongah Kim, Chung-Young Lee, Je Chul Lee, Minsang Shin; J. Microbiol. 2024;62(11):999-1012. Published online November 11, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-024-00182-5

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Acinetobacter baumannii is a multidrug-resistant opportunistic pathogen primarily associated with hospital-acquired infections. The bacterium can gain multidrug resistance through several mechanisms, including horizontal gene transfer. A CRISPR-Cas system including several Cas genes could restrict the horizontal gene transfer. However, the molecular mechanism of CRISPR- Cas transcriptional regulation remains unclear. We identified a type I-F CRISPR-Cas system in A. baumannii ATCC 19606^T standard strain based on sequence analysis. We focused on the transcriptional regulation of Cas3, a key protein of the CRISPR-Cas system. We performed a DNA affinity chromatography-pulldown assay to identify transcriptional regulators of the Cas3 promoter. We identified several putative transcriptional factors, such as H-NS, integration host factor, and HU, that can bind to the promoter region of Cas3. We characterized AbH-NS using size exclusion chromatography and cross-linking experiments and demonstrated that the Cas3 promoter can be regulated by AbH-NS in a concentration-dependent manner via an in vitro transcription assay. CRISPR-Cas expression levels in wild-type and hns mutant strains in the early stationary phase were examined by qPCR and β-galactosidase assay. We found that H-NS can act as a repressor of Cas3. Our transformation efficiency results indicated that the hns mutation decreased the transformation efficiency, while the Cas3 mutation increased it. We report the existence and characterization of the CRISPR-Cas system in A. baumannii 19606^T and demonstrate that AbH-NS is a transcriptional repressor of CRISPR-Cas-related genes in A. baumannii.

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The H-NS homologues MvaT and MvaU repress CRISPR-Cas in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Kira Céline Koonce, Jesper Juel Mauritzen, Ida Friberg Hitz, Emil Funk Vangsgaard, Elizabeth H. M. Putz, Anne Sofie Wajn, Frederik Hagelund Leth, Nina Molin Høyland-Kroghsbo
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.2025;[Epub] CrossRef

Whole-Genome Sequencing Reveals the Population Structure and Genetic Diversity of Salmonella Typhimurium ST34 and ST19 Lineages: Zhen-Xu Zhuo, Yu-Lian Feng, Xi-Wei Zhang, Hao Liu, Fang-Yin Zeng, Xiao-Yan Li; J. Microbiol. 2024;62(10):859-870. Published online November 4, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-024-00170-9

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Abstract PDF: Salmonella Typhimurium is an invasive gastrointestinal pathogen for both humans and animals. To investigate the genetic framework and diversity of S. Typhimurium, a total of 194 S. Typhimurium isolates were collected from patients in a tertiary hospital between 2020 and 2021. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was used to confirm the resistance phenotype. Whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were performed to determine the sequence type, phylogenetic relationships, resistance gene profiles, Salmonella pathogenicity island (SPI) and the diversity of the core and pan genome. The result showed that 57.22% of S. Typhimurium isolates were multidrug resistant and resistance of total isolates to the first-line drug ciprofloxacin was identified in 60.82%. The population structure of S. Typhimurium was categorized into three lineages: ST19 (20.10%, 39/194), ST34-1 (47.42%, 92/194) and ST34-2 (40.65%, 63/194), with the population size exhibiting increasing trends. All lineages harbored variety of fimbrial operons, prophages, SPIs and effectors that contributed to the virulence and long-term infections of S. Typhimurium. Importantly, ST34-1 lineage might potentially be more invasive due to the possession of SPI1-effector gene sopE which was essential for the proliferation, internalization and intracellular presence of S. Typhimurium in hosts. Multiple antimicrobial resistance genes were characteristically distributed across three lineages, especially carbapenem genes only detected in ST34-1&2 lineages. The distinct functional categories of pan genome among three lineages were observed in metabolism, signaling and gene information processing. This study provides a theoretical foundation for the evolved adaptation and genetic diversity of S. Typhimurium ST19 and ST34, among which ST34 lineages with multidrug resistance and potential hypervirulence need to pay more attention to epidemiological surveillance.

Unexpected Requirement of Small Amino Acids at Position 183 for DNA Binding in the Escherichia coli cAMP Receptor Protein: Marcus Carranza, Amanda Rea, Daisy Pacheco, Christian Montiel, Jin Park, Hwan Youn; J. Microbiol. 2024;62(10):871-882. Published online September 6, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-024-00169-2

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The Escherichia coli cAMP receptor protein (CRP) relies on the F-helix, the recognition helix of the helix-turn-helix motif, for DNA binding. The importance of the CRP F-helix in DNA binding is well-established, yet there is little information on the roles of its non-base-contacting residues. Here, we show that a CRP F-helix position occupied by a non-base-contacting residue Val183 bears an unexpected importance in DNA binding. Codon randomization and successive in vivo screening selected six amino acids (alanine, cysteine, glycine, serine, threonine, and valine) at CRP position 183 to be compatible with DNA binding. These amino acids are quite different in their amino acid properties (polar, non-polar, hydrophobicity), but one commonality is that they are all relatively small. Larger amino acid substitutions such as histidine, methionine, and tyrosine were made site-directedly and showed to have no detectable DNA binding, further supporting the requirement of small amino acids at CRP position 183. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that small amino acids (92.15% valine and 7.75% alanine) exclusively occupy the position analogous to CRP Val183 in 1,007 core CRP homologs, consistent with our mutant data. However, in extended CRP homologs comprising 3700 proteins, larger amino acids could also occupy the position analogous to CRP Val183 albeit with low occurrence. Another bioinformatics analysis suggested that large amino acids could be tolerated by compensatory small-sized amino acids at their neighboring positions. A full understanding of the unexpected requirement of small amino acids at CRP position 183 for DNA binding entails the verification of the hypothesized compensatory change(s) in CRP.

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SPD_0410 negatively regulates capsule polysaccharide synthesis and virulence in Streptococcus pneumoniae D39
Ye Tao, Li Lei, Shuhui Wang, Xuemei Zhang, Yibing Yin, Yuqiang Zheng
Frontiers in Microbiology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef

Enterococcus Phage vB_EfaS_HEf13 as an Anti-Biofilm Agent Against Enterococcus faecalis: Dongwook Lee, Jintaek Im, A Reum Kim, Woohyung Jun, Cheol-Heui Yun, Seung Hyun Han; J. Microbiol. 2024;62(8):683-693. Published online June 27, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-024-00150-z

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Enterococcus faecalis is a Gram-positive bacterium that is frequently found in the periapical lesion of patients with apical periodontitis. Its biofilm formation in root canal is closely related to the development of refractory apical periodontitis by providing increased resistance to endodontic treatments. Phage therapy has recently been considered as an efficient therapeutic strategy in controlling various periodontal pathogens. We previously demonstrated the bactericidal capacities of Enterococcus phage vB_EfaS_HEf13 (phage HEf13) against clinically-isolated E. faecalis strains. Here, we investigated whether phage HEf13 affects biofilm formation and pre-formed biofilm of clinically-isolated E. faecalis, and its combinatory effect with endodontic treatments, including chlorhexidine (CHX) and penicillin. The phage HEf13 inhibited biofilm formation and disrupted pre-formed biofilms of E. faecalis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Interestingly, phage HEf13 destroyed E. faecalis biofilm exopolysaccharide (EPS), which is known to be a major component of bacterial biofilm. Furthermore, combined treatment of phage HEf13 with CHX or penicillin more potently inhibited biofilm formation and disrupted pre-formed biofilm than either treatment alone. Confocal laser scanning microscopic examination demonstrated that these additive effects of the combination treatments on disruption of pre-formed biofilm are mediated by relatively enhanced reduction in thickness distribution and biomass of biofilm. Collectively, our results suggest that the effect of phage HEf13 on E. faecalis biofilm is mediated by its EPS-degrading property, and its combination with endodontic treatments more potently suppresses E. faecalis biofilm, implying that phage HEf13 has potential to be used as a combination therapy against E. faecalis infections.

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Size-dependent ecotoxicological impacts of tire wear particles on zebrafish physiology and gut microbiota: Implications for aquatic ecosystem health
Yun Zhang, Qianqian Song, Qingxuan Meng, Tianyu Zhao, Xiaolong Wang, Xinrui Meng, Jing Cong
Journal of Hazardous Materials.2025; 487: 137215. CrossRef

Repeated Exposure of Vancomycin to Vancomycin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (VSSA) Parent Emerged VISA and VRSA Strains with Enhanced Virulence Potentials: An Nguyen, J Jean Sophy Roy, Ji-Hoon Kim, Kyung-Hee Yun, Wonsik Lee, Kyeong Kyu Kim, Truc Kim, Akhilesh Kumar Chaurasia; J. Microbiol. 2024;62(7):535-553. Published online May 30, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-024-00139-8

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The emergence of resistance against the last-resort antibiotic vancomycin in staphylococcal infections is a serious concern for human health. Although various drug-resistant pathogens of diverse genetic backgrounds show higher virulence potential, the underlying mechanism behind this is not yet clear due to variability in their genetic dispositions. In this study, we investigated the correlation between resistance and virulence in adaptively evolved isogenic strains. The vancomycin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus USA300 was exposed to various concentrations of vancomycin repeatedly as a mimic of the clinical regimen to obtain mutation(s)-accrued-clonally-selected (MACS) strains. The phenotypic analyses followed by expression of the representative genes responsible for virulence and resistance of MACS strains were investigated. MACS strains obtained under 2 and 8 µg/ml vancomycin, named Van2 and Van8, respectively; showed enhanced vancomycin minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) to 4 and 16 µg/ml, respectively. The cell adhesion and invasion of MACS strains increased in proportion to their MICs. The correlation between resistance and virulence potential was partially explained by the differential expression of genes known to be involved in both virulence and resistance in MACS strains compared to parent S. aureus USA300. Repeated treatment of vancomycin against vancomycin-susceptible S. aureus (VSSA) leads to the emergence of vancomycin-resistant strains with variable levels of enhanced virulence potentials.

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Targeting the G-quadruplex as a novel strategy for developing antibiotics against hypervirulent drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Maria Sultan, Maria Razzaq, Joohyun Lee, Shreyasi Das, Shrute Kannappan, Vinod Kumar Subramani, Wanki Yoo, Truc Kim, Hye-Ra Lee, Akhilesh K. Chaurasia, Kyeong Kyu Kim
Journal of Biomedical Science.2025;[Epub] CrossRef

Genetically Engineered CLDN18.2 CAR-T Cells Expressing Synthetic PD1/CD28 Fusion Receptors Produced Using a Lentiviral Vector: Heon Ju Lee, Seo Jin Hwang, Eun Hee Jeong, Mi Hee Chang; J. Microbiol. 2024;62(7):555-568. Published online May 3, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-024-00133-0

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This study aimed to develop synthetic Claudin18.2 (CLDN18.2) chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T (CAR-T) cells as a treatment for advanced gastric cancer using lentiviral vector genetic engineering technology that targets the CLDN18.2 antigen and simultaneously overcomes the immunosuppressive environment caused by programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). Synthetic CAR T cells are a promising approach in cancer immunotherapy but face many challenges in solid tumors. One of the major problems is immunosuppression caused by PD-1. CLDN18.2, a gastric-specific membrane protein, is considered a potential therapeutic target for gastric and other cancers. In our study, CLDN18.2 CAR was a second-generation CAR with inducible T-cell costimulatory (CD278), and CLDN18.2-PD1/CD28 CAR was a third-generation CAR, wherein the synthetic PD1/CD28 chimeric-switch receptor (CSR) was added to the second-generation CAR. In vitro, we detected the secretion levels of different cytokines and the killing ability of CAR-T cells. We found that the secretion of cytokines such as interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) secreted by three types of CAR-T cells was increased, and the killing ability against CLDN18.2-positive GC cells was enhanced. In vivo, we established a xenograft GC model and observed the antitumor effects and off-target toxicity of CAR-T cells. These results support that synthetic anti-CLDN18.2 CAR-T cells have antitumor effect and anti-CLDN18.2-PD1/CD28 CAR could provide a promising design strategy to improve the efficacy of CAR-T cells in advanced gastric cancer.

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Enhancing the antitumor activity of CD19/BCMA CAR-T cells in vitro with a PD1IL7R chimeric switch receptor
Kai Yan, Zhongdang Xiao
Cellular Immunology.2025; 415-416: 105001. CrossRef
Research progress on mechanisms of tumor immune microenvironment and gastrointestinal resistance to immunotherapy: mini review
Zheng Zhang, Yangping Wu
Frontiers in Immunology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef

Transcriptomic Insights into Archaeal Nitrification in the Amundsen Sea Polynya, Antarctica: Joo-Han Gwak , Samuel Imisi Awala , So-Jeong Kim , Sang-Hoon Lee , Eun-Jin Yang , Jisoo Park , Jinyoung Jung , Sung-Keun Rhee; J. Microbiol. 2023;61(11):967-980. Published online December 7, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-023-00090-0

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Antarctic polynyas have the highest Southern Ocean summer primary productivity, and due to anthropogenic climate change, these areas have formed faster recently. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are among the most ubiquitous and abundant microorganisms in the ocean and play a primary role in the global nitrogen cycle. We utilized metagenomics and metatranscriptomics to gain insights into the physiology and metabolism of AOA in polar oceans, which are associated with ecosystem functioning. A polar-specific ecotype of AOA, from the “Candidatus Nitrosomarinus”-like group, was observed to be dominant in the Amundsen Sea Polynya (ASP), West Antarctica, during a succession of summer phytoplankton blooms. AOA had the highest transcriptional activity among prokaryotes during the bloom decline phase (DC). Metatranscriptomic analysis of key genes involved in ammonia oxidation, carbon fixation, transport, and cell division indicated that this polar AOA ecotype was actively involved in nitrification in the bloom DC in the ASP. This study revealed the physiological and metabolic traits of this key polar-type AOA in response to phytoplankton blooms in the ASP and provided insights into AOA functions in polar oceans.

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Alleviated photoinhibition on nitrification in the Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean
Lingfang Fan, Min Chen, Zifei Yang, Minfang Zheng, Yusheng Qiu
Acta Oceanologica Sinica.2024; 43(7): 52. CrossRef

Development of a Novel Korean H9‑Specific rRT‑PCR Assay and Its Application for Avian Influenza Virus Surveillance in Korea: Mingeun Sagong , Yong-Myung Kang , Na Yeong Kim , Eun Bi Noh , Gyeong-Beom Heo , Se-Hee An , Youn-Jeong Lee , Young Ki Choi , Kwang-Nyeong Lee; J. Microbiol. 2023;61(10):929-936. Published online November 27, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-023-00088-8

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Since the 2000s, the Y439 lineage of H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) has been the predominant strain circulating in poultry in Korea; however, in 2020, the Y280 lineage emerged and spread rapidly nationwide, causing large economic losses. To prevent further spread and circulation of such viruses, rapid detection and diagnosis through active surveillance programs are crucial. Here, we developed a novel H9 rRT-PCR assay that can detect a broad range of H9Nx viruses in situations in which multiple lineages of H9 AIVs are co-circulating. We then evaluated its efficacy using a large number of clinical samples. The assay, named the Uni Kor-H9 assay, showed high sensitivity for Y280 lineage viruses, as well as for the Y439 lineage originating in Korean poultry and wild birds. In addition, the assay showed no cross-reactivity with other subtypes of AIV or other avian pathogens. Furthermore, the Uni Kor-H9 assay was more sensitive, and had higher detection rates, than reference H9 rRT-PCR methods when tested against a panel of domestically isolated H9 AIVs. In conclusion, the novel Uni Kor-H9 assay enables more rapid and efficient diagnosis than the “traditional” method of virus isolation followed by subtyping RT-PCR. Application of the new H9 rRT-PCR assay to AI active surveillance programs will help to control and manage Korean H9 AIVs more efficiently.

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Development of a multiplex and universal RT-PCR assay for hemagglutinin and neuraminidase subtyping of avian influenza virus
Se-Hee An, Gyeong-Beom Heo, Yong-Myung Kang, Youn-Jeong Lee, Kwang-Nyeong Lee
Journal of Veterinary Science.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Development and evaluation of a multiplex real-time RT-PCR assay for simultaneous detection of H5, H7, and H9 subtype avian influenza viruses
Se-Hee An, Na-Yeong Kim, Gyeong-Beom Heo, Yong-Myung Kang, Youn-Jeong Lee, Kwang-Nyeong Lee
Journal of Virological Methods.2024; 327: 114942. CrossRef

NEDD4 Regulated Pyroptosis Occurred from Co‑infection between Influenza A Virus and Streptococcus pneumoniae: Jiangzhou You , Linlin Zhou , Xudong San , Hailing Li , Mingyuan Li , Baoning Wang; J. Microbiol. 2023;61(8):777-789. Published online October 4, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-023-00076-y

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Co-infection of respiratory tract viruses and bacteria often result in excess mortality, especially pneumonia caused by influenza viruses and Streptococcus pneumoniae. However, the synergistic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a clearer understanding of the molecular basis of the interaction between influenza virus and Streptococcus pneumonia. Here, we developed the BALB/c mouse model and the A549 cell model to investigate inflammation and pyroptotic cell death during co-infection. Co-infection significantly activated the NLRP3 inflammasome and induced pyroptotic cell death, correlated with excess mortality. The E3 ubiquitin ligase NEDD4 interacted with both NLRP3 and GSDMD, the executor of pyroptosis. NEDD4 negatively regulated NLRP3 while positively regulating GSDMD, thereby modulating inflammation and pyroptotic cell death. Our findings suggest that NEDD4 may play a crucial role in regulating the GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis signaling pathway. Targeting NEDD4 represents a promising approach to mitigate excess mortality during influenza pandemics by suppressing synergistic inflammation during co-infection of influenza A virus and Streptococcus pneumoniae.

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GSDMD and GSDME exhibit distinct roles in enteric coronavirus PDCoV-induced pyroptosis and inflammatory responses
Chenyu Li, Yuting Shi, Chunying Xie, Kaiqi Duan, Tong Ding, Xiangfei Xu, Liurong Fang, Yanrong Zhou, Shaobo Xiao, Tom Gallagher
Journal of Virology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Updated insights into the molecular networks for NLRP3 inflammasome activation
Seungwha Paik, Jin Kyung Kim, Hyo Jung Shin, Eun-Jin Park, In Soo Kim, Eun-Kyeong Jo
Cellular & Molecular Immunology.2025; 22(6): 563. CrossRef
Universal and highly sensitive detection of influenza A virus and streptococcus pneumoniae using WGA-modified magnetic SERS nanotags-based lateral flow assay
Xiaofei Jia, Zhenzhen Liu, Juan Zhou, Chunran Cao, Yunwei Hao, Jin Chen, Han Han, Jing Liang, Zhibin Zhao, Yi Wang, Zhendong Niu, Rui Xiao
Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine.2025; 69: 102853. CrossRef
Yinqin Qingfei granules alleviate Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated macrophage pyroptosis
Zhe Song, Chengen Han, Guangzhi Luo, Guangyuan Jia, Xiao Wang, Baoqing Zhang
Frontiers in Pharmacology.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Overexpression of DTX1 inhibits D-GalN/TNF-α-induced pyroptosis and inflammation in hepatocytes by regulating NLRP3 ubiquitination
Mingshui Liu, Jing Gu, Li Chen, Wei Sun, Xiaoping Huang, Jianhe Gan
Toxicology Research.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
NLRP3 Inflammasomes: Dual Function in Infectious Diseases
Yanbo Li, Rui Qiang, Zhengmin Cao, Qingjuan Wu, Jiuchong Wang, Wenliang Lyu
The Journal of Immunology.2024; 213(4): 407. CrossRef

Comparison of Conjunctival Sac Microbiome between Low and High Myopic Eyes: Kang Xiao , Zhengyu Chen , Qin Long; J. Microbiol. 2023;61(5):571-578. Published online April 21, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-023-00045-5

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Microbial communities played a vital role in maintaining homeostasis of ocular surface. However, no studies explored the myopia-associated conjunctiva microbiota changes until now. In this study, conjunctival sac swab specimens were collected from 12 eyes of low myopia (LM), and 14 eyes of high myopia (HM) patients. The V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified and then sequenced. Statistical analysis was performed to investigate differences in the taxonomy and diversity between two groups. Compared to LM, higher Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores were observed in HM group. The Shannon index of the HM was lower than that of the LM group (P = 0.017). Principle coordinate analysis and Partial Least Squares Discrimination Analysis showed distinct microbiome composition between two groups. At the phylum level, there were higher relative abundances of Proteobacteria (68.27% vs 38.51%) and lower abundances of Actinobacteria (3.71% vs 9.19%) in HM, compared to LM group (P = 0.031, 0.010, respectively). At the genus level, the abundances of Acinetobacter in HM (18.16%) were significantly higher than the LM (6.52%) group (P = 0.011). Actinobacteria levels were negatively correlated with the myopic spherical equivalent and OSDI scores. Moreover, positive correlations were found between Proteobacteria levels and OSDI scores, Acinetobacter levels were positively correlated with myopic spherical equivalent and OSDI scores. In conclusion, HM Patients have bacterial microbiota imbalance in the conjunctival sac, compared with LM patients. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acinetobacter may play roles in the HM associated ocular surface irritation.

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Harnessing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum EP21 and its membrane vesicles to inhibit myopia development
Chi-Fong Lin, Yu-An Hsu, Yung-Lan Chou, Ying-Chi Chen, En-Shyh Lin, Peng-Tai Tien, Jamie jiin-Yi Chen, Ming-Yen Wu, Chia-Hung Lin, Hui-Ju Lin, Lei Wan
Gut Microbes.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Gut Microbiota Profiles in Myopes and Nonmyopes
Wan E. W. Omar, Gurdeep Singh, Andrew J. McBain, Fiona Cruickshank, Hema Radhakrishnan
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.2024; 65(5): 2. CrossRef

Vaginal Microbiome Dysbiosis is Associated with the Different Cervical Disease Status: Yingying Ma , Yanpeng Li , Yanmei Liu , Le Cao , Xiao Han , Shujun Gao , Chiyu Zhang; J. Microbiol. 2023;61(4):423-432. Published online April 3, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-023-00039-3

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Vaginal microbiome composition was demonstrated to be associated with cervical disease. The colonization characteristics of vaginal microbes and their association with the different cervical disease status, especially cervical cancer (CC), are rarely investigated. In this cross-sectional study, we characterized the vaginal microbiome of women with different status of cervical diseases, including 22 NV + (normal tissue with HPV infection), low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL, n = 45), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL, n = 36) and CC (n = 27) using bacterial 16S DNA sequencing. Thirty HPV-negative women with normal tissue were used as the control group. We found that higher diversity of microbiome with gradual depletion of Lactobacillus, especially L. crispatus, was associated with the severity of cervical disease. High-risk HPV16 infection was associated with higher microbiome diversity and depletion of Lactobacillus in high-grade cervical diseases (i.e. HSIL and CC). The CC group was characterized by higher levels of Fannyhessea vaginae, Prevotella, Bacteroides, Finegoldia, Vibrio, Veillonella, Peptostreptococcus, and Dialister. Co-occurrence network analyses showed that negative correlations were exclusively observed between Lactobacillus and other bacteria, and almost all non-Lactobacillus bacteria were positively correlated with each other. In particular, the most diverse and complex co-occurrence network of vaginal bacteria, as well as a complete loss of L. crispatus, was observed in women with CC. Logistic regression model identified HPV16 and Lactobacillus as significant risk and protective factors for CC, respectively. These results suggest that specific Lactobacillus species (e.g. L. crispatus and L. iners) can be used as important markers to target prevention measures prioritizing HPV16-infected women and other hrHPV-infected women for test, vaccination and treat initiatives.

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Rhizosphere Microbial Community and Metabolites of Susceptible and Resistant Tobacco Cultivars to Bacterial Wilt: Wan Zhao , Yanyan Li , Chunlei Yang , Yong Yang , Yun Hu; J. Microbiol. 2023;61(4):389-402. Published online March 7, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-023-00012-0

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Soil-borne diseases are closely related to rhizosphere microecosystem. While, plant species and genotypes are important factors affected rhizosphere microecosystem. In this study, the rhizosphere soil microbial community and metabolites of susceptible and resistant tobacco cultivars were investigated. The results showed that there were significant differences in the rhizosphere microbial community and metabolites between susceptible cultivar Yunyan87 and resistant cultivar Fandi3. Furthermore, the rhizosphere soil of Fandi3 showed a higher microbial diversity than that of Yunyan87. The abundance of R. solanacearum was much higher in the rhizosphere soil of Yunyan87 than in the rhizosphere soil of Fandi3, resulting in a higher disease incidence and index. While the abundance of beneficial bacteria in the rhizosphere soil of Fandi3 were higher than that of Yunyan87. Additionally, there were significant differences in metabolites between Yunyan87 and Fandi3 cultivars, and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzoic acid, vamillic aldehyde, benzoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and phthalic acid were notably high in Yunyan87. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that the rhizosphere microbial community of Fandi3 and Yunyan87 were highly correlated with various environmental factors and metabolites. Overall, susceptible and resistant tobacco cultivars had different impact on rhizosphere microbial community and metabolites. The results expand our understanding of the roles of tobacco cultivars in plant-micro-ecosystem interactions, and provide a basis for the control of tobacco bacterial wilt.

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