Candida albicans Isolates from the Gut of Critically Ill Patients Respond to Phosphate Limitation by Expressing Filaments and a Lethal Phenotype

Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogen that proliferates in the intestinal tract of critically ill patients where it continues to be a major cause of infectious-related mortality. The precise cues that shift intestinal C. albicans from its ubiquitous indolent colonizing yeast form to an invasive and lethal filamentous form remain unknown. We have previously shown that severe phosphate depletion develops in the intestinal tract during extreme physiologic stress and plays a major role in shifting intestinal Pseudomonas aeruginosa to express a lethal phenotype via conserved phosphosensory-phosphoregulatory systems. Here we studied whether phosphate dependent virulence expression could be similarly demonstrated for C. albicans. C. albicans isolates from the stool of critically ill patients and laboratory prototype strains (SC5314, BWP17, SN152) were evaluated for morphotype transformation and lethality against C. elegans and mice during exposure to phosphate limitation. Isolates ICU1 and ICU12 were able to filament and kill C. elegans in a phosphate dependent manner. In a mouse model of intestinal phosphate depletion (30% hepatectomy), direct intestinal inoculation of C. albicans caused mortality that was prevented by oral phosphate supplementation. Prototype strains displayed limited responses to phosphate limitation; however, the pho4Δ mutant displayed extensive filamentation during low phosphate conditions compared to its isogenic parent strain SN152, suggesting that mutation in the transcriptional factor Pho4p may sensitize C. albicans to phosphate limitation. Extensive filamentation was also observed in strain ICU12 suggesting that this strain is also sensitized to phosphate limitation. Analysis of the sequence of PHO4 in strain ICU12, its transcriptional response to phosphate limitation, and phosphatase assays confirmed that ICU12 demonstrates a profound response to phosphate limitation. The emergence of strains of C. albicans with marked responsiveness to phosphate limitation may represent a fitness adaptation to the complex and nutrient scarce environment typical of the gut of a critically ill patient

Binding of Gemini Bisbenzimidazole Drugs with Human Telomeric G-Quadruplex Dimers: Effect of the Spacer in the Design of Potent Telomerase Inhibitors

The study of anticancer agents that act via stabilization of telomeric G-quadruplex DNA (G4DNA) is important because such agents often inhibit telomerase activity. Several types of G4DNA binding ligands are known. In these studies, the target structures often involve a single G4 DNA unit formed by short DNA telomeric sequences. However, the 3′-terminal single-stranded human telomeric DNA can form higher-order structures by clustering consecutive quadruplex units (dimers or n-mers). Herein, we present new synthetic gemini (twin) bisbenzimidazole ligands, in which the oligo-oxyethylene spacers join the two bisbenzimidazole units for the recognition of both monomeric and dimeric G4DNA, derived from d(T2AG3)4 and d(T2AG3)8 human telomeric DNA, respectively. The spacer between the two bisbenzimidazoles in the geminis plays a critical role in the G4DNA stability. We report here (i) synthesis of new effective gemini anticancer agents that are selectively more toxic towards the cancer cells than the corresponding normal cells; (ii) formation and characterization of G4DNA dimers in solution as well as computational construction of the dimeric G4DNA structures. The gemini ligands direct the folding of the single-stranded DNA into an unusually stable parallel-stranded G4DNA when it was formed in presence of the ligands in KCl solution and the gemini ligands show spacer length dependent potent telomerase inhibition properties

Nucleic acid-based fluorescent probes and their analytical potential

It is well known that nucleic acids play an essential role in living organisms because they store and transmit genetic information and use that information to direct the synthesis of proteins. However, less is known about the ability of nucleic acids to bind specific ligands and the application of oligonucleotides as molecular probes or biosensors. Oligonucleotide probes are single-stranded nucleic acid fragments that can be tailored to have high specificity and affinity for different targets including nucleic acids, proteins, small molecules, and ions. One can divide oligonucleotide-based probes into two main categories: hybridization probes that are based on the formation of complementary base-pairs, and aptamer probes that exploit selective recognition of nonnucleic acid analytes and may be compared with immunosensors. Design and construction of hybridization and aptamer probes are similar. Typically, oligonucleotide (DNA, RNA) with predefined base sequence and length is modified by covalent attachment of reporter groups (one or more fluorophores in fluorescence-based probes). The fluorescent labels act as transducers that transform biorecognition (hybridization, ligand binding) into a fluorescence signal. Fluorescent labels have several advantages, for example high sensitivity and multiple transduction approaches (fluorescence quenching or enhancement, fluorescence anisotropy, fluorescence lifetime, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), and excimer-monomer light switching). These multiple signaling options combined with the design flexibility of the recognition element (DNA, RNA, PNA, LNA) and various labeling strategies contribute to development of numerous selective and sensitive bioassays. This review covers fundamentals of the design and engineering of oligonucleotide probes, describes typical construction approaches, and discusses examples of probes used both in hybridization studies and in aptamer-based assays

Meta-analysis of pre-clinical studies of early decompression in acute spinal cord injury:a battle of time and pressure

The use of early decompression in the management of acute spinal cord injury (SCI) remains contentious despite many pre-clinical studies demonstrating benefits and a small number of supportive clinical studies. Although the pre-clinical literature favours the concept of early decompression, translation is hindered by uncertainties regarding overall treatment efficacy and timing of decompression.We performed meta-analysis to examine the pre-clinical literature on acute decompression of the injured spinal cord. Three databases were utilised; PubMed, ISI Web of Science and Embase. Our inclusion criteria consisted of (i) the reporting of efficacy of decompression at various time intervals (ii) number of animals and (iii) the mean outcome and variance in each group. Random effects meta-analysis was used and the impact of study design characteristics assessed with meta-regression.Overall, decompression improved behavioural outcome by 35.1% (95%CI 27.4-42.8; I(2)=94%, p<0.001). Measures to minimise bias were not routinely reported with blinding associated with a smaller but still significant benefit. Publication bias likely also contributed to an overestimation of efficacy. Meta-regression demonstrated a number of factors affecting outcome, notably compressive pressure and duration (adjusted r(2)=0.204, p<0.002), with increased pressure and longer durations of compression associated with smaller treatment effects. Plotting the compressive pressure against the duration of compression resulting in paraplegia in individual studies revealed a power law relationship; high compressive forces quickly resulted in paraplegia, while low compressive forces accompanying canal narrowing resulted in paresis over many hours.These data suggest early decompression improves neurobehavioural deficits in animal models of SCI. Although much of the literature had limited internal validity, benefit was maintained across high quality studies. The close relationship of compressive pressure to the rate of development of severe neurological injury suggests that pressure local to the site of injury might be a useful parameter determining the urgency of decompression

Synthesis, metal ion binding, and biological evaluation of new anticancer 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole analogs of UK-1.

UK-1 is a bis(benzoxazole) natural product displaying activity against a wide range of human cancer cell lines. A simplified analog of UK-1, 4-carbomethoxy-2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole, was previously found to be almost as active as UK-1 against cancer cell lines, and similar to the natural product, formed complexes with a variety of metal ions such as Mg2+ and Zn2+. A series of 4-substituted-2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole analogs of this 'minimal pharmacophore' of UK-1 were prepared. The anti-cancer activity of these analogs was examined in breast and lung cancer cell lines. Spectrophotometric titrations in methanol were carried out in order to assess the ability of UK-1 and these analogs to coordinate with Mg2+ and Cu2+ ions. Although none of the new analogs were more cytotoxic than 4-carbomethoxy-2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole, some analogs were identified that display similar cytotoxicity to this simplified UK-1 analog with improved water solubility. UK-1 and all of these new analogs bind Cu2+ ions better than Mg2+ ions, and the nature of the 4-substituent is important for the Mg2+ ion binding ability of these 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazoles. Previous studies of a limited number of UK-1 analogs demonstrated a correlation between Mg2+ ion binding ability and cytotoxicity; however, within this series of 4-substituted-2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazoles the variations in cytotoxicity do not correlate with either Mg2+ or Cu2+ ion binding ability. These results, together with recent ESI-MS studies of Cu2+-mediated DNA binding by UK-1 and analogs, indicate that UK-1 and analogs may exert their cytotoxic effects by interaction with Cu2+ or other transition metal ions, rather than Mg2+, and that metal ion-mediated DNA binding, rather than metal ion binding affinity, is important for the cytotoxic effect of these compounds. The potential role of Cu2+ ions in the cytotoxic action of UK-1 is further supported by the observation that UK-1 in the presence of Cu2+ displays enhanced cytotoxicity to MCF-7 and A549 cells when compared to UK-1 alone

Evaluation of metal-mediated DNA binding of benzoxazole ligands by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

The binding of a series of benzoxazole analogs with different amide- and ester-linked side chains to duplex DNA in the absence and presence of divalent metal cations is examined. All ligands were found to form complexes with Ni2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+, with 2:1 ligand/metal cation binding stoichiometries dominating for ligands containing shorter side chains (2, 6, 7, and 8), while 1:1 complexes were the most abundant for ligands with long side chains (9, 10, and 11). Ligand binding with duplex DNA in the absence of metal cations was assessed, and the long side-chain ligands were found to form low abundance complexes with 1:1 ligand/DNA binding stoichiometries. The ligands with the shorter side chains only formed DNA complexes in the presence of metal cations, most notably for 7 and 8 binding to DNA in the presence of Cu2+. The binding of long side-chain ligands was enhanced by Cu2+ and to a lesser degree by Ni2+ and Zn2+. The cytotoxicities of all of the ligands against the A549 lung cancer and MCF7 breast cancer cell lines were also examined. The ligands exhibiting the most dramatic metal-enhanced DNA binding also demonstrated the greatest cytotoxic activity. Both 7 and 8 were found to be the most cytotoxic against the A549 lung cancer cell line and 8 demonstrated moderate cytotoxicity against MCF7 breast cancer cells. Metal ions also enhanced the DNA binding of the ligands with the long side chains, especially for 9, which also exhibited the highest level of cytotoxicity of the long side-chain compounds