Traversing the Cell Wall: The Chitinolytic Activity of <i>Histoplasma capsulatum</i> Extracellular Vesicles Facilitates Their Release

<i>Histoplasma capsulatum</i> is the causative agent of histoplasmosis. Treating this fungal infection conventionally has significant limitations, prompting the search for alternative therapies. In this context, fungal extracellular vesicles (EVs) hold relevant potential as both therapeu...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alessandro F. Valdez, Taiane Nascimento de Souza, Jhon Jhamilton Artunduaga Bonilla, Daniel Zamith-Miranda, Alicia Corbellini Piffer, Glauber R. S. Araujo, Allan J. Guimarães, Susana Frases, Alana Kelyene Pereira, Taicia Pacheco Fill, Igor L. Estevao, Angel Torres, Igor C. Almeida, Joshua D. Nosanchuk, Leonardo Nimrichter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-10-01
Series:Journal of Fungi
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/9/11/1052
Description
Summary:<i>Histoplasma capsulatum</i> is the causative agent of histoplasmosis. Treating this fungal infection conventionally has significant limitations, prompting the search for alternative therapies. In this context, fungal extracellular vesicles (EVs) hold relevant potential as both therapeutic agents and targets for the treatment of fungal infections. To explore this further, we conducted a study using pharmacological inhibitors of chitinase (methylxanthines) to investigate their potential to reduce EV release and its subsequent impact on fungal virulence in an in vivo invertebrate model. Our findings revealed that a subinhibitory concentration of the methylxanthine, caffeine, effectively reduces EV release, leading to a modulation of <i>H. capsulatum</i> virulence. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported instance of a pharmacological inhibitor that reduces fungal EV release without any observed fungicidal effects.
ISSN:2309-608X