Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Following in Real Time the Impact of Pneumococcal Virulence Factors in an Acute Mouse Pneumonia Model Using Bioluminescent Bacteria
11:32

Following in Real Time the Impact of Pneumococcal Virulence Factors in an Acute Mouse Pneumonia Model Using Bioluminescent Bacteria

Published on: February 23, 2014

15.7K

Virulence Factors as Targets for Anticryptococcal Therapy

Renata V D M Azevedo1, Juliana Rizzo2,3, Marcio L Rodrigues4,5

  • 1Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS), 21040-361 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. razevedo@cdts.fiocruz.br.

Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 30, 2018
PubMed

Insights

High mortality from cryptococcosis necessitates new antifungal drugs. This review explores using Cryptococcus virulence factors as novel therapeutic targets to combat drug resistance and improve treatment outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Cryptococcosis, caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii, results in high global mortality.
  • Current antifungal therapies are outdated and face challenges with emerging drug resistance.
  • There is a critical need for novel and effective treatments against cryptococcosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the potential of Cryptococcus virulence factors as targets for new antifungal drug development.
  • To highlight the importance of understanding fungal biology for therapeutic innovation.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on Cryptococcus virulence factors.
  • Analysis of fungal biology and molecular targets for antifungal agents.
  • Focus on well-characterized virulence factors with therapeutic potential.

Main Results:

  • Detailed studies of Cryptococcus virulence factors provide insights into fungal pathogenesis.
  • These factors represent promising molecular targets for novel anticryptococcal agents.
  • Targeting virulence factors may offer alternative strategies to overcome drug resistance.

Conclusions:

  • Virulence factors of Cryptococcus are viable targets for developing new antifungal therapies.
  • Further research into these factors can lead to more effective treatments for cryptococcosis.
  • Exploiting virulence factors is a promising strategy to address the unmet medical need in cryptococcosis treatment.
Keywords:
C. neoformansanticryptococcal targetscryptococcosisvirulence factors

More Related Videos

Applying an Inducible Expression System to Study Interference of Bacterial Virulence Factors with Intracellular Signaling08:51

Applying an Inducible Expression System to Study Interference of Bacterial Virulence Factors with Intracellular Signaling

Published on: June 25, 2015

9.6K
Assessing the Putative Anticryptococcal Properties of Crude and Clarified Extracts from Mollusks09:18

Assessing the Putative Anticryptococcal Properties of Crude and Clarified Extracts from Mollusks

Published on: December 2, 2022

1.4K

Related Concept Videos

Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
9.0K
Gene Therapy00:59

Gene Therapy

Gene therapy is a technique where a gene is inserted into a person’s cells to prevent or treat a serious disease. The added gene may be a healthy version of the gene that is mutated in the patient, or it could be a different gene that inactivates or compensates for the patient’s disease-causing gene. For example, in patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) due to a mutation in the gene for the enzyme adenosine deaminase, a functioning version of the gene can be...
27.7K
Transcription Factors02:16

Transcription Factors

Tissue-specific transcription factors contribute to diverse cellular functions in mammals. For example, the gene for beta globin, a major component of hemoglobin, is present in all cells of the body. However, it is only expressed in red blood cells because the transcription factors that can bind to the promoter sequences of the beta globin gene are only expressed in these cells. Tissue-specific transcription factors also ensure that mutations in these factors may impair only the function of...
82.9K
Group Therapy01:26

Group Therapy

Group therapy is a sociocultural approach to psychological treatment, where individuals with shared psychological challenges come together under the guidance of a mental health professional. This therapeutic modality offers unique opportunities for individuals to connect, share, and grow within the context of a supportive group. By fostering mutual understanding and collaboration, group therapy can address a range of psychological concerns effectively, often complementing or surpassing the...
472
Factors Affecting Solubility04:01

Factors Affecting Solubility

Compared with pure water, the solubility of an ionic compound is less in aqueous solutions containing a common ion (one also produced by dissolution of the ionic compound). This is an example of a phenomenon known as the common ion effect, which is a consequence of the law of mass action that may be explained using Le Chȃtelier’s principle. Consider the dissolution of silver iodide:
37.3K
Transcription Elongation Factors02:35

Transcription Elongation Factors

Transcription elongation is a dynamic process that alters depending upon the sequence heterogeneity of the DNA being transcribed. Hence, it is not surprising that the elongation complex's composition also varies along the way while transcribing a gene.
The transcription elongation is regulated via pausing of RNA polymerase on several occasions during transcription. In bacteria, these halts are necessary because the transcription of DNA into mRNA is coupled to the translation of that mRNA...
14.1K