Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Study of Dendritic Cell Development by Short Hairpin RNA-Mediated Gene Knockdown in a Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cell Line In vitro
06:12

Study of Dendritic Cell Development by Short Hairpin RNA-Mediated Gene Knockdown in a Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cell Line In vitro

Published on: March 7, 2022

The transcriptome of dendritic cells redraws the boundaries between pathogenicity and commensalism in yeast

Lisa Rizzetto1, Irene Stefanini2, Stefano Nenciarini3

  • 1Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Trento, 380980, Italy.

Microbial Cell (Graz, Austria)
|July 15, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Immune responses to fungi vary by species and timing. Pathogenic fungi trigger faster cellular responses, challenging the distinction between pathogenicity and commensalism.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Microbiology
  • Mycology

Background:

  • The immune system encounters diverse fungi, but responses are often species-specific and limited to a few pathogens.
  • Current knowledge of fungus-host interactions overlooks significant fungal genetic and phenotypic diversity within species.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the spectrum of immune responses to various fungal species.
  • To compare cytokine and transcriptional profiles of human dendritic cells exposed to different fungi.

Main Methods:

  • Human monocyte-derived dendritic cells were exposed to Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
  • Cytokine profiles and transcriptional changes were analyzed to understand immune signaling.

Main Results:

  • Fungal species elicited both common and distinct immune responses.
  • Differences in immune response timing, particularly signaling pathway kinetics, were observed.
  • Pathogenic fungal species showed faster phagolysosome acidification.

Conclusions:

  • The timing of immune responses is crucial in determining fungal pathogenicity.
  • Redefining the boundaries between fungal pathogenicity and commensalism is necessary, considering response dynamics over static gene triggers.
Keywords:
dendritic cellsfunginon-pathogenicpathogenicphagolysosometranscriptomicsyeast

Related Concept Videos

Yeast Signaling01:28

Yeast Signaling

Yeasts are single-celled organisms, but unlike bacteria, they are eukaryotes (cells with a nucleus). Cell signaling in yeast is similar to signaling in other eukaryotic cells. A ligand, such as a protein or a small molecule released from a yeast cell, attaches to a receptor on the cell surface. The binding stimulates second-messenger kinases to activate or inactivate transcription factors that further regulate gene expression. Many of the yeast intracellular signaling cascades have similar...
Determinants of Bacterial Pathogenicity and Virulence01:20

Determinants of Bacterial Pathogenicity and Virulence

Pathogenic bacteria employ a variety of strategies to establish infections, including the secretion of extracellular enzymes that act as potent virulence factors. These enzymes facilitate bacterial colonization of host tissues and help evade immune surveillance. By targeting structural components of host tissues and interfering with immune mechanisms, these enzymes play a pivotal role in disease progression.Extracellular Enzymes Facilitating Tissue Invasion: Several bacterial pathogens secrete...
Transduction01:16

Transduction

Among the three main modes of HGT—transformation, conjugation, and transduction—transduction is unique in that it is mediated by bacteriophages, or bacterial viruses.Transduction occurs in two ways. Generalized transduction occurs during the lytic cycle of a bacteriophage infection. In this process, bacteriophages infect bacterial cells, replicate within them, and ultimately cause cell lysis, releasing newly assembled virions. Occasionally, random fragments of the bacterial genome are...
Regulation of Bacterial Virulence01:28

Regulation of Bacterial Virulence

Pathogenic bacteria employ a range of regulatory mechanisms to modulate the expression of virulence genes in response to environmental and host-derived signals. These mechanisms ensure that virulence factors are expressed only under favorable conditions, thereby optimizing infection and survival strategies.Mechanisms of Virulence RegulationKey regulatory strategies include:Two-Component Systems: These consist of a membrane-bound sensor kinase and a cytoplasmic response regulator. Environmental...
Colonisation of Pathogens01:25

Colonisation of Pathogens

Pathogen colonization of host tissues is a critical step in the development of infectious diseases. Various pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, have evolved complex strategies to attach to, invade, and persist within host environments. These mechanisms enable pathogens to establish infections, evade immune responses, and resist antimicrobial treatments.Attachment to Host CellsIn bacteria, colonization typically begins with adherence to host epithelial...