Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.2.1.36 (hyaluronidase)
 4,606 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Cryptococcal infection established in adult male albino rats under experimental conditions produced minimal tissue response to the infection, probably owing to the presence of cryptococcal capsular polysaccharide. Following hyaluronidase administration in the active phases of experimental cryptococcal infection, we have observed characteristic histiocytic granulomatous transformation in cerebral as well as extracerebral lesions. It is postulated that hyaluronidase depolymerizes the capsular mucopolysaccharide of Cryptococcus neoformans and causes its lysis. As a consequence, cryptococcal yeasts that are devoid of their protective capsule and exposed to the host phagocytic system evoke a granulomatous response. Possible application of hyaluronidase as an adjuvant in the therapy of cryptococcal infections needs to be assessed.
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PMID:The role of hyaluronidase in experimental cryptococcal infections. 707 45

Cryptococcus neoformans is a pathogenic yeast that often causes devastating meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised individuals. We have previously identified the C. neoformans CPS1 gene, which is required for a capsular layer on the outer cell wall. In this report, we investigate the function of the CPS1 gene and its pathogenesis. We demonstrated that treatment of yeast with either 4-methylumbelliferone or hyaluronidase resulted in a reduction of the level of C. neoformans binding to human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC). Yeast extracellular structures were also altered accordingly in hyaluronidase-treated cells. Furthermore, observation of yeast strains with different hyaluronic acid contents showed that the ability to bind to HBMEC is proportional to the hyaluronic acid content. A killing assay with Caenorhabditis elegans demonstrated that the CPS1 wild-type strain is more virulent than the cps1Delta strain. When CPS1 is expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli, hyaluronic acid can be detected in the cells. Additionally, we determined by fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoretic analysis that hyaluronic acid is a component of the C. neoformans capsule. The size of hyaluronic acid molecules is evaluated by gel filtration and transmission electron microscopy studies. Together, our results support that C. neoformans CPS1 encodes hyaluronic acid synthase and that its product, hyaluronic acid, plays a role as an adhesion molecule during the association of endothelial cells with yeast.
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PMID:Identification and characterization of CPS1 as a hyaluronic acid synthase contributing to the pathogenesis of Cryptococcus neoformans infection. 1754 16