Disease relevance of Pneumocystis

• Oral therapy for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. A controlled trial of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole versus trimethoprim-dapsone [1].
• We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the efficacy of oral azidothymidine (AZT) in 282 patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) manifested by Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia alone, or with advanced AIDS-related complex [2].
• We conducted a prospective, randomized clinical trial over a two-year period in patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia to assess the effectiveness of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole given on three consecutive days each week as compared with daily in the prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis [3].
• Reduced binding and phagocytosis of Pneumocystis carinii by alveolar macrophages from persons infected with HIV-1 correlates with mannose receptor downregulation [4].
• The Centers for Disease Control conducted a case-control study to investigate an outbreak of Kaposi's sarcoma and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in homosexual men [5].

Psychiatry related information on Pneumocystis

• Mechanisms by which azathioprine and infliximab may impair the natural defense mechanisms against Pneumocystis are discussed [6].
• MEASUREMENTS: The study measured self-reported use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) alone or combined with Pneumocystis carinii (PCP) prophylaxis in the previous 6 months [7].
• Aerosolized pentamidine and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia: patient compliance and outcomes [8].

High impact information on Pneumocystis

• Atovaquone compared with dapsone to prevent Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia [9].
• BACKGROUND: Although trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is the drug of choice for the prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, many patients cannot tolerate it and must switch to an alternative agent [10].
• We conducted a prospective, randomized trial that compared fluconazole (200 mg per day) with clotrimazole troches (10 mg taken five times daily) in patients who were also participating in a randomized trial of primary prophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia [11].
• Both trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and pentamidine are effective as treatments for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, but adverse effects frequently limit their use [12].
• Comparison of atovaquone (566C80) with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole to treat Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients with AIDS [12].

Chemical compound and disease context of Pneumocystis

• Trimetrexate for the treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome [13].
• The safety and efficacy of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim in the prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia associated with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) were evaluated [14].
• OBJECTIVE: To compare inhaled pentamidine with intravenous pentamidine for the treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) [15].
• Forty patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and their first episodes of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia were assigned at random to receive either trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or pentamidine isethionate [16].
• Fansidar prophylaxis of Pneumocystis pneumonia in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome [17].

Biological context of Pneumocystis

• Pneumocystis carinii attachment to cultured lung cells by pneumocystis gp 120, a fibronectin binding protein [18].
• Drug interactions in use of dapsone for Pneumocystis carinii prophylaxis [19].
• For example, tertiary interactions enhance binding of specific hexamers to a group I intron ribozyme from the opportunistic pathogen Pneumocystis carinii by 1,000- to 100,000-fold relative to binding by only base pairing [20].
• PURPOSE: Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) is the drug of choice for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) prophylaxis in immunocompromised patients [21].
• Co-trimoxazole administered for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia prophylaxis does not interfere with saquinavir pharmacokinetics [22].

Anatomical context of Pneumocystis

• Despite this hyperactive immune system, CD70 Tg mice died aged 6-8 months from Pneumocystis carinii infection, a hallmark of T cell immunodeficiency [23].
• Accordingly, we evaluated the extent and localization of SP-D in the lower respiratory tract during Pneumocystis pneumonia in an immunosuppressed rat model and examined its role in modulating interaction of P. carinii with macrophages [24].
• Today sulfamethoxazole (in combination with trimethoprim), is used to treat urinary tract infections caused by bacteria such as Escherichia coli and is also a first-line treatment for pneumonia caused by the fungus Pneumocystis carinii, a common condition in AIDS patients [25].
• However, in both CD4 competent, wild-type and IFN-alpha receptor (IFNAR) KO mice, Pneumocystis infection leads to an eosinophilic granulocyte influx with bronchial epithelial changes as seen in asthma [26].
• These data demonstrate that Pneumocystis activates NF-kappaB signaling in AECs and establish a reporter cell line for studying NF-kappaB activation in AECs [27].

Associations of Pneumocystis with chemical compounds

• Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in adults [28].
• Prophylaxis against Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients receiving azidothymidine [29].
• We conclude that the combination of trimetrexate and leucovorin is safe and effective for the initial treatment of pneumocystis pneumonia in patients with AIDS and for the treatment of patients with intolerance or lack of response to standard therapies [13].
• A total of 333 patients with AIDS and pneumocystis pneumonia received standard treatment and were randomly assigned to receive either corticosteroids (beginning with the equivalent of 40 mg of prednisone twice daily) or no additional therapy [30].
• Uptake of Pneumocystis carinii mediated by the macrophage mannose receptor [31].

Gene context of Pneumocystis

• Vitronectin, fibronectin, and gp120 antibody enhance macrophage release of TNF-alpha in response to Pneumocystis carinii [32].
• TNF-alpha-dependent ICAM-1- and VCAM-1-mediated inflammatory responses are delayed in neonatal mice infected with Pneumocystis carinii [33].
• We hypothesized that therapy with granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) would decrease intensity of murine Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia by upregulating alveolar macrophage function [34].
• These compounds were poor inhibitors of Pneumocystis carinii DHFR and rat liver DHFR [35].
• To investigate the phylogenetic and therapeutic implications of the genetic divergence in the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) genes among different Pneumocystis carinii strains, these 2 genes in P. carinii obtained from 7 different host species were sequenced [36].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Pneumocystis

• The drug 566C80 is an investigational hydroxynaphthoquinone that is active against Pneumocystis carinii in vitro and in animal models [37].
• Toxicities of treatment included the expected hematologic toxicities of chemotherapy including neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and lymphopenia, the transient toxicities of high-dose IL-2 therapy, two patients who developed Pneumocystis pneumonia and one patient who developed an Epstein-Barr virus-related lymphoproliferation [38].
• Over-all, the rate of recovery from Pneumocystis pneumonia after treatment with pentamidine isethionate was 41 percent [39].
• In situ hybridization analysis of developmental stages of Pneumocystis carinii that are transcriptionally active for a major surface glycoprotein gene [40].
• LSU nuclear group I intron of Pneumocystis carinii, competitively inhibiting the first (cleavage) step of the splicing reaction and stimulating the second (ligation) step [41].

References