Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology最新文献

{"title":"Periodontal diseases and coronary artery disease: epidemiological links, pathogenic mechanisms and prospects for comorbidity integrated management.","authors":"Chengkui Xu, Tong Yu, Lulu Zhang","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1946319","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2026.1946319","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Periodontal disease (PD) and coronary artery disease (CAD) are two highly prevalent chronic systemic disorders with overlapping population risk profiles. Accumulating observational, cellular, and genetic studies have suggested potential positive correlations between PD severity, periodontal pathogen load, and CAD incidence, coronary lesion severity, and major adverse cardiac events, whereas Mendelian randomization analyses may not support a direct causal link between the two illnesses. Several synergistic pathogenic pathways may mediate their association: periodontal pathogens may translocate into peripheral circulation to colonize atherosclerotic plaques and exert potential direct vascular toxicity; sustained systemic low-grade inflammation may disrupt endothelial homeostasis; molecular mimicry may induce cross-autoimmune vascular impairment; shared susceptibility loci and conventional cardiovascular risk factors may jointly amplify vascular damage. Standard non-surgical periodontal therapy may reduce systemic inflammatory burden and improve endothelial function, and clinical and microbial periodontal markers may serve as non-invasive biomarkers for CAD risk stratification. This review synthesizes epidemiological evidence and multilayered pathogenic mechanisms and proposes bidirectional collaborative interventions and multidisciplinary cardiostomatological management frameworks for comorbid patients. Further large-scale randomized controlled trials and multi-ethnic genetic analyses are still required to clarify causal inference and potential long-term cardiovascular benefits of periodontal intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1946319"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13680830/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149237521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction: Bacterial DNA involvement in carcinogenesis.","authors":"Han Shuwen","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.2006085","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2026.2006085","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.996778.].</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"2006085"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13682169/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149237553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An intravaginal ring for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis: assessment of safety and pharmacokinetics in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.","authors":"Kathleen L Vincent, John A Moss, Mark A Marzinke, Richard B Pyles, Lauren Dawson, Trevelyn J Olive, Irina Butkyavichene, Amalia E Castonguay, John M Cortez, Mariana Remedios-Chan, Patricia Galvan, Sofia Rivera, Simon Webster, Manjula Gunawardana, Amy P Adler, Christina M Ramirez, Hans M L Spiegel, Craig W Hendrix, Peter A Anton, Marc M Baum","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1955105","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1955105","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>In Eastern and Southern Africa, 63% of new HIV infections occurred in women and girls, with adolescent girls and young women representing a particularly vulnerable subpopulation. Effective vaginal products for HIV prevention are desirable because they are underrepresented in the currently approved portfolio and have attributes motivating product use. In this trial, we evaluated an innovative intravaginal ring (pod-IVR) as a platform for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To measure the safety and multicompartment pharmacokinetics (PKs) of a pod-IVR delivering tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) combined with emtricitabine (FTC) in healthy women over 28 days.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The Phase 1 clinical trial consisted of a randomized order, controlled, double-blinded, crossover design. Ten women received either an active TDF-FTC pod-IVR or a placebo pod-IVR for 28 days, determined by 1:1 randomization, followed by product crossover for another 28 days. Safety was assessed in terms of adverse events related to product use, colposcopic examination, cervicovaginal epithelium thickness measurement by optical coherence tomography, and culture-independent assessment of the vaginal microbiome. Drug and/or drug metabolite concentrations were measured in cervicovaginal fluid (CVF), vaginal tissue, rectal tissue, rectal fluid, and plasma.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There was no evidence of a statistically significant difference in related adverse-event counts between study products. There also was no evidence suggesting the study product altered the vaginal microbiome systematically or reproducibly. Systemic plasma exposure to tenofovir (TFV) and FTC was low, consistent with topical delivery. High median CVF concentrations of TFV (38.9 ng mg^-1; 135×10³ fmol mg^-1) and FTC (239 ng mg^-1; 966×10³ fmol mg^-1) were measured. Median vaginal tissue concentrations of the anabolites responsible for inhibition of HIV reverse transcriptase exceeded our target concentrations: TFV diphosphate 0.651×10³ fmol mg^-1 and FTC triphosphate 0.180×10³ fmol mg^-1. Drug concentrations in rectal tissue samples generally were below the analytical lower limits of quantification, but were quantifiable in rectal fluids, 130 (TFV) and 300 (FTC) times lower than in CVF.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The TDF-FTC pod-IVRs were safe and well-tolerated over the 28 days of consecutive use. The PK data met the target benchmarks associated with protection from vaginal HIV infection.</p><p><strong>Clinical trial registration: </strong>https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03255915, identifier NCT03255915.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1955105"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13680163/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149230998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microplastics and nanoplastics as potential ecological oncogenic co-drivers: rewiring host-microbe interactions in cancer.","authors":"Richard Ponce-Cusi, Claudia Barletta-Carrillo, Nesstor Pilco-Ferreto","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1923626","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2026.1923626","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Microplastics and nanoplastics (MPs/NPs) are increasingly recognized as biologically active interfaces that may reshape host-microbe interactions in carcinogenesis. This review proposes a hypothesis-generating mechanistic framework in which MPs/NPs may influence cancer-related processes through the integration of environmental exposure, epithelial barrier disruption, immune dysregulation, and tumor microenvironment remodeling. Although applicable to multiple epithelial interfaces, the framework primarily focuses on the intestinal mucosa, where the most substantial evidence exists. Through plastisphere formation, MPs/NPs adsorb pollutants, virulence factors, and microbial communities, potentially facilitating pathogen persistence, horizontal gene transfer, and antibiotic resistance enrichment. Upon host exposure, MPs/NPs have been associated with compromised epithelial integrity, enhanced microbial translocation, and activation of inflammatory pathways involving pattern recognition receptors, NF-κB, and the NLRP3 inflammasome. At the microbiome level, MPs/NPs may promote dysbiosis, alter microbial metabolism, and favor pro-inflammatory and genotoxic metabolites that could reinforce oncogenic signaling. These processes may converge to sustain chronic inflammation, immune evasion, extracellular matrix remodeling, angiogenesis, and tumor-permissive niches. While experimental and biomarker-based evidence support this axis, direct human data remain limited. Collectively, this review provides a conceptual basis for understanding environmentally associated carcinogenesis through MPs/NPs as ecological mediators bridging the environmental exposures, microbiome, and cancer biology.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1923626"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13680829/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149237576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating Mendelian randomization with single-cell and spatial transcriptomics to investigate gut microbiota-associated genetic signals and molecular characteristics in prostate cancer.","authors":"Chenjie Qiu, Huilin Zhang, Zongmin Du, Yuan Gao, Liangliang Dai","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1899354","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1899354","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Prostate cancer (PRAD) represents one of the most prevalent malignancies among men globally. Accumulating evidence implicates gut microbiota dysbiosis in the initiation and progression of prostate cancer; however, the causal relationship and underlying molecular mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated. This study integrated Mendelian randomization (MR), bioinformatics, single-cell RNA sequencing, and spatial transcriptomics to systematically investigate the genetic associations between gut microbiota and prostate cancer risk and characterize the expression patterns of microbiota-associated candidate genes within the tumor microenvironment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;Two-sample MR analyses were performed using summary statistics from the OpenGWAS database to evaluate causal associations between gut microbiota and PRAD risk, with sensitivity analyses conducted to ensure robustness. Significant SNPs were functionally annotated and mapped to candidate genes using g:SNPense, and differentially expressed associated genes (DEAGs) were identified through integration with GEO datasets. Subsequent analyses encompassed immune infiltration profiling, machine learning model construction, and nomogram validation. Single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics were employed to delineate cell type-specific expression and spatial distribution patterns of signature genes. Candidate gene expression alterations in prostate cancer cells were experimentally validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;MR analyses identified significant positive causal associations between PRAD risk and Brevibacillaceae, Brevibacillales, CAG-110, and Pararhizobium, whereas Lawsonibacter sp000492175 exhibited a significant inverse association. A total of 21 differentially expressed genes were identified, with RASSF3, CROCC, UBE4B, SMOC2, and ACACA emerging as key signature genes. Immune infiltration analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between FRMD3 and regulatory T cells (Tregs), and a negative correlation between ACACA and neutrophil infiltration. The random forest classifier demonstrated optimal predictive performance, achieving an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.853 in the validation cohort. Single-cell and spatial transcriptomic analyses revealed cell-type-associated expression patterns of ACACA, SMOC2, and UBE4B across different cellular populations. These findings suggest potential associations between signature genes and specific cellular contexts, which require further experimental validation. qRT-PCR validated differential expression patterns of these candidate genes in prostate cancer cells.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion: &lt;/strong&gt;This study provides genetic causal inference evidence supporting a close association between gut microbiota and prostate cancer risk, and identifies multiple key signature genes implicated in immune microenvironment regulation and tumor progression. Integ","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1899354"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13680237/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149231010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prospects of pathogen whole-genome sequencing in outbreak tracing and antimicrobial resistance surveillance of spinal infections.","authors":"Xingsheng Yu, Zhen Jia, Jianhua Li, Zhaohu Mao, Zhengqi Chang","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1977484","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2026.1977484","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Spinal infections are a serious category of deep-seated infectious diseases that pose significant threats to human health. They are caused by a broad and complex spectrum of pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, and rare opportunistic organisms. Traditional diagnostic methods often face limitations in timeliness, accuracy, and source-tracing capability. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS), with its high resolution and throughput, provides comprehensive genetic information from pathogens, opening new avenues for precise diagnosis, outbreak tracing, and antimicrobial resistance monitoring and genomic epidemiology research in spinal infections., and enabling reliable identification of rare and fastidious pathogens that are difficult to characterize by conventional assays. This review systematically summarizes current applications of WGS in pathogen identification, clonal transmission inference, resistance gene and virulence factor analysis, and outbreak investigation. It further discusses the technical advantages, application challenges, and future development directions of WGS in outbreak tracing and resistance surveillance. Ultimately, this review aims to offer novel insights and a theoretical foundation for the precise prevention, control, and clinical management of spinal infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1977484"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13681210/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149237578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatiotemporal dynamics of multi-organ pathology and antigen localization in BALB/c mice following intragastric infection with <i>Brucella melitensis</i>.","authors":"Zhenglong Chai, Chuang Li, Jiarui Luo, Siyu Zhang, Xuanji Zhang, Nannan Pang, Fengbo Zhang, Yuejie Zhu","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1907233","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1907233","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Brucellosis is a globally distributed zoonosis that invades hosts mainly through the gastrointestinal route, yet the spatiotemporal patterns of organ colonization and tissue injury following intragastric Brucella infection remain poorly defined.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;To investigate the dynamic colonization patterns, histopathological progression, and spatiotemporal antigen localization characteristics of &lt;i&gt;Brucella melitensis&lt;/i&gt; 16M in multiple murine organs following intragastric infection.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;The mice were randomly divided into an uninfected control group and infection groups euthanized at 1, 3, 7, 14, 28, 42, and 56 days post-infection (dpi). Mice received intragastric inoculation of 10&lt;sup&gt;10&lt;/sup&gt; CFU standard &lt;i&gt;B. melitensis&lt;/i&gt; 16M strain. Body weight and organ indices were dynamically monitored throughout the experiment. Bacterial loads in the liver, spleen, lung, and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) were quantified by plate spreading assay. Tissue lesions and antigen localization were assessed via hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining with semi-quantitative scoring and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Flow cytometry was performed to dynamically quantify total dendritic cells (total DC) alterations in hepatic and splenic tissues at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks post-infection.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;After intragastric infection, mice developed prominent splenomegaly and transient hepatic weight gain, both peaking at 14 dpi in the acute phase. Splenic bacterial load reached its maximum at 14 dpi, then declined gradually but remained at relatively high levels throughout the chronic phase until 56 dpi. The liver was rapidly colonized in the early stage; hepatic bacterial load rose in the acute phase and decreased markedly in the late chronic stage. Transient infection was observed in the lungs and MLNs. Renal tissue maintained intact histological architecture with consistently negative IHC signals across all time points. Multiple hepatic granulomas were detected, with most IHC-positive antigens confined within granulomatous lesions. In the spleen, severe marginal zone histiocytic infiltration occurred in the acute phase, while an imbalanced red-to-white pulp ratio and abundant megakaryocytes emerged in the chronic phase, with bacterial antigens persistently localized in organized histiocytes. Flow cytometry showed splenic DC proportion peaked at 2 weeks, whereas hepatic DCs increased moderately and plateaued between 2 and 4 weeks.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;This study characterizes distinct organ-specific colonization phenotypes, pathological progression, and DC alterations of &lt;i&gt;Brucella&lt;/i&gt; following gastrointestinal invasion, and clarifies the dynamic between pathogen antigen distribution and local tissue injury. The established dynamic intragastric infection model provides solid morphological evidence for dissecting brucellosis pathological features and developing standardized animal m","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1907233"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13680254/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149231040","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A comprehensive comparison of single- and composite-seaweed feeds on growth performance, lipid metabolism, and immune function of large yellow croaker (<i>Larimichthys crocea</i>).","authors":"Yueming Dang, Liyue Chai, Ruochen Xia, Sifeng Zhu, Guoyi Li, Rui Yang, Jianping Wang, Juanjuan Chen, Qiqin Liu","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1947273","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2026.1947273","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The large yellow croaker (<i>Larimichthys crocea</i>) is an economically important fish species in China, yet its quality and value are compromised by excessive fat deposition induced by high-fat diets under high-density aquaculture. Our previous study noted the lipid-regulating potential of individual seaweed components like fucoidan and kelp (<i>Saccharina japonica</i>) powder, the synergistic effects of composite seaweed feeds remain underexplored.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study investigated the effects of 3% <i>Neoporphyra haitanensis</i> compared with its control feed (CM1), and two composite seaweed feeds (FNKM1: 1% kelp + 1% <i>N. haitanensis</i> + 0.1% fucoidan; FNKM2: 2% kelp + 2% <i>N. haitanensis</i> + 0.2% fucoidan) compared with the control feed (CM2) over an 8-week feeding trial.</p><p><strong>Results and discussion: </strong>The results showed that single <i>N. haitanensis</i> supplementation, despite limited growth promotion, improved muscle lipid composition by reducing triglycerides (TG) and LDL-C contents while increasing beneficial phospholipids. Notably, the composite seaweed feeds, particularly FNKM2, showed more pronounced effects on growth and lipid-related parameters, with WGR reaching 1.66-fold, accompanied by a 1.33-fold increase in HDL-C and a 24.20% decrease in crude lipid content. In addition, the composite seaweed diets (FNKM1 and FNKM2) significantly downregulated most of the differentially abundant lipids in muscle. Among these, TG and phospholipids were significantly reduced in the FNKM1 group. These changes were accompanied by the upregulation of fatty acid oxidation genes (<i>cpt1</i>, <i>ppara</i>, <i>pgc-1a</i>) and the TG hydrolysis-related gene (<i>lpl</i>). Both feeds also enhanced immune-antioxidant capacity (∑IoI >1): FNKM1 significantly increased ACP, ALP, lysozyme, GSH-Px, and CAT activities, whereas FNKM2 increased ACP, ALP, and CAT activities. Both groups modulated hepatic cytokine expression, including <i>il-4</i>, <i>il-1b</i>, and <i>tnf-a</i>. Overall, the composite seaweed feeds contributed to improved growth, optimized lipid metabolism, and enhanced immune function in large yellow croaker, offering a scientific basis for functional feed development in intensive aquaculture.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1947273"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13680188/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149237489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>Parvimonas micra</i> and central nervous system infections: mechanisms of transformation from oral commensal to intracranial pathogen and clinical evidence.","authors":"Cancan Gong, Xubo Jing, Shanwei Jiang, Chaoxiao Yu","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1971569","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1971569","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Parvimonas micra</i> (<i>P. micra</i>), an anaerobic oral coccus long dismissed as a culture contaminant, is increasingly recognized as a causative agent of pyogenic central nervous system (CNS) infections, yet its neuropathogenesis remains poorly defined. This narrative review synthesizes 41 peer-reviewed studies identified via a structured comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Embase and Web of Science through June 2026. Epidemiologically, pooling available case reports and small series (n=64 confirmed CNS cases), <i>P. micra</i> is among the most frequently isolated Gram-positive anaerobic cocci in reported brain abscess series, with proportions ranging from approximately 4% to over 10% in individual cohorts; species-level data are inconsistently reported and a precise pooled estimate cannot be derived. A male predominance (approximately 2.7:1) is observed among reported cases, though this should be interpreted cautiously given the small sample size and potential reporting bias. Approximately two-thirds of patients have no documented immunosuppressive condition. Brain abscess represents ~80% of CNS manifestations, with 60-70% presenting as polymicrobial infection. We propose a five-step pathogenic cascade-periodontal dysbiosis, epithelial barrier breach, intravascular survival, blood-brain barrier (BBB) translocation, and intracranial suppuration-as a conceptual framework. Virulence factors including the TmpC-AppA axis and extracellular vesicle DnaK have been characterized in non-CNS models (oral carcinoma, periodontitis, oral lichen planus); their relevance to CNS infection is inferred, and BBB translocation mechanisms remain entirely hypothetical. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) outperforms conventional culture in selected brain abscess cohorts (~85% vs ~50% in pus; ~84% vs ~8% in CSF across CNS infections), though performance varies by specimen type, prior antibiotic exposure, and sequencing platform. All-cause mortality is 5-10% and 20-25% of survivors sustain neurological sequelae, though these estimates may overestimate true population rates due to publication bias. <i>P. micra</i> shows consistently low <i>in vitro</i> minimum inhibitory concentrations to metronidazole and β-lactams. Early empirical anaerobic coverage and consideration of mNGS as a complementary diagnostic tool are recommended for suspected odontogenic brain abscess.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1971569"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13678490/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149227690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reframing clathrin-mediated viral entry: evidence standards, context dependence and host-directed vulnerabilities.","authors":"Qinying Wang, Liran Xu, Yangang Sun, Yuting Xia, Jingyu Yue","doi":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1929024","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fcimb.2026.1929024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Viral entry is the first obligatory step of productive infection and a rational point for host-directed antiviral intervention. This structured narrative review synthesizes evidence from database searches and citation tracking performed up to 18 June 2026. Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) can internalize virus-receptor complexes and deliver them to endosomal compartments that support penetration, fusion, capsid remodeling, uncoating or genome release. However, CME should be interpreted as a series of experimentally separable checkpoints rather than as a single pathway label. Viral use of CME varies with strain, receptor and cofactor availability, host-cell type, membrane composition, protease environment, inoculum size and synchronization conditions. Strict CME-dependent entry is assigned only when direct perturbation of core or proximal CME machinery, supported by rescue or an orthogonal approach, converges with stage-resolved evidence of productive virion progression through clathrin/AP-2-positive coated pits or vesicles and an early functional entry readout in a defined virus-receptor-cell context. Pharmacological findings are treated as supportive rather than universally mandatory when stronger direct mechanistic evidence is available. The review integrates receptor organization, cargo-specific adaptor recruitment, membrane lipids, particle geometry, actin dynamics and virus-induced remodeling with a transparent evidence framework that distinguishes CME-associated, CME-involved and CME-dependent entry. It further separates mechanistic probes from host-directed strategies targeting membrane sphingolipids, TPC2-dependent endolysosomal trafficking, NPC1/cholesterol homeostasis, PIKfyve and kinase-regulated trafficking. Translational priorities are framed as context-dependent opportunities requiring target engagement, disease-relevant models and <i>in vivo</i> validation rather than as validated consequences of global CME blockade.</p>","PeriodicalId":12458,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology","volume":"16 ","pages":"1929024"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13678436/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149227435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}