A collection of state-of-the-art molecular methods for studying antifungal resistance, for discovering and evaluating both new and existing antifungal drugs, and for understanding the host response and immunotherapy of such agents. The protocols follow the successful Methods in Molecular Medicine(TM) series format, each offering step-by-step laboratory instructions, an introduction outlining the principle behind the technique, lists of the necessary equipment and reagents, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Antifungal Agents: Methods and Protocols offers clinician-scientists, microbiologists and molecular biologists the productive tools they need today to understand and successfully develop new therapeutic agents for yeast, mold, and fungal infections.
Part I. Introduction
Susceptibility Testing Methods of Antifungal Agents
Erika J. Ernst
Part II. Antifungal Resistance
Deoxyribonucleic Acid Fingerprinting Methods for Candida Species
Shawn R. Lockhart, Claude Pujol, Andrew R. Dodgson, and David R. Soll
CARE-2 Fingerprinting of Candida albicans Isolates
Joachim Morschhäuser, Peter Staib, and Gerwald Köhler
Targeted Gene Deletion in Candida albicans Wild-Type Strains by MPAR Flipping
Joachim Morschhäuser, Peter Staib, and Gerwald Köhler
Application of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Microarray Analysis to the Study of Azole Antifungal Resistance in Candida albicans
Katherine S. Barker and P. David Rogers
Application of Proteomic Analysis to the Study of Azole Antifungal Resistance in Candida albicans
Massoumeh Z. Hooshdaran, George M. Hilliard, and P. David Rogers
Techniques for Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Candida albicans Biofilms
Gordon Ramage and José Luis López-Ribot
Part III. Antifungal Development and Evaluation
Natural Products and Antifungal Drug Discovery
Melissa R. Jacob and Larry A. Walker
Use of an Animal Model of Disseminated Candidiasis in the Evaluation of Antifungal Therapy
David Andes
Murine Model of Invasive Aspergillosis
Russell E. Lewis and Nathan P. Wiederhold
Antifungal Combinations
Roxana G. Vitale, Javier Afeltra, and Eric Dannaoui
Post-Antifungal Effect Methods
Roxana G. Vitale
Part IV. Host Responses and Immunotherapy
Evaluation of Immunotherapy in Invasive Candidiasis: Antifungal Activity and Cytokine Expression Assays
Maria Simitsopoulou and Emmanuel Roilides
Interaction of Histoplasma capsulatum With Human Macrophages, Dendritic Cells, and Neutrophils
Simon L. Newman
Immunology of Infection Caused by Cryptococcusneoformans
Floyd L. Wormley, Jr. and John R. Perfect
Index