Abstract
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia is a major cause of death in AIDS patients in the United States. The presently available treatments have limited use due to a high incidence of adverse reactions. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a safer method for treatment and prevention of this disease. Recent evidence has suggested that P. carinii is related to fungi and that the wall of the cyst form contains 1,3-beta-glucan as a major constituent. Based on this, several proposed 1,3-beta-glucan synthesis inhibitors were evaluated for their ability to control P. carinii pneumonia in vivo. Compounds from two classes of 1,3-beta-glucan synthesis inhibitors, the echinocandins and papulacandins, were found to be effective against P. carinii.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Anti-Bacterial Agents*
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Antifungal Agents / pharmacology
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Candida albicans / drug effects
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Disease Models, Animal
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Echinocandins
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Glucans / antagonists & inhibitors*
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Glucans / biosynthesis
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Lung / microbiology
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Lung / pathology
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Male
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Peptides*
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Peptides, Cyclic / pharmacology
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Peptides, Cyclic / therapeutic use
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Pneumocystis / drug effects
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Pneumocystis / isolation & purification
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Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / drug therapy*
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Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / pathology
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Pyrans / poisoning
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Pyrans / therapeutic use*
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Rats
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Rats, Inbred Strains
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Sulfamethoxazole / pharmacology
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Sulfamethoxazole / therapeutic use
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Trimethoprim / pharmacology
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Trimethoprim / therapeutic use
Substances
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Anti-Bacterial Agents
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Antifungal Agents
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Echinocandins
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Glucans
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Peptides
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Peptides, Cyclic
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Pyrans
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pneumocandin A(0)
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L 687781
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Trimethoprim
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Sulfamethoxazole