title: Toll-deficient Drosophila are resistant to infection by Pneumocystis spp.: additional evidence of specificity to mammalian hosts.
abstract: Pneumocystis spp. are significant pathogens in a variety of mammals. We tried to establish a Drosophila model of pneumocystosis using either P. murina or P. carinii. Whereas the pathogens were competent in susceptible mice, no infection could be established even in corticosteroid-treated Toll-deficient flies. This further substantiates the tropism described for mammalian hosts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Scott E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Leventakos
authors.forename: Ronen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ben-Ami
authors.forename: Dahui
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: Sachin G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Thakkar
authors.forename: Russell E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Dimitrios P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Kontoyiannis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D058507:Host Specificity; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors