{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,6]],"date-time":"2026-10-06T07:38:02Z","timestamp":1791272282606,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"American Society for Microbiology","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]],"date-time":"2025-11-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1764028800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]],"date-time":"2025-11-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1764028800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.asm.org\/non-commercial-tdm-license"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100009379","name":"Interdisziplin\u00e4res Zentrum f\u00fcr Klinische Forschung, Universit\u00e4tsklinikum W\u00fcrzburg","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["D-420"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["D-420"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100009379","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100009379","name":"Interdisziplin\u00e4res Zentrum f\u00fcr Klinische Forschung, Universit\u00e4tsklinikum W\u00fcrzburg","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["Z-2\/CSP-28"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Z-2\/CSP-28"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100009379","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100023448","name":"Robert Koch Institut","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["1369-240"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["1369-240"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100023448","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001659","name":"Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["INST 93\/1003-1 FUGG"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["INST 93\/1003-1 FUGG"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001659","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.asm.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["mSphere"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title\/>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Members of the\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">Fusarium solani<\/jats:italic>\n                      species complex (FSSC) are major causes of keratitis in humans. The underlying mechanisms leading to this disease are not well understood, partially due to the absence of more complex\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">in vitro<\/jats:italic>\n                      infection models. Here, we compared the pathogenicity of keratitis-causing FSSC members\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">F. falciforme<\/jats:italic>\n                      ,\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">F. keratoplasticum<\/jats:italic>\n                      , and\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">F. petroliphilum<\/jats:italic>\n                      in a 2D monolayer infection model using a human corneal epithelial cell line and a newly established 3D human cornea infection model which comprises the multilayer epithelium and the stroma. In both models,\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">F. keratoplasticum<\/jats:italic>\n                      emerged as the most virulent species, showing extensive invasion and host cell damage and, in rare cases, even inducing the formation of transcellular tunnels. While\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">F. falciforme<\/jats:italic>\n                      exhibited strong adhesion to corneal epithelial cells, its capacity for invasion and damage was limited.\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">F. petroliphilum<\/jats:italic>\n                      was the least virulent among the FSSC species with low adhesion and invasion. The use of the 3D model allowed the investigation of fungal infection in a more physiologically relevant context and revealed that all three FSSC species disseminated deeper into the cornea than\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">C. albicans<\/jats:italic>\n                      under identical conditions. This may partly explain the unfavorable clinical outcome of\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">Fusarium<\/jats:italic>\n                      keratitis in patients, as the deep penetration of\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">Fusarium<\/jats:italic>\n                      hyphae complicates the accessibility of antifungal drugs to the pathogen. Our data indicate species-specific infection routes which might avoid recognition by the host cell defense system and could contribute to the overall high virulence of the species.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                    <jats:sec>\n                      <jats:title>IMPORTANCE<\/jats:title>\n                      <jats:p>\n                        <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">Fusarium<\/jats:italic>\n                        keratitis is a rare fungal infection of the human eye. The outcome for affected patients is often poor, with loss of eyesight or even the entire eye being common. Investigation of this disease is challenging due to the absence of established\n                        <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">in vitro<\/jats:italic>\n                        complex infection models that go beyond a simple 2D monolayer of a single cell type. Here, we performed a comparative analysis of three\n                        <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">Fusarium<\/jats:italic>\n                        species in a classic 2D infection model and a newly established 3D human cornea model which comprised the epithelium and the stroma. Our experiments revealed that\n                        <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">F. keratoplasticum<\/jats:italic>\n                        shows a higher potential for invasion and host cell damage when compared to related species. The 3D human cornea model could be a helpful tool for future investigations of fungal pathogenicity and antifungal drug susceptibility during cornea infections.\n                      <\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:sec>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1128\/msphere.00328-25","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,4]],"date-time":"2025-11-04T14:00:37Z","timestamp":1762264837000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1128\/asmj-crossmark-policy-page","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["A 3D\n                    <i>Fusarium<\/i>\n                    keratitis model reveals isolate-specific adhesion and invasion properties in the\n                    <i>Fusarium solani<\/i>\n                    species complex"],"prefix":"10.1128","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Anna","family":"Zimmermann","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00fbnyb24","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, University of W\u00fcrzburg","place":["W\u00fcrzburg, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Johanna","family":"Theuersbacher","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00fbnyb24","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, University Clinic W\u00fcrzburg","place":["W\u00fcrzburg, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hong","family":"Han","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00fbnyb24","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, University Clinic W\u00fcrzburg","place":["W\u00fcrzburg, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"L\u00e9onie","family":"Herzog","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00fbnyb24","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, University of W\u00fcrzburg","place":["W\u00fcrzburg, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Benedikt","family":"Schrenker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00fbnyb24","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, University of W\u00fcrzburg","place":["W\u00fcrzburg, Germany"]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00fbnyb24","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, University Clinic W\u00fcrzburg","place":["W\u00fcrzburg, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christian","family":"Lotz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05gnv4a66","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Translational Center Regenerative Therapies (TLC-RT), Fraunhofer-Institute for Silicate Research","place":["W\u00fcrzburg, Germany"]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00fbnyb24","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, Institute of Functional Materials and Biofabrication, University of W\u00fcrzburg","place":["W\u00fcrzburg, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christian","family":"Stigloher","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03pvr2g57","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Imaging Core Facility of the Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Universit\u00e4tsklinikum W\u00fcrzburg","place":["W\u00fcrzburg, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jost","family":"Hillenkamp","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00fbnyb24","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, University Clinic W\u00fcrzburg","place":["W\u00fcrzburg, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kerstin","family":"H\u00fcnniger-Ast","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00fbnyb24","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, University of W\u00fcrzburg","place":["W\u00fcrzburg, Germany"]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/055s37c97","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Research Group Fungal Septomics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology\u2013Hans-Knoell Institute","place":["Jena, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Grit","family":"Walther","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/055s37c97","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"National Reference Center for Invasive Fungal Infections, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology\u2013Hans-Knoell Institute","place":["Jena, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daniel","family":"Kampik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00fbnyb24","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, University Clinic W\u00fcrzburg","place":["W\u00fcrzburg, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Oliver","family":"Kurzai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00fbnyb24","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, University of W\u00fcrzburg","place":["W\u00fcrzburg, Germany"]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/055s37c97","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Research Group Fungal Septomics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology\u2013Hans-Knoell Institute","place":["Jena, Germany"]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/055s37c97","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"National Reference Center for Invasive Fungal Infections, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology\u2013Hans-Knoell Institute","place":["Jena, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2212-1511","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Ronny","family":"Martin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00fbnyb24","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, University of W\u00fcrzburg","place":["W\u00fcrzburg, Germany"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"235","reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_4_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(20)30448-5"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/jof7070511"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_4_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s12325-024-02929-3"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_5_2","volume-title":"Microorganisms","author":"Ghenciu LA","year":"2024","unstructured":"Ghenciu LA, Faur AC, Bolintineanu SL, Salavat MC, Maghiari AL. 2024. Recent advances in diagnosis and treatment approaches in fungal keratitis: a narrative review. In Microorganisms. Vol. 12. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/JCM.00649-17"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/jof7110966"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/ICO.0000000000002705"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_9_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fcimb.2020.00133"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_10_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11046-024-00874-x"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_11_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s42161-023-01349-6"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_12_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s12600-015-0484-z"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_13_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.simyco.2014.12.002"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_14_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1094\/PHYTO-08-20-0330-LE"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_15_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/mSphere.00810-20"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_16_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2018.01052"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_17_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fgb.2013.01.004"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_18_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/JCM.00120-06"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_19_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fpls.2019.01610"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_20_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-020-57529-2"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_21_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s42003-020-0770-2"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_22_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/cells9071713"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_23_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00328721"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_24_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1242\/jcs.01532"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_25_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0036952"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_26_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0017046"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_27_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-022-31237-z"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_28_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.exer.2020.108372"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_29_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.exer.2021.108581"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_30_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/srep28154"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_31_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1089\/ten.TEB.2014.0397"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_32_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.exer.2020.108213"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_33_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/ICO.0b013e3181d8383a"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_34_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm10235468"}],"container-title":["mSphere"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.asm.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1128\/msphere.00328-25","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.asm.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1128\/msphere.00328-25","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]],"date-time":"2025-11-25T14:01:15Z","timestamp":1764079275000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.asm.org\/doi\/10.1128\/msphere.00328-25"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Yen-Ping","family":"Hsueh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]]},"references-count":33,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1128\/msphere.00328-25"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1128\/msphere.00328-25","relation":{},"ISSN":["2379-5042"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2379-5042","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2025-05-13","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-10-07","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-11-04","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"e00328-25"}}