scholarly journals In Vivo and In Vitro Anaerobic Mating in Candida albicans

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 465-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raluca Dumitru ◽  
Dhammika H. M. L. P. Navarathna ◽  
Camile P. Semighini ◽  
Christian G. Elowsky ◽  
Razvan V. Dumitru ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Candida albicans cells of opposite mating types are thought to conjugate during infection in mammalian hosts, but paradoxically, the mating-competent opaque state is not stable at mammalian body temperatures. We found that anaerobic conditions stabilize the opaque state at 37°C, block production of farnesol, and permit in vitro mating at 37°C at efficiencies of up to 84%. Aerobically, farnesol prevents mating because it kills the opaque cells necessary for mating, and as a corollary, farnesol production is turned off in opaque cells. These in vitro observations suggest that naturally anaerobic sites, such as the efficiently colonized gastrointestinal (GI) tract, could serve as niches for C. albicans mating. In a direct test of mating in the mouse GI tract, prototrophic cells were obtained from auxotrophic parent cells, confirming that mating will occur in this organ. These cells were true mating products because they were tetraploid, mononuclear, and prototrophic, and they contained the heterologous hisG marker from one of the parental strains.

1991 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 637-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. T. Cole ◽  
K. R. Seshan ◽  
M. Phaneuf ◽  
K. T. Lynn

We have demonstrated in a previously described murine model of gastrointestinal (GI) and systemic candidiasis that the antifungal angent cilofungin was efficacious in clearing infection of body organs when administered subcutaneously by infusion, but permitted large numbers of Candida albicans in the GI tract to persist. Yeast and hyphae in these animals were associated primarily with the stratified squamous epithelium of the stomach. Administration of immunocompromising drugs (cyclophosphamide plus cortisone acetate) to animals with persistent GI infection resulted in relapse of systemic candidiasis. Histological examination of the gastric mucosa revealed invasive hyphal elements and yeast as well as multiple chlamydospore-like cells. Comparative histochemical and electron-microscopic examinations of these latter cells produced in host tissue and chlamydospores formed in vitro were conducted. The results suggested that similarities in wall and cytoplasmic composition and ultrastructure exist between these in vivo and in vitro produced C. albicans cells. Exposure of C. albicans to cyclophosphamide during in vitro growth resulted in stimulation of chlamydospore production. No significant effect of cortisone acetate on C. albicans morphogenesis was detected. The murine model used in this study permits investigation of the formation of chlamydospore-like cells of C. albicans during early stages of fungal invasion of cyclophosphamide-treated mice, and of the possible influence of these cells on immunological response of the host to persistent candidiasis of the GI tract. Key words: Candida albicans, chlamydospores, gastrointestinal candidiasis, cyclophosphamide.


2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 931-939 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Li ◽  
Michael J. Svarovsky ◽  
Amy J. Karlsson ◽  
Joel P. Wagner ◽  
Karen Marchillo ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Candida albicans is the leading cause of systemic fungal infections in immunocompromised humans. The ability to form biofilms on surfaces in the host or on implanted medical devices enhances C. albicans virulence, leading to antimicrobial resistance and providing a reservoir for infection. Biofilm formation is a complex multicellular process consisting of cell adhesion, cell growth, morphogenic switching between yeast form and filamentous states, and quorum sensing. Here we describe the role of the C. albicans EAP1 gene, which encodes a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored, glucan-cross-linked cell wall protein, in adhesion and biofilm formation in vitro and in vivo. Deleting EAP1 reduced cell adhesion to polystyrene and epithelial cells in a gene dosage-dependent manner. Furthermore, EAP1 expression was required for C. albicans biofilm formation in an in vitro parallel plate flow chamber model and in an in vivo rat central venous catheter model. EAP1 expression was upregulated in biofilm-associated cells in vitro and in vivo. Our results illustrate an association between Eap1p-mediated adhesion and biofilm formation in vitro and in vivo.


2021 ◽  
Vol 154 ◽  
pp. 104825
Author(s):  
Jing Yang ◽  
Wenli Feng ◽  
Zhiqin Xi ◽  
Lu Yang ◽  
Xiaoxia Zhao ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 1341-1343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan P. Wiederhold ◽  
Laura K. Najvar ◽  
Annette W. Fothergill ◽  
Rosie Bocanegra ◽  
Marcos Olivo ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTWe evaluated thein vitroandin vivoactivities of the investigational arylamidine T-2307 against echinocandin-resistantCandida albicans. T-2307 demonstrated potentin vitroactivity, and daily subcutaneous doses between 0.75 and 6 mg/kg of body weight significantly improved survival and reduced fungal burden compared to placebo control and caspofungin (10 mg/kg/day) in mice with invasive candidiasis caused by an echinocandin-resistant strain. Thus, T-2307 may have potential use in the treatment of echinocandin-resistantC. albicansinfections.


2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 445-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilka Tiemy Kato ◽  
Renato Araujo Prates ◽  
Caetano Padial Sabino ◽  
Beth Burgwyn Fuchs ◽  
George P. Tegos ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe objective of this study was to evaluate whetherCandida albicansexhibits altered pathogenicity characteristics following sublethal antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation (APDI) and if such alterations are maintained in the daughter cells.C. albicanswas exposed to sublethal APDI by using methylene blue (MB) as a photosensitizer (0.05 mM) combined with a GaAlAs diode laser (λ 660 nm, 75 mW/cm2, 9 to 27 J/cm2).In vitro, we evaluated APDI effects onC. albicansgrowth, germ tube formation, sensitivity to oxidative and osmotic stress, cell wall integrity, and fluconazole susceptibility.In vivo, we evaluatedC. albicanspathogenicity with a mouse model of systemic infection. Animal survival was evaluated daily. Sublethal MB-mediated APDI reduced the growth rate and the ability ofC. albicansto form germ tubes compared to untreated cells (P< 0.05). Survival of mice systemically infected withC. albicanspretreated with APDI was significantly increased compared to mice infected with untreated yeast (P< 0.05). APDI increasedC. albicanssensitivity to sodium dodecyl sulfate, caffeine, and hydrogen peroxide. The MIC for fluconazole forC. albicanswas also reduced following sublethal MB-mediated APDI. However, none of those pathogenic parameters was altered in daughter cells ofC. albicanssubmitted to APDI. These data suggest that APDI may inhibit virulence factors and reducein vivopathogenicity ofC. albicans. The absence of alterations in daughter cells indicates that APDI effects are transitory. The MIC reduction for fluconazole following APDI suggests that this antifungal could be combined with APDI to treatC. albicansinfections.


2001 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 4079-4085 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Cramton ◽  
Martina Ulrich ◽  
Friedrich Götz ◽  
Gerd Döring

ABSTRACT Products of the intercellular adhesion (ica) operon in Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis synthesize a linear β-1,6-linked glucosaminylglycan. This extracellular polysaccharide mediates bacterial cell-cell adhesion and is required for biofilm formation, which is thought to increase the virulence of both pathogens in association with prosthetic biomedical implants. The environmental signal(s) that triggers ica gene product and polysaccharide expression is unknown. Here we demonstrate that anaerobic in vitro growth conditions lead to increased polysaccharide expression in both S. aureus and S. epidermidis, although the regulation is less stringent inS. epidermidis. Anaerobiosis also dramatically stimulates ica-specific mRNA expression inica- and polysaccharide-positive strains of both S. aureus and S. epidermidis.These data suggest a mechanism whereby ica gene expression and polysaccharide production may act as a virulence factor in an anaerobic environment in vivo.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo L Fabri ◽  
Jhamine C O Freitas ◽  
Ari S O Lemos ◽  
Lara M Campos ◽  
Irley O M Diniz ◽  
...  

Abstract Spilanthol is a bioactive alkylamide from the native Amazon plant species, Acmella oleracea. However, antifungal activities of spilanthol and its application to the therapeutic treatment of candidiasis remains to be explored. This study sought to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of spilanthol previously isolated from A. oleracea (spilanthol(AcO)) against Candida albicans ATCC® 10231™, a multidrug-resistant fungal strain. Microdilution methods were used to determine inhibitory and fungicidal concentrations of spilanthol(AcO). In planktonic cultures, the fungal growth kinetics, yeast cell metabolic activity, cell membrane permeability and cell wall integrity were investigated. The effect of spilanthol(AcO) on the proliferation and adhesion of fungal biofilms was evaluated by whole slide imaging and scanning electron microscopy. The biochemical composition of the biofilm matrix was also analyzed. In parallel, spilanthol(AcO) was tested in vivo in an experimental vulvovaginal candidiasis model. Our in vitro analyses in C. albicans planktonic cultures detected a significant inhibitory effect of spilanthol(AcO), which affects both yeast cell membrane and cell wall integrity, interfering with the fungus growth. C. albicans biofilm proliferation and adhesion, as well as, carbohydrates and DNA in biofilm matrix were reduced after spilanthol(AcO) treatment. Moreover, infected rats treated with spilanthol(AcO) showed consistent reduction of both fungal burden and inflammatory processes compared to the untreated animals. Altogether, our findings demonstrated that spilanthol(AcO) is an bioactive compound against planktonic and biofilm forms of a multidrug resistant C. albicans strain. Furthermore, spilanthol(AcO) can be potentially considered for therapeutical treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis caused by C. albicans. Lay Abstract This study sought to evaluate the antifungal activity of spilanthol against Candida albicans ATCC® 10 231™, a multidrug-resistant fungal strain. Our findings demonstrated that spilanthol(AcO) can be potentially considered for therapeutical treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis caused by C. albicans.


1991 ◽  
pp. 131-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Mahaza ◽  
R. Robert ◽  
M. Miègeville ◽  
G. Tronchin ◽  
J. M. Senet

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