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C. Albicans Cells (c + albican_cell)
Selected AbstractsHigh-dose methylprednisolone influences the physiology and virulence of Candida albicans ambiguously and enhances the candidacidal activity of the polyene antibiotic amphotericin B and the superoxide-generating agent menadioneFEMS YEAST RESEARCH, Issue 2 2007Ágnes Gyetvai Abstract Although exposure of Candida albicans cells to high-dose (4 mM) methylprednisolone stimulated microbial growth, germination rate in serum and phospholipase release, it also promoted the recognition of C. albicans cells by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Pretreatment of C. albicans cells with methylprednisolone did not result in any increase in the pathogenicity of the fungus in intraperitoneal and intravenous mouse assays. Therefore, the virulence of C. albicans is unlikely to increase in patients treated with comparably high-dose methylprednisolone on skin and mucosal membranes. Methylprednisolone treatments also increased the production of conjugated dienes and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, and the menadione sensitivity of C. albicans cells, which can be explained by a significant decrease in the specific activities of several antioxidant enzymes. The combination of methylprednisolone with oxidants, e.g. in topical applications, may be of clinical importance when the predisposition to candidiasis is high. Methylprednisolone treatments negatively affected membrane fluidity and decreased the antifungal effects of both the polyene antibiotic nystatin and the ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitor lovastatin, and also enhanced the deleterious effects of the polyene antimycotic amphotericin B on C. albicans cells. These corticosteroid,polyene drug interactions should be considered in the treatment of C. albicans infections in patients with prolonged topical application of corticosteroids. [source] In vivo morphological and antifungal study of the activity of a bergamot essential oil by-productFLAVOUR AND FRAGRANCE JOURNAL, Issue 4 2006Francesco Carmelo Pizzimenti Abstract The in vivo antifungal activity of a bergamot processing by-product, named ,Peratoner', was evaluated through applications to male Wistar rats' back skin, previously infected with Candida albicans. Following the treatment, samples were taken to evaluate the fungal load and punch biopsies were carried out for morphological studies. In infected rats without Peratoner treatment, skin detachment with infiltrating cells was observed. The presence of C. albicans cells was evident on the surface strata of the epidermis, which was detached from the basal cells. After 24 h, in the case of Peratoner treatment, the epidermic strata were still few in number, while the infiltrating elements in the dermis were fewer in quantity and a small cluster of C. albicans cells, above the stratum corneous, was also visible. After 48 h of treatment, the skin revealed proliferation of the strata, while in the dermis infiltrating cells were still evident. Following this period and up to a week after treatment, a full recovery of the cutaneous structure was observed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Functional specialization and differential regulation of short-chain carboxylic acid transporters in the pathogen Candida albicansMOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2010Neide Vieira Summary The major fungal pathogen Candida albicans has the metabolic flexibility to assimilate a wide range of nutrients in its human host. Previous studies have suggested that C. albicans can encounter glucose-poor microenvironments during infection and that the ability to use alternative non-fermentable carbon sources contributes to its virulence. JEN1 encodes a monocarboxylate transporter in C. albicans and we show that its paralogue, JEN2, encodes a novel dicarboxylate plasma membrane transporter, subjected to glucose repression. A strain deleted in both genes lost the ability to transport lactic, malic and succinic acids by a mediated mechanism and it displayed a growth defect on these substrates. Although no significant morphogenetic or virulence defects were found in the double mutant strain, both JEN1 and JEN2 were strongly induced during infection. Jen1-GFP (green fluorescent protein) and Jen2-GFP were upregulated following the phagocytosis of C. albicans cells by neutrophils and macrophages, displaying similar behaviour to an Icl1-GFP fusion. In the murine model of systemic candidiasis approximately 20,25% of C. albicans cells infecting the kidney expressed Jen1-GFP and Jen2-GFP. Our data suggest that Jen1 and Jen2 are expressed in glucose-poor niches within the host, and that these short-chain carboxylic acid transporters may be important in the early stages of infection. [source] Candida albicans cell surface superoxide dismutases degrade host-derived reactive oxygen species to escape innate immune surveillanceMOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2009Ingrid E. Frohner Summary Mammalian innate immune cells produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the oxidative burst reaction to destroy invading microbial pathogens. Using quantitative real-time ROS assays, we show here that both yeast and filamentous forms of the opportunistic human fungal pathogen Candida albicans trigger ROS production in primary innate immune cells such as macrophages and dendritic cells. Through a reverse genetic approach, we demonstrate that coculture of macrophages or myeloid dendritic cells with C. albicans cells lacking the superoxide dismutase (SOD) Sod5 leads to massive extracellular ROS accumulation in vitro. ROS accumulation was further increased in coculture with fungal cells devoid of both Sod4 and Sod5. Survival experiments show that C. albicans mutants lacking Sod5 and Sod4 exhibit a severe loss of viability in the presence of macrophages in vitro. The reduced viability of sod5,/, and sod4,/,sod5,/, mutants relative to wild type is not evident with macrophages from gp91phox,/, mice defective in the oxidative burst activity, demonstrating a ROS-dependent killing activity of macrophages targeting fungal pathogens. These data show a physiological role for cell surface SODs in detoxifying ROS, and suggest a mechanism whereby C. albicans, and perhaps many other microbial pathogens, can evade host immune surveillance in vivo. [source] Microbicidal efficacy of ozonated water against Candida albicans adhering to acrylic denture platesMOLECULAR ORAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2005M. Arita Background/aims:, Ozone is known to act as a strong antimicrobial agent against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. We examined the effect of ozonated water on Candida albicans on acrylic denture plate. Methods:, The heat-cured acrylic resins were cultured with C. albicans. After treatment of flowing ozonated water, the number of attached C. albicans was counted. In some experiments, the test samples were treated with ozonated water in combination with ultrasonication. Results:, After exposure to flowing ozonated water (2 or 4 mg/l) for 1 min, viable C. albicans cells were nearly nonexistent. The combination of ozonated water and ultrasonication had a strong effect on the viability of C. albicans adhering to the acrylic resin plates. There were no significant differences in antimicrobial activity against C. albicans between plates immersed in ozonated water with ultrasonication and those treated with commercially available denture cleaners. In addition, electron microscopic analysis revealed that small amounts of C. albicans remained on the plate after exposure to flowing ozonated water or immersion in ozonated water with ultrasonication. Conclusion:, Our results suggest that application of ozonated water may be useful in reducing the number of C. albicans on denture plates. [source] Effects of repeated low-dose UVB irradiation on the hyphal growth of Candida albicansMYCOSES, Issue 1 2006J. Brasch Summary Ultraviolet B light (UVB) can have negative phototropic effects on fungi. Candida albicans is often found on human skin exposed to UVB. Therefore, it is of medical interest to know whether a negative phototropic response to UVB irradiation can support an invasive growth of this potentially dangerous agent. In our study we investigated how repeated irradiation with low doses of UVB can influence the hyphal growth of C. albicans. Six randomly chosen strains of C. albicans were tested. Formation of hyphae was induced and maintained within transparent agar plates. The fungi were exposed to UVB three times daily for 7 days from either the obverse or the reverse side during incubation. The wavelength spectrum was in the range of 310,315 nm, single doses were between 0.0018 and 0.432 J cm,2. After 7 days the morphology and growth direction of C. albicans cells were determined microscopically. All six strains showed a common and dose-dependent response to UVB irradiation: the progression of hyphal growth was inhibited, no phototropic effects were seen and as a new finding an increased formation of blastospores was observed. We conclude that an irradiation of human skin colonized by C. albicans with doses of UVB that can occur under natural or artificial conditions is unlikely to trigger skin invasion by C. albicans. [source] | |||||||||||||