Impact of Candida albicans hyphal wall protein 1 (HWP1) genotype on biofilm production and fungal susceptibility to microglial cells
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2014
Citazione:
Impact of Candida albicans hyphal wall protein 1 (HWP1) genotype on biofilm production and fungal susceptibility to microglial cells / C.F. Orsi, E. Borghi, B. Colombari, R.G. Neglia, D. Quaglino, A. Ardizzoni, G. Morace, E. Blasi. - In: MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS. - ISSN 0882-4010. - 69-70:1(2014 Mar 28), pp. 20-27. [10.1016/j.micpath.2014.03.003]
Abstract:
The hyphal wall protein 1 (
HWP1)
gene of
Candida albicans
encodes for a fungal cell wall protein,
required for hyphal development and yeast adhesion to epithelial cells; yet, its role in pathogenesis
remains largely unknown. In the present study, we analyzed two
C. albicans
laboratory strains, the
DAY286 (
HWP1/HWP1
) and the null mutant FJS24 (
hwp1/hwp1
) and six clinical isolates [3 harbouring the
homozygous
HWP1
gene (
HWP1/HWP1
) and 3 the heterologous gene (
HWP1/hwp1
)]. Bio
fi
lm production,
fungal
HWP1
mRNA levels and ultrastructural morphology were investigated; also, the susceptibility of
these strains to microglial cells was evaluated, in terms of fungal damage and immune cell-mediated
secretory response. When comparing the two laboratory strains, bio
fi
lm was produced to a similar
extent independently on the genetic background, while the susceptibility to microglial cell-mediated
damage was higher in the
hwp1/hwp1
mutant than in the
HWP1/HWP1
counterpart. Also, trans-
mission electron microscopy revealed differences between the two in terms of abundance in surface
adhesin-like structures, fungal cell wall shape and intracellular granules. When comparing the clinical
isolates grouped according to their
HWP1
genotype, reduced bio
fi
lm production and increased suscep-
tibility to microglial cell-mediated damage occurred in the
HWP1/hwp1
isolates with respect to the
HWP1/HWP1
counterparts; furthermore, upon exposure to microglial cells, the
HWP1/HWP1
isolates, but
not the
HWP1/hwp1
counterpart, showed enhanced
HWP1
mRNA levels. Finally, both laboratory and
clinical isolates exhibited reduced ability to stimulate TNF
a
and nitric oxide production by microglial
cells in the case of heterozygous or null mutant
HWP1
genotype.
Overall, these data indicate that
C. albicans HWP1
genotype in
fl
uences pathogen morphological
structure as well as its interaction with microglial cells, while fungal bio
fi
lm production results unaf-
fected, thus arguing on its role as virulence factor that directly affects host mediated defences.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
biofilm; candida albicans; hyphal wall protein 1 (HWP1) genotype; microglial cells
Elenco autori:
C.F. Orsi, E. Borghi, B. Colombari, R.G. Neglia, D. Quaglino, A. Ardizzoni, G. Morace, E. Blasi
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