title: Expression of the complement-binding protein (MP60) of Candida albicans in experimental vaginitis.
abstract: The expression of the Candida albicans complement-binding C3d protein (MP60) was investigated both in vitro and in vivo by immunogold labelling and electron microscopy. In vivo expression was determined in a rat vaginitis model. Reactivity of in vitro-grown cells to an anti-MP60 rabbit serum was associated with both cytoplasmic and cell wall sites. Immunostaining in the cell wall of both yeast and hyphae was most concentrated in the inner, electron-lucid layer. Immunogold stained preparations of C. albicans from vaginal smears of infected animals also showed intense localization of the MP60 in the inner cell wall, plasma membrane. However, immunogold label was also intense at the cell surface in these samples, mostly in the area of close adherence with the keratinocytes of the vaginal epithelia. These observations indicate that MP60 is expressed both in vitro and in vivo, but to a different degree in the different cell wall layers.
authors.affiliation: Laboratories of Ultrastructures, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stringaro
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Crateri
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adriani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arancia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cassone
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Calderone
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Bernardis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015933:Complement C3d / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D015933:Complement C3d