Hydrolytic gene expression during oroesophageal and gastric candidiasis in immunocompetent and immunodeficient gnotobiotic mice.
To investigate whether host immunocompetence influences hydrolytic gene expression, we compared secretory aspartyl proteinase gene (SAP) and phospholipase B gene (PLB) expression during gastric candidiasis in immunocompetent and defined immunodeficient gnotobiotic mice, by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. The use of immunodeficient gnotobiotic mice with combined defects in T cells and natural killer cells enabled a comprehensive study of virulence gene expression in various mucosal sites during lethal oroesophageal (tongue, palate, and esophagus) and gastric candidiasis. All 10 SAP and both PLB genes were expressed in both immunocompetent and specific immunodeficient mice, which suggests that the absence of important components of the host defense did not alter gene expression during gastric candidiasis. Although similar patterns of gene expression were evident in different oral tissues, we detected specific differences between Candida albicans-infected oroesophageal and gastric tissues and differences at various time points during the progression of gastric candidiasis.
Schofield
David A
DA
Division of Mycology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29403, USA. schofida@musc.edu.
Westwater
Caroline
C
Warner
Thomas
T
Nicholas
Peter J
PJ
Paulling
Emily E
EE
Balish
Edward
E
D000818:Animals; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004935:Esophageal Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D004947:Esophagus / Q000382:microbiology*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D005856:Germ-Free Life / Q000276:immunology*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007121:Immunocompetence / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013270:Stomach / Q000382:microbiology*; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
D005656:Fungal Proteins; C490271:PLB1 protein, Candida albicans; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; C086390:SAP1 protein, Candida albicans