title: Potential role of high molecular weight hyaluronan in the anti-Candida activity of human oral epithelial cells.
abstract: Candida albicans is both a commensal and a pathogen in the oral mucosa. Previous studies have indicated that epithelial cell-associated carbohydrate moiety can inhibit C. albicans growth. In the present study, the mechanisms by which epithelial cells inhibit Candida growth were studied by examining the effect of hyaluronan (HA). A coculture of C. albicans and KB cells or COS-7 cells inhibited in vitro growth of the fungus by 50-87% at an effector-to-target (E:T) ratio of 80:1. Removing extracellular HA by hyaluronidase caused a significant decrease in the anti-Candida activity of the cells. In addition anti-Candida activity was observed at 1 micro g/ml HA (2000 kDa). The antifungal activity of extracellular HA was further studied by transiently transfecting COS-7 cells with human HSA1, HSA2, or HSA3 in order to produce high levels of extracellular HA. All of the transfectants inhibited C. albicans growth in vitro by 51-65% compared to 38% inhibition by the vector control (P<0.05). These results suggest that the anti-Candida activity of epithelial-cells is mediated by extracellular HA.
authors.affiliation: Division of Community Oral Health Science, Department of Health Promotion, Kyushu Dental College, Kitakyushu, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiyoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Sumio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akifusa
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Itano
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimata
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Takeyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koseki
authors.forename: Tadamichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takehara
authors.forename: Tatsuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishihara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000254:growth & development*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000382:microbiology; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D007624:KB Cells; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase