Antibody response to the 45 kDa Candida albicans antigen in an animal model and potential role of the antigen in adherence.
The Candida antigen CR3-RP (complement receptor 3-related protein) is supposed to be a 'mimicry' protein because of its ability to bind antibody directed against the alpha subunit of the mammalian CR3 (CD11b/CD18). This study aimed to (i) investigate the specific humoral isotypic response to immunization with CR3-RP in vivo in a rabbit animal model, and (ii) determine the role of CR3-RP in the adherence of Candida albicans in vitro using the model systems of buccal epithelial cells (BECs) and biofilm formation. The synthetic C. albicans peptide DINGGGATLPQ corresponding to 11 amino-acids of the CR3-RP sequence DINGGGATLPQALXQITGVIT, determined by N-terminal sequencing, was used for immunization of rabbits to obtain polyclonal anti-CR3-PR serum and for subsequent characterization of the humoral isotypic response of rabbits. A significant increase of IgG, IgA and IgM anti-CR3-RP specific antibodies was observed after the third (P<0.01) and the fourth (P<0.001) immunization doses. The elevation of IgA levels suggested peptide immunomodulation of the IgA1 subclass, presumably in coincidence with Candida epithelial adherence. Blocking CR3-RP with polyclonal anti-CR3-RP serum reduced the ability of Candida to adhere to BECs, in comparison with the control, by up to 35 % (P<0.001), and reduced biofilm formation by 28 % (P<0.001), including changes in biofilm thickness and integrity detected by confocal laser scanning microscopy. These properties of CR3-RP suggest that it has potential for future vaccine development.
Bujdáková
Helena
H
Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Paulovičová
Ema
E
Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Borecká-Melkusová
Silvia
S
Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Gašperík
Juraj
J
Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Kucharíková
Soňa
S
Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Kolecka
Anna
A
Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Lell
Claudia
C
Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Social Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria.
Jensen
Dorthe B
DB
Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Social Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria.
Würzner
Reinhard
R
Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Social Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria.
Chorvát
Dušan
D
Department of Biophotonics, International Laser Centre, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Pichová
Iva
I
Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood*; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D011817:Rabbits; D011951:Receptors, Complement / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology
D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D011951:Receptors, Complement