title: Trafficking of Candida albicans through oral epithelial endocytic compartments.
abstract: Oral epithelial cells are the first cells that interact with C. albicans during the establishment of oropharyngeal candidiasis. Following initial adhesion, C. albicans invades oral epithelial cells by inducing its own endocytosis and gains access to epithelial vacuolar compartments. Epithelial endocytic pathways are key innate immune mechanisms in host defense. We examined the trafficking of C. albicans through oral epithelial endocytic compartments. We present evidence that C. albicans is internalized by oral epithelial cells through actin-dependent clathrin-mediated endocytosis and is taken into vacuolar compartments immediately following its internalization. C. albicans-containing endosomes transiently acquired early endosomal marker EEA1, but showed marked defects in acquisition of late endosomal marker LAMP1 and lysosomal marker cathepsin D. Defective endolysosomal maturation may partially explain the inability of oral epithelial cells to kill C. albicans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, The University of Texas, Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Xiang Ru
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Cristina Cunha
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Villar
mesh_terms: D002176:Candida albicans / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000032:analysis; D002460:Cell Line; D004705:Endocytosis; D011992:Endosomes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D051907:Lysosomal Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D052118:Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 1
chemical_list: D002402:Cathepsin D; D051907:Lysosomal Membrane Proteins; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins; C489116:LAMP1 protein, human; D052118:Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 1; C093846:early endosome antigen 1; C533922:CTSD protein, human