A novel renal epithelial cell in vitro assay to assess Candida albicans virulence.
Candida albicans, an opportunistic fungal pathogen, can cause severe systemic infections in susceptible patient groups. Systemic candidiasis is mainly studied in the mouse intravenous challenge model, where progressive infection correlates with increased early renal chemokine levels. To develop a new in vitro assay to assess C. albicans virulence, which reflects the events occurring in the murine infection model, renal M-1 cortical collecting duct epithelial cells were evaluated as the early producers of cytokines in response to C. albicans. We show that renal epithelial cells respond only to live C. albicans cells capable of forming hyphae, producing chemokines KC and MIP-2, with levels correlating with epithelial cell damage. By assaying epithelial cell responses to strains of known virulence in the murine intravenous challenge model we demonstrate that renal epithelial cells can discriminate between virulent and attenuated strains. This simple, novel assay is a useful initial screen for altered virulence of C. albicans mutants or clinical isolates in vitro and provides an alternative to the mouse systemic infection model.
Aberdeen Fungal Group; University of Aberdeen; School of Medical Sciences; Institute of Medical Sciences; Foresterhill, Aberdeen UK.
Edina K
EK
Szabo
Aberdeen Fungal Group; University of Aberdeen; School of Medical Sciences; Institute of Medical Sciences; Foresterhill, Aberdeen UK.
Donna M
DM
Maccallum
D000818:Animals; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000145:classification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002470:Cell Survival; D054360:Chemokine CXCL1 / Q000378:metabolism; D054426:Chemokine CXCL2 / Q000378:metabolism; D003584:Cytological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D014774:Virulence
D054360:Chemokine CXCL1; D054426:Chemokine CXCL2; C475895:Cxcl1 protein, mouse
Candida albicans; infection model; innate immunity; renal epithelium; virulence