title: Isolation and identification of Candida species in patients with orogastric cancer: susceptibility to antifungal drugs, attributes of virulence in vitro and immune response phenotype.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because of the inherent immunosuppression of cancer patients opportunistic infections by Candida spp, occur frequently. This study aimed to identify Candida species in the oral mucosa of 59 patients with orogastric cancer (OGC) and to analyze the immunological phenotype of these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The yeasts were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS). For all isolates, we performed phospholipases and proteinases assays, in vitro adherence to buccal epithelial cells (BEC), minimum inhibitory concentration of antifungal drugs and determined the cytokine profile by Cytometric Bead Array flow citometry assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  C. albicans was the most prevalent species in OGC patients (51.6 %) and control group (66.7 %). Candida spp. strains isolated from OGC patients exhibited better adherence to BEC (p = 0.05) than did the control group. Phospholipases production by Candida strains from OGC patients was lower (51.6 %) than in the control group (61.9 %). Proteinases were detected in 41.9 % and 4.8 % of the yeasts from OGC patients and control group, respectively. Significant differences were found in the serum of OGC patients compared to the control group for IL-2, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-17.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this work suggest increased virulence of yeasts isolated from OGC patients and, that this may interfere with the immune phenotype.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. lourimar.viana@gmail.com.|Laboratory of Microbiology, Vale do Rio Doce University, Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil. lourimar.viana@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lourimar Viana Nascimento F
authors.initials: LVNF
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vera Lúcia
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, CEUMA University, São Luis, MA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Souza Monteiro
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcus Vinicíus
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Dias-Souza
authors.affiliation: Hospital of Federal University of Maranhão, São Luis, MA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sirlei Garcia
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.affiliation: Biomarkers Laboratory Diagnostics and Monitoring, Research Center René Rachou (CPqRR) - FIOCRUZ/MG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elaine Speziali
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: de Faria
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Vale do Rio Doce University, Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elaine Alves de Oliveira
authors.initials: EAO
authors.lastname: Assunção
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of oral and anaerobic microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Simone Gonçalves
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Oncology Core Experts, Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juan Moises
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zonis
authors.affiliation: Alvarenga Laboratory, Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniel Gomes
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: de Alvarenga
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Assunção
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: de Holanda
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Basic and Applied Virology, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jaqueline Gontijo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of General Bacteriology and Clinical, Department of Pathology, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Health Science Center, Vitória, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Kênia Valéria
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Aparecida de Resende
authors.initials: MAR
authors.lastname: Stoianoff
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D010641:Phenotype; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines