title: Effects of the glucocorticoid betamethasone on the interaction of Candida albicans with human epithelial cells.
abstract: The glucocorticoid betamethasone (BM) is frequently employed in clinical practice because of its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. In this study, we investigated the effect of BM (1 and 2 mM) on the ability of Candida albicans to adhere to, invade and damage oral, intestinal or vaginal epithelial cells, as well as to elicit cytokine and chemokine release. BM at 2 mM concentration stimulated adherence of C. albicans to vaginal cells and facilitated the invasion of intestinal and vaginal epithelia without influencing the growth rate of invading C. albicans hyphae at any type of epithelia and BM concentrations tested. In addition, BM at 2 mM concentration also augmented C. albicans-initiated cell damage of oral and intestinal cells. Furthermore, BM exposure decreased IL-6 cytokine and IL-8 chemokine release from oral and vaginal epithelial cells and also IL-6 release from intestinal epithelium after infection with C. albicans. These observations suggest that high-dose applications of BM may predispose patients to various epithelial C. albicans infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.|Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Ágnes
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Jakab
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Selene
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mogavero
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Toni M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Förster
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pekmezovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Nadja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jablonowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Viktor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dombrádi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: István
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pócsi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.|Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany.|Center for Sepsis Control and Care, University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hube
mesh_terms: D001623:Betamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D001623:Betamethasone