title: Candida albicans Adheres to Chitin by Recognizing N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc).
abstract: The binding of Candida albicans cells to chitin was examined in a cell-binding assay. Microscopic observations indicated that both living and heat-killed Candida cells bound to chitin-coated substrates. C. albicans preferentially bound to chitin-coated plastic plates over chitosan-coated and uncoated plates. We prepared125I-labeled Candida cells for quantitative analysis of their binding to chitin. Heat-killed125I-labeled Candida cells bound to chitin-coated plates in a time-dependent manner until 1.5 hours after start of incubation at 4℃. The binding of125I-labeled Candida cells to chitin-coated plates was inhibited by adding unlabeled living or unlabeled heat-killed Candida cells. The binding of Candida to chitin was also reduced by addition of 25 mg/ml chitin or chitosan up to 10%. N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), which is a constituent of chitin, inhibited binding of Candida to chitin in a dose-dependent manner between 12.5 and 200 mM. Glucosamine, which is a constituent of chitosan, showed no such inhibitory effect. These findings suggest that the binding of Candida to chitin may be mediated by recognition of GlcNAc.
authors.affiliation: Teikyo University Institute of Medical Mycology.
authors.forename: Sanae A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ishijima
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Naho
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D000117:Acetylglucosamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002686:Chitin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005944:Glucosamine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002686:Chitin; D048271:Chitosan; D005944:Glucosamine; D000117:Acetylglucosamine