Candida tropicalis Affects Candida albicans Virulence by Limiting Its Capacity to Adhere to the Host Intestinal Surface, Leading to Decreased Susceptibility to Colitis in Mice

• Published in: Journal of fungi (Basel) 2024-03, Vol.10 (4), p.245
• Main Authors: Roberts, Kyle, Osme, Abdullah, De Salvo, Carlo, Zoli, Eleonora, Herrada, Janet, McCormick, Thomas S, Ghannoum, Mahmoud, Cominelli, Fabio, Di Martino, Luca
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacteria; biofilm; Biofilms; C. albicans; C. tropicalis; Candida; Chronic illnesses; Colitis; Colon; Dextran; Disease; Drinking water; Dry weight; Experiments; Fungi; Immunohistochemistry; Inflammatory bowel disease; Inflammatory bowel diseases; Intestine; Metabolism; mycobiome; Silicones; Sodium sulfate; Virulence; Virulence factors; Yeast
• ISSN: 2309-608X; 2309-608X
• DOI: 10.3390/jof10040245

( ) infections represent a serious health risk for people affected by inflammatory bowel disease. An important fungal virulence factor is the capacity of the fungus to form on the colonized surface of the host. This research study aimed to determine the effect of a and co-infection on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. The colitis severity was evaluated using histology and a colonoscopy. The mice were mono-inoculated with or or co-challenged with both species. The mice were administered 3% DSS to induce acute colitis. The biofilm activity was assessed using (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino)carbonyl] 2H-tetrazoliumhydroxide (XTT) and dry-weight assays. The abundance of in the colon tissues was assessed by immunohistochemistry. The co-challenged mice showed a decreased colitis severity compared to the mono-inoculated mice. The dry-weight assay demonstrated a marked decrease in biofilm production in a culture incubated with supernatant. Immunohistochemical staining showed that was more abundant in the mucosa of mono-inoculated mice compared to the co-inoculated group. These data indicate an antagonistic microbial interaction between the two species, where may produce molecules capable of limiting the ability of to adhere to the host intestinal surface, leading to a reduction in biofilm formation.