Candida metapsilosis as the least virulent member of the 'C. parapsilosis' complex

Results of recent molecular studies have provided evidence of three distinct species within the Candida parapsilosis complex, namely Candida parapsilosis, Candida orthopsilosis and Candida metapsilosis. While there are initial data pertaining to the virulence of these Candida species with respect to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Medical mycology (Oxford) 2010-12, Vol.48 (8), p.1024-1033
Main Authors: Orsi, Carlotta Francesca, Colombari, Bruna, Blasi, Elisabetta
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Candida
Candida - immunology
Candida - pathogenicity
Candida parapsilosis
Cells, Cultured
Chemokine CCL3 - secretion
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
L-Lactate Dehydrogenase - metabolism
Mice
Microglia - immunology
Microglia - microbiology
Phagocytosis
Phagosomes - chemistry
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - secretion
Virulence
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Summary:Results of recent molecular studies have provided evidence of three distinct species within the Candida parapsilosis complex, namely Candida parapsilosis, Candida orthopsilosis and Candida metapsilosis. While there are initial data pertaining to the virulence of these Candida species with respect to reconstituted epidermal and oral epithelial tissues, there have been no studies, as of yet, on their interaction with immune cells. Employing an in vitro infection model using microglial cells, we investigated the pathogenetic potential of different isolates of each of these three species. We show that C. metapsilosis isolates are more susceptible to microglia-mediated antifungal activity, as compared with those of C. parapsilosis and C. orthopsilosis. Interestingly, C. metapsilosis isolates are also phagocytosed to a lower extent, but the yeast-containing phagosomes exhibit the highest degree of acidification in comparison with the phagosomes containing C. parapsilosis or C. orthopsilosis. Furthermore, when assessing microglia secretory response to infection, comparable high levels of MIP-1α and little or no TNF-α production are observed with all of these Candida species. Finally, unlike C. metapsilosis infected cells, microglial cells infected with C. parapsilosis and C. orthopsilosis release high and time-dependent levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Overall, these findings point to C. metapsilosis as the least virulent member of the 'C. parapsilosis' complex.
ISSN:1369-3786
1460-2709
DOI:10.3109/13693786.2010.489233