Limited role of secreted aspartyl proteinases Sap1 to Sap6 in Candida albicans virulence and host immune response in murine hematogenously disseminated candidiasis

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2010

Authors

Alexandra Correia (Author) ICBAS; Ulrich Lermann (Author) Other; Luzia Teixeira (Author) ICBAS; Filipe Cerca (Author) Other; Sofia Botelho (Author) Other; Rui M. Gil da Costa (Author) FEUP; Paula Sampaio (Author) Other; Fatima Gärtner (Author) Other; Joachim Morschhäeuser (Author) Other; Manuel Vilanova (Author) ICBAS; Célia Pais (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Infection and Immunity

Vol. 78 No. 11

Pages: 4839-4849

ISSN: 0019-9567

Publisher: American Society for Microbiology

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 66 Citations

Scopus - 72 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Basic medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-1DS

DOI: 10.1128/iai.00248-10

Abstract (EN): Candida albicans secreted aspartyl proteinases (Saps) are considered virulence-associated factors. Several members of the Sap family were claimed to play a significant role in the progression of candidiasis established by the hematogenous route. This assumption was based on the observed attenuated virulence of sap-null mutant strains. However, the exclusive contribution of SAP genes to their attenuated phenotype was not unequivocally confirmed, as the Ura status of these mutant strains could also have contributed to the attenuation. In this study, we have reassessed the importance of SAP1 to SAP6 in a murine model of hematogenously disseminated candidiasis using sap-null mutant strains not affected in their URA3 gene expression and compared their virulence phenotypes with those of Ura-blaster sap mutants. The median survival time of BALB/c mice intravenously infected with a mutant strain lacking SAP1 to SAP3 was equivalent to that of mice infected with wild-type strain SC5314, while those infected with mutant strains lacking SAP5 showed slightly extended survival times. Nevertheless, no differences could be observed between the wild type and a Delta sap456 mutant in their abilities to invade mouse kidneys. Likewise, a deficiency in SAP4 to SAP6 had no noticeable impact on the immune response elicited in the spleens and kidneys of C. albicans-infected mice. These results contrast with the behavior of equivalent Ura-blaster mutants, which presented a significant reduction in virulence. Our results suggest that Sap1 to Sap6 do not play a significant role in C. albicans virulence in a murine model of hematogenously disseminated candidiasis and that, in this model, Sap1 to Sap3 are not necessary for successful C. albicans infection.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11