Candida albicans: the estrogen target for vaginal colonization

¹Department of Surgery, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.

|August 23, 2005

Summary

Estradiol (E(2)) stimulates vaginal colonization by Candida albicans, but the exact mechanism remains unclear. This study shows that estradiol

Area of Science:

Background:

Estradiol (E(2)) is known to stimulate vaginal colonization by Candida albicans.
The cellular target for estrogenic modulation of this infection is not fully understood.
Both direct effects on yeast growth and indirect effects via vaginal epithelium changes are possible.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether estradiol directly affects Candida albicans or indirectly influences vaginal candidiasis.
To differentiate between direct and indirect estrogen actions using diethylstilbestrol (DES), which binds estrogen receptors but not the yeast's estrogen-binding protein (EBP).

Main Methods:

In vitro and in vivo experiments using an EBP-positive C. albicans strain.
Ligand-binding studies with estrogens and anti-estrogens on yeast and rat uterus EBP.
In vivo studies in ovariectomized rats treated with E(2) or DES before and after C. albicans inoculation.

Main Results:

The C. albicans isolate possessed a high-affinity EBP with no detectable affinity for DES.
Vaginal colonization by C. albicans was significantly higher (8.6-fold) with E(2) treatment compared to DES treatment.

Conclusions:

The mechanism of estrogen-sensitive vaginal colonization by C. albicans involves a functional interaction between the ligand and the yeast's EBP.
Estradiol's effect on vaginal candidiasis is mediated through its direct interaction with the yeast's estrogen-binding protein.

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