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Galleria mellonella lysozyme induces apoptotic changes in Candida albicans cells

Aneta Sowa-Jasiłek1, Agnieszka Zdybicka-Barabas1, Sylwia Stączek1

  • 1Department of Immunobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19 St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland.

Microbiological Research
|November 10, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Greater wax moth lysozyme directly targets Candida albicans cells, reducing survival. Its antifungal activity stems from inducing programmed cell death, not cell wall degradation.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • The greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) is a model host for studying Candida albicans virulence and antifungal drug efficacy.
  • Galleria mellonella lysozyme, a c-type lysozyme, possesses antibacterial and antifungal properties.
  • The precise mechanism underlying lysozyme's antifungal activity remains unclear, particularly compared to its well-understood bactericidal action.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanism of antifungal activity of Galleria mellonella lysozyme against Candida albicans.
  • To determine if lysozyme directly interacts with C. albicans cells and affects their viability.
  • To elucidate whether enzymatic degradation of fungal cell walls contributes to lysozyme's antifungal effect.

Main Methods:

  • Directly assessing the binding of G. mellonella lysozyme to intact C. albicans cells and protoplasts.
  • Measuring the impact of lysozyme on C. albicans survival rates over time.
  • Testing lysozyme activity against standard chitinase and β-glucanase substrates.
  • Investigating the role of potassium channels using tetraethylammonium (TEA) as a blocker.
  • Analyzing C. albicans cells for apoptotic markers after lysozyme treatment.

Main Results:

  • G. mellonella lysozyme binds to both intact C. albicans cells and protoplasts.
  • Lysozyme significantly reduces the survival rate of C. albicans in a time-dependent manner.
  • No enzymatic activity was detected against chitinase or β-glucanase substrates, ruling out cell wall hydrolysis as the primary mechanism.
  • Pre-treatment with tetraethylammonium blocked the fungicidal effect of lysozyme.
  • Lysozyme-treated C. albicans cells displayed hallmarks of apoptosis, including loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, phosphatidylserine externalization, chromatin condensation, and DNA fragmentation.

Conclusions:

  • Galleria mellonella lysozyme exerts antifungal effects against Candida albicans through a non-enzymatic mechanism.
  • The primary mechanism involves the induction of programmed cell death (apoptosis) in C. albicans.
  • Lysozyme's action is likely mediated through ion channels, suggesting a novel pathway for antifungal activity.
Keywords:
ApoptosisCandida albicansGalleria mellonellaLysozymePhosphatidylserine externalizationPotassium channels

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