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Published on: January 27, 2015
Interactions between Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis in an Organotypic Oral Epithelial Model
Akshaya Lakshmi Krishnamoorthy1,2, Alex A Lemus3, Adline Princy Solomon2
1Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.
Abstract:
Candida albicans as an opportunistic pathogen exploits the host immune system and causes a variety of life-threatening infections. The polymorphic nature of this fungus gives it tremendous advantage to breach mucosal barriers and cause oral and disseminated infections. Similar to C. albicans, Enterococcus faecalis is a major opportunistic pathogen, which is of critical concern in immunocompromised patients. There is increasing evidence that E. faecalis co-exists with C. albicans in the human body in disease samples. While the interactive profiles between these two organisms have been studied on abiotic substrates and mouse models, studies on their interactions on human oral mucosal surfaces are non-existent. Here, for the first time, we comprehensively characterized the interactive profiles between laboratory and clinical isolates of C. albicans (SC5314 and BF1) and E. faecalis (OG1RF and P52S) on an organotypic oral mucosal model. Our results demonstrated that the dual species biofilms resulted in profound surface erosion and significantly increased microbial invasion into mucosal compartments, compared to either species alone. Notably, several genes of C. albicans involved in tissue adhesion, hyphal formation, fungal invasion, and biofilm formation were significantly upregulated in the presence of E. faecalis. By contrast, E. faecalis genes involved in quorum sensing, biofilm formation, virulence, and mammalian cell invasion were downregulated. This study highlights the synergistic cross-kingdom interactions between E. faecalis and C. albicans in mucosal tissue invasion.
Insights
Interactions between Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis on oral mucosa increase tissue invasion. This study reveals synergistic cross-kingdom interactions, impacting virulence gene expression in both opportunistic pathogens.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Oral Biology
Background:
- Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis are opportunistic pathogens causing severe infections, especially in immunocompromised individuals.
- These microbes frequently co-exist in disease samples, but their interactions on human oral surfaces remain understudied.
- Understanding these interactions is crucial for developing targeted therapies against polymicrobial infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interactive profiles of Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis on an organotypic human oral mucosal model.
- To characterize the impact of dual-species biofilms on mucosal integrity and microbial invasion.
- To analyze gene expression changes in both species during co-infection.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an organotypic oral mucosal model to simulate human oral surfaces.
- Co-cultured laboratory and clinical isolates of Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis.
- Assessed biofilm formation, surface erosion, and microbial invasion using microscopy and molecular techniques.
Main Results:
- Dual-species biofilms significantly increased surface erosion and mucosal invasion compared to single-species biofilms.
- Candida albicans exhibited upregulated genes related to adhesion, hyphal formation, invasion, and biofilm development.
- Enterococcus faecalis showed downregulated genes associated with quorum sensing, biofilm formation, virulence, and invasion.
Conclusions:
- Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis exhibit synergistic interactions on oral mucosal surfaces, enhancing tissue invasion.
- These cross-kingdom interactions lead to significant alterations in virulence gene expression for both pathogens.
- The findings provide critical insights into polymicrobial pathogenesis and potential therapeutic strategies.
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