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Updated: Aug 7, 2025

An Ex vivo Assay to Study Candida albicans Hyphal Morphogenesis in the Gastrointestinal Tract
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When Is It Appropriate to Take Off the Mask? Signaling Pathways That Regulate ß(1,3)-Glucan Exposure in Candida

Tian Chen1, Andrew S Wagner2, Todd B Reynolds2

  • 1Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China.

Frontiers in Fungal Biology
|March 13, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Candida infections pose risks to immunocompromised individuals. This review explores how exposing fungal beta-(1,3)-glucan on the cell wall can enhance immune detection and improve antifungal strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Immunology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Candida species cause significant infections, particularly in immunocompromised populations.
  • Current antifungal drugs face limitations due to resistance and toxicity.
  • The Candida albicans cell wall, especially beta-(1,3)-glucan, is a promising therapeutic target for enhancing host immune responses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the medical significance of beta-(1,3)-glucan exposure in antifungal immunity.
  • To identify environmental stimuli and host-related stressors that trigger changes in surface-exposed beta-(1,3)-glucan.
  • To elucidate the role of signal transduction pathways in regulating beta-(1,3)-glucan exposure.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on Candida cell wall biology and host-pathogen interactions.
  • Analysis of studies investigating the immunogenicity of beta-(1,3)-glucan.
  • Examination of research on pattern recognition receptors (e.g., dectin-1, CR3, EphA2) involved in fungal recognition.
  • Review of signaling pathways that modulate fungal cell wall composition.

Main Results:

  • Beta-(1,3)-glucan is a key immunogenic component of the fungal cell wall, recognized by host receptors.
  • Surface exposure of beta-(1,3)-glucan is normally masked by glycosylated proteins.
  • Host environmental factors and stressors can induce the unmasking of beta-(1,3)-glucan.
  • Signal transduction cascades play a critical role in regulating this unmasking process.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the mechanisms of beta-(1,3)-glucan unmasking is crucial for developing novel antifungal therapies.
  • Targeting pathways that control cell wall exposure could enhance immune surveillance against Candida infections.
  • Future therapeutic strategies may involve manipulating fungal cell wall properties to improve host-derived immunity.
Keywords:
CandidaMAP kinasecell wallsignal transductionunmaskingß-glucan

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