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Host Cell Geometry and Cytoskeletal Organization Governs Candida-Host Cell Interactions at the Nanoscale

Easter Ndlovu1, Lucas Malpartida2, Taranum Sultana1

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina S4S 0A2, Saskatchewan, Canada.

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|October 27, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Candida fungi adhere more strongly to cancer cells than healthy cells. This increased adhesion is linked to cancer cells

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • * *Candida* species are opportunistic fungal pathogens causing candidiasis, particularly in immunocompromised individuals.
  • * Host cell adhesion is crucial for *Candida* pathogenesis and parasitic survival.
  • * Cancer cells exhibit distinct mechanical properties (adhesiveness, viscoelasticity) influencing invasion and migration.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To investigate the adhesion mechanisms between *Candida* and both cancerous and noncancerous human cell lines.
  • * To correlate host cell mechanobiological properties with the degree of *Candida* adhesion.
  • * To explore the role of cytoskeletal organization in host-pathogen interactions.

Main Methods:

  • * Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) in single-cell force spectroscopy mode.
  • * Probing the interaction forces between *Candida* species and human cell lines (cancerous vs. noncancerous).

Main Results:

  • * Significant adhesion observed between *Candida* and human cells.
  • * Greater adhesion occurred between *Candida* and cancerous cell lines compared to noncancerous ones.
  • * Increased adhesion correlated with cancer cells' disorganized cytoskeleton and reduced rigidity.

Conclusions:

  • * *Candida* adhesion is significantly influenced by the mechanobiological properties of host cells.
  • * Cancer cells' altered mechanical properties, including cytoskeletal disorganization, promote enhanced fungal adhesion.
  • * Manipulating host cell mechanical properties presents a potential therapeutic avenue for candidiasis.
Keywords:
adhesion forcecancerous vs noncancerouscytoskeleton organizationhost–pathogen interactionmicrocontact patterningsingle-cell force spectroscopy

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