Candida albicans resistance to hypochlorous acid

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), commonly known as bleach, is generated during the respiratory burst by phagocytes and is a key weapon used to attack Candida albicans and other microbial pathogens. However, the effects of hypochlorous acid on C. albicans have been less well studied than H₂O₂, a different type of oxidant produced by phagocytes. HOCl kills C. albicans more effectively than H₂O₂ and results in disruption of the plasma membrane. HOCl induced a very different transcriptional response than H₂O₂, and there were significant differences in the susceptibility of mutant strains of C. albicans to these oxidants. Altogether, these results indicate that HOCl has distinct effects on cells that could be targeted in novel therapeutic strategies to enhance the killing of C. albicans and other pathogens.