Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 2026

An Ex vivo Assay to Study Candida albicans Hyphal Morphogenesis in the Gastrointestinal Tract
07:42

An Ex vivo Assay to Study Candida albicans Hyphal Morphogenesis in the Gastrointestinal Tract

Published on: July 1, 2020

The iC3b receptor of Candida albicans and its roles in pathogenesis

Margaret K Hostetter1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, LMP 4085, P.O. Box 208064, New Haven, CT 06520-8064, USA. margaret.hostetter@yale.edu

Vaccine
|April 24, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Candida albicans possesses a cell wall receptor for iC3b, similar to integrins. This receptor, encoded by the INT1 gene, is crucial for fungal adhesion, hyphal growth, and virulence in mice.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Immunology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen.
  • Understanding fungal cell wall components is vital for developing anti-fungal strategies.
  • Integrins play roles in cellular adhesion and immune responses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To define a receptor for iC3b on Candida albicans.
  • To investigate the function of the INT1 gene and its encoded protein (Int1).
  • To explore the role of Int1 in fungal adhesion, morphogenesis, and virulence.

Main Methods:

  • Biochemical and immunologic studies were performed.
  • The INT1 gene and its encoded protein were analyzed.
  • In vitro and in vivo models, including a murine model, were used.

Main Results:

  • A receptor for iC3b was identified on the Candida albicans cell wall, exhibiting similarities to integrins CD11b and CD11c.
  • The INT1 gene encodes a 1659-amino acid protein (Int1) essential for epithelial cell adhesion.
  • Int1 is critical for hyphal morphogenesis and virulence in a murine model.
  • A peptide (Pep263) derived from the Int1 amino terminus exhibits superantigen-like activities.

Conclusions:

  • Candida albicans utilizes a cell wall receptor for iC3b, functionally related to integrins.
  • The Int1 protein is a key factor in fungal adhesion, hyphal development, and pathogenicity.
  • The discovery of Pep263 suggests novel mechanisms of immune modulation by Candida albicans.

More Related Videos

A Catheter-Related Candida albicans Infection Model in Mouse03:24

A Catheter-Related Candida albicans Infection Model in Mouse

Published on: March 22, 2024

Bio-energetics Investigation of Candida albicans Using Real-time Extracellular Flux Analysis08:48

Bio-energetics Investigation of Candida albicans Using Real-time Extracellular Flux Analysis

Published on: March 19, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Candidiasis01:20

Candidiasis

Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by opportunistic species of Candida. It can affect various anatomical sites, including the skin, oral cavity, nails, and genitourinary tract. Among its forms, vaginal candidiasis is the most common type of mucosal infection. It typically results from the overgrowth of Candida albicans in the vaginal mucosa. Under normal conditions, C. albicans exists as a commensal organism within the vaginal microbiota, regulated by the dominance of lactobacilli, which...
Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules01:31

Immunoglobulin-like Cell Adhesion Molecules

Immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecules or Ig-CAMs are a versatile group of cell surface glycoproteins belonging to the immunoglobulin protein superfamily. Ig-CAMs possess the characteristic immunoglobulin protein domains and other domains such as the fibronectin type III domain. The Ig domains are glycosylated to varying degrees in different Ig-CAMs.
Ig-CAMs exhibit either homophilic binding (to other Ig-CAMs) or heterophilic binding (to other ligands such as integrins). While most Ig-CAMs...
Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal Agents

Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease01:25

Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease

Crohn’s disease is a chronic, relapsing form of inflammatory bowel disease characterized by segmental, transmural inflammation that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Its pathogenesis arises from a combination of genetic susceptibility, environmental exposures, epithelial barrier dysfunction, and immune dysregulation. Together, these factors lead to an exaggerated immune response against components of the gut microbiome.Genetic and Environmental InfluencesMultiple genetic...