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Published on: June 4, 2019
Dynamic expression of cell-surface antigens probed with Candida albicans-specific monoclonal antibodies
N Deslauriers1, J Michaud1, B Carré1
1Immunology Laboratory, Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Buccale (GREB), Faculty of Dental Medicine, Université Laval, Québec G1K 7P4, Canada.
Insights
Candida albicans switches between yeast and hyphal forms, altering its surface antigens. Researchers tracked these dynamic antigen changes using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to understand fungal development.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Candida albicans exhibits dimorphism, existing as yeast or hyphal forms.
- Cell-surface antigens play a role in fungal morphology and host interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the dynamic expression of Candida albicans cell-surface antigens during yeast-to-hyphal transition.
- To characterize phase-specific antigens using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).
Main Methods:
- Production of IgG hybridomas and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against C. albicans yeast and hyphal antigens.
- Immunostaining to analyze antigen expression during different growth phases and hyphal induction.
- Immunoblot analysis to determine the proteinaceous nature and molecular weight of antigens.
Main Results:
- Yeast antigens (5C11, 2E11) are expressed during yeast growth and early hyphal stages, while hyphal antigens (2G8, 4E1) appear later on longer hyphae.
- Galactose-induced hyphal growth alters antigen expression timing and synchronicity.
- Antigens are proteinaceous, with distinct molecular weights for yeast (68-104 kDa) and hyphal (104-117 kDa) forms.
Conclusions:
- Candida albicans displays a dynamic balance in phase-specific cell-surface antigen expression.
- Antigen expression is influenced by growth conditions (glucose vs. galactose) and morphology.
- Distinct protein profiles characterize yeast and hyphal surface antigens.
Abstract:
IgG hybridomas were produced with preferentially reacted with cell-surface antigens of either yeast cells or hyphae of Candida albicans. Four mAbs were used in an immunostaining procedure to follow the expression dynamics of these antigens in media supplemented with glucose or galactose. Yeast cell growth was analysed during the lag phase, the early- and late-exponential phases and the stationary phase, and mycelium formation was analysed between 0.5 and 24 h induction at 37 degrees C. It appears that yeast cell-surface antigens 5C11 and 2E11 are expressed throughout all phases of yeast cell growth as well as on young hyphae after up to 1 h induction. Longer hyphae only faintly react with these two mAbs as they switch to hyphal cell-surface antigens 2G8 and 4E1 after 3 h induction. The reactivity to mAbs 2G8 and 4E1 was induced after a 3 h temperature shift and was confined to the terminal third of growing mycelia. Growth and hyphae induction in galactose prolonged the reactivity of young hyphae with the two anti-yeast-cell mAbs, whereas the expression of surface antigens 2G8 and 2E11 appeared delayed and desynchronized on hyphae. Whereas a similar reactivity was found with ten ATCC strains of C. albicans, four clinical isolates had a unique pattern of reactivity. Immunoblot analyses of DTT extracts of cell-surface constituents indicated that the antigens were proteinaceous in nature and showed that yeast-cell antigens 5C11 and 2E11 are detected in four bands between 68 and 104 kDa, whereas mycelial antigens 4E1 and 2G8 are detected in 117 kDa and 104 kDa bands found in mycelial but not in yeast-cell extracts. Present data support the concept of a dynamic balance in the expression of phase-specific antigens in C. albicans.
