Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The influence of 17-beta-estradiol on the stress response of Candida albicans was studied. METHODS: The survival of clinical isolates of C. albicans treated with 17-beta-estradiol after heat and oxidative stress was measured by viable plate counts. Cellular proteins were analyzed via SDS-PAGE. RESULTS: The heat stress response induced by 17-beta-estradiol in C. albicans grown at 25 degrees C protected the organisms against the lethal temperature of 48.5 degrees C, as shown by viable plate counts. 17-beta-estradiol also enhanced protection of C. albicans against oxidative stress (menadione exposure). SDS-PAGE analysis of cytoplasmic extracts revealed proteins induced by 17-beta-estradiol were similar to those induced by heat. CONCLUSION: 17-beta-estradiol enhances survival of C. albicans under heat and oxidative stresses. The proteins induced by 17-beta-estradiol are probably heat shock proteins. Because heat shock proteins are considered to be virulence factors, 17-beta-estradiol may function to promote in vivo survival.
Highlights
17-[3-estradiol enhances survival of C. albicans under heat and oxidative stresses
To evaluate the effect of 17-13-estradiol on heat stress tolerance of C. albicans, cultures were grown the investigation of the intracellular proteins by means of SDS-PAGE
Candida is a frequent cause of vaginitis in pregnant women and, in a rat model, is dependent upon the presence of estrogen, lz Our laboratory has previously shown that 17-13-estradiol induces the yeast-to-hyphal transformation and increases colony size of C. albicans, 1,1 suggesting that 17-[3-estradiol could serve as an environmental cue that may upregulate the virulence factors of C. albicans
Summary
The heat stress response induced by 17.[3-estradiol in C. albicans grown at 25 C proteeted the organisms against the lethal temperature of 48.5 C, as shown by viable plate counts. 17-[3-estradiol enhanced protection of C. albicans against oxidative stress (menadione exposure). The heat stress response induced by 17.[3-estradiol in C. albicans grown at 25 C proteeted the organisms against the lethal temperature of 48.5 C, as shown by viable plate counts. 17-[3-estradiol enhanced protection of C. albicans against oxidative stress (menadione exposure). SDS-PAGE analysis of cytoplasmic extracts revealed proteins induced by 17-[3-estradiol were similar to those induced by heat
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