Abstract
Although the epidemiology of pathogenic Candida species is changing due to invasive diseases, Candida albicans has become the common cause of human infections worldwide. Candida albicans is a diploid yeast with a mostly clonal mode of reproduction and without known complete sexual cycle. This species has two heterozygous and homozygous strains at hyphal wall protein 1 gene locus (hwp1). Little is known about virulence factors of these strains. The aim of this study was to evaluate the exoenzyme activity of heterozygous and homozygous C. albicans strains. A total of 60 stock Candida albicans species isolates, which consisted of 30 homozygous and 30 heterozygous strains, were used for exoenzyme activities. We used egg yolk agar, Sabouraud blood agar, and bovine serum albumin agar for evaluation of phospholipase, hemolysin, and proteinase activity, respectively. Homozygous strains of Candida albicans had more phospholipase and proteinase activity than heterozygous strains. However, there were no significant statistical differences between the two strains in the severity of exoenzymes production. Beta hemolysin activity was seen in 100% and 96.7% of the homozygous and heterozygous strains, respectively. The results of this study indicated that both of the strains exhibited exoenzyme activities in different ranges. There were no significant statistical differences in virulence factors between the homozygous and heterozygous strains.
Highlights
Candida albicans is a commensal diploid organism and inhabits a variety of niches in human populations
The gene hyphal wall protein 1 (HWP1) is known to encode a major C. albicans protein involved in several functions, including assemblage of cell wall, intracellular signaling, and hyphal expansion by cross-linking to the glucans of cell wall [3, 4]
A total of 60 stocks of Candida albicans species consisting of 30 homozygous and 30 heterozygous strains, which were previously recovered from Candida vaginitis patients, were examined. ese two strains were identified as homozygous and heterozygous strains level by molecular method previously [13] and kept in −20°C condition. e isolates were subcultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar (Merck, Germany) before using
Summary
Candida albicans is a commensal diploid organism and inhabits a variety of niches in human populations. It becomes an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised patients and can cause a wide variety of infections, ranging from superficial to disseminated infections. Candida albicans is the common fungal pathogen and has advanced a range of assumed virulence factors that allow successful colonization and infection of the host under suitable predisposing conditions [1]. Expression of several genes, including ALS1, ALS3, ECE1, and HWP1, is required for systemic candidiasis [2]. Hwp promotes binding of Candida to epithelial cells, as the initial step of colonization and causes virulence in systemic candidiasis [4]. One of the most common kinds of candidiasis in women is Candida vaginitis and Candida
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