Immunological Features of Macrophages Induced by Various Morphological Structures of Candida albicans

• Published in: Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 23; no. 7; pp. 1031 - 1040
• Main Authors: Han, K.H., Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea, Park, S.J., Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea, Choi, S.J., Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea, Park, J.Y., Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea, Lee, K.H., Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Seoul Korean Society for Applied Microbiology 01.07.2013; 한국미생물·생명공학회
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; CANDIDA ALBICANS; Candida albicans - cytology; Candida albicans - immunology; Cells, Cultured; Cytokines - secretion; Flow Cytometry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Profiling; Hyphae - immunology; INTERLEUKINE; INTERLEUKINS; INTERLEUQUINAS; Macrophages, Peritoneal - immunology; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Phagocytosis; Receptors, Pattern Recognition - metabolism; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; TLR,dectin; 생물학; Fungi; Candida albicans; Yeast; dectin; Interleukin; Morphology; Cytokine; Fungi Imperfecti; TLR; Structure; Macrophage; interleukins
• ISSN: 1017-7825; 1738-8872
• DOI: 10.4014/jmb.1212.12030

Candida albicans is a dimorphic fungus that commensally colonizes human mucosal surfaces. The aim of this study was to assess the role of different C. albicans morphologies in inducing pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and cytokines in macrophages. Macrophages may respond to pathogen-associated molecular patterns via TLR2 and TLR4 by expressing cytokines. The hyphal transition of C. albicans was induced by 20% serum (S), RPMI-1640 (R), or 39oC culture (H). Macrophages were then challenged with either yeast (Y) or different hyphae cultures of C. albicans, followed by RT-PCR and FACS analysis of PRRs expression. In addition, macrophages were stimulated with either yeast or different hyphae cultures of C. albicans used by RT-PCR and Bio-Plex analysis of cytokines production. Macrophages expressed high levels of TLR4 and dectin-1 after stimulation with Y cells. In contrast, stimulation with H or R cells strongly increased the expression of TLR2 and dectin-2. Stimulation with Y cells significantly enhanced the expression of IL-1β and weakly increased the expression of IL-6 and IL-12. Stimulation with hyphal cells (S, R, and H) strongly increased IL-10 expression, but weakly reduced IL-1β expression. The phagocytosis activity and NO production of macrophages were decreased upon treatment with hyphal cells compared with yeast, and depended on the length of hyphae. In summary, the yeast and hyphae forms of C. albicans resulted in an induction of different PRRs, with accompanying differences in immune cell cytokine profiles.