Author(s):
Ferreira, C. ; Gonçalves, Bruna ; Boas, Diana Patrícia Andrade Vilas ; Oliveira, Hugo ; Henriques, Mariana ; Azeredo, Joana ; Silva, Sónia Carina
Date: 2016
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/1822/47429
Origin: RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
Project/scholarship:
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/5876-PPCDTI/120495/PT
;
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/COMPETE/120495/PT;
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/5876-PPCDTI/126270/PT
;
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/COMPETE/126270/PT;
Subject(s): Candida tropicalis; biofilm; human vaginal epithelium; pH; Science & Technology
Description
Objective: The main goal of this study was to investigate the role of pH on Candida tropicalis virulence determinants, namely the ability to form biofilms and to colonize/invade reconstituted human vaginal epithelia. Methods: Biofilm formation was evaluated by enumeration of cultivable cells, total biomass quantification and structural analysis by scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Candida tropicalis human vaginal epithelium colonization and invasiveness were examined qualitatively by epifluorescence microscopy and quantitatively by a novel quantitative real-time PCR protocol for Candida quantification in tissues. Results: The results revealed that environmental pH influences C. tropicalis biofilm formation as well as the colonization and potential to invade human epithelium with intensification at neutral and alkaline conditions compared to acidic conditions. Conclusions: For the first time, we have demonstrated that C. tropicalis biofilm formation and invasion is highly influenced by environmental pH.
We would like to thank Mrs Lucília Goreti Pinto for processing and sectioning tissue samples. The authors acknowledge Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal, for supporting Sonia Silva (SFRH/BPDT/111645/2015). This study was also supported by the Programa Operacional, Fatores de competitividade– COMPETE and by national funds through FCT –Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia on the scope of the projects FCT PTDC/EBB-EBI/120495/2010 and RECI/EBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462).
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
