Investigation of development and progression mechanism of oral candidiasis

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K11702
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Surgical dentistry
• Research Institution: Tokyo Dental College
• Principal Investigator: Shibayama Kazuko 東京歯科大学, 歯学部, 講師 (60408317)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 石原 和幸 東京歯科大学, 歯学部, 教授 (00212910) ; 柴原 孝彦 東京歯科大学, 歯学部, 教授 (50178919)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-10-21 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: Candida albicans / 口腔カンジダ症 / 病原性 / バイオフィルム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Surface antigen protein 2 (Csa2) is a member of the Candida albicans Common in Fungal Extracellular Membranes protein superfamily and we established its role in iron acquisition in this organism. To clarify further roles of Csa2, we compared growth, morphological transition, and biofilm formation among wild-type, Csa2-mutant, and complemented strains of C. albicans. Deletion of the Csa2 gene resulted in smaller and reduced colony growth, significant attenuation of the dimorphic transition under serum-inducing conditions, and reduced biofilm formation; complementation restored these levels to those of the wild-type. Our findings demonstrated that Csa2 participated in yeast-to-hyphae morphological switching under serum-inducing conditions and contributed to the biofilm formation of C. albicans. This work provided novel insights into the potential roles of Csa2 in virulence of C. albicans.

Free Research Field

口腔微生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

カンジダ・アルビカンスは多くの健常者より検出される常在性真菌であるが、防御機構に異常をもつ宿主に対しては真菌症を引き起こし、口腔咽頭カンジダ症を含む重篤な症状を呈する。本菌は、環境に適応して菌糸形になり菌糸を伸ばすことによって強い病原性を発揮し、粘膜下組織まで達し重篤化する。研究で明らかにした本菌の生体内増殖機構は、真菌の病原性の包括的理解と予防法および新規治療法確立への新たな基盤となるものである。