Regulation of virulence in fungi under coculture condition with anaerobic bacteria

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K07009
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 49050:Bacteriology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka Metropolitan University (2022-2023); Osaka City University (2021)
• Principal Investigator: Niki Mamiko 大阪公立大学, 大学院医学研究科, 准教授 (20438229)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 坪内 泰志 大阪公立大学, 大学院医学研究科, 准教授 (30442990)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: Candida albicans / バイオフィルム / 嫌気性菌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The culture supernatant of the Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) was found to induce mycelial and biofilm formation of Candida albicans (Ca). It was also revealed that Ca treated with Pg culture supernatant induced epithelial cell damage and showed increased drug resistance, while the production of protease, one of the virulence factors of Ca, was suppressed.We also found that farnesol, an anti-biofilm quorum sensing (QS) molecule of Ca, did not inhibit biofilm formation induced by Pg culture supernatant. In addition, it was shown that autoinducer-2, known as a QS molecule of Pg, was not involved in the induction of Ca biofilm formation. By solvent extraction and molecular weight fractionation, it was confirmed that this activity is caused by a highly polar and low molecular weight molecule in the culture supernatant.

Free Research Field

細菌学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

カンジダ症の難治化にはバイオフィルム形成による菌の感染部位への定着および薬剤抵抗性の獲得が寄与していると考えられる。口腔内常在嫌気性菌によるC. albicansバイオフィルム形成促進メカニズムの解明により、口腔カンジダ症の治療および予防法開発の一助となると考える。また、P. gingivalis とC. albicans 間のクオラムセンシング機構は報告がなく、相互作用解析により新たな異種間クオラムセンシングメカニズムの解明につながる可能性が期待される。