Interaction of Candida albicans with non-albicans Candida species using a Caenorhabditis elegans infection model

• Grant number: 13/22710-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Effective date (Start): June 16, 2014
• Effective date (End): August 15, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Juliana Campos Junqueira
• Grantee: Juliana Campos Junqueira
• Host Investigator: Eleftherios Mylonakis
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia (ICT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José dos Campos. São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Brown University, United States

Abstract

Ecological interactions established by microorganisms in nature have medical and environmental importance. The proper development of in vivo models to characterize these interactions is essential to understanding of infectious diseases and discovery of new therapeutic strategies. The objective of this study will evaluate the interactions of C. albicans with non-albicans Candida species in the experimental candidiasis using invertebrate model of C. elegans. Strains of C. albicans ATCC 18804, C. glabrata ATCC 90030 and C. krusei ATCC 6258 will be used in this study. Clinical strains isolated from oral cavity will also be included. C. elegans nematodes will be co-infected with the C. albicans-C. krusei and C. albicans-C. glabrata. C. elegans infected by single Candida species will be used as a control groups. After co-infecting C. elegans with these microorganisms, the development and establishment of experimental candidiasis will be evaluated by filamentation assay, survival rate, and measuring fungal colonization in the intestinal tract of C. elegans. The results obtained in filamentation and measuring fungal assays will be analysed by Student t test and the results from killing assay will be analysed by Log-rank test. (AU)