Cited by 96Antifungal resistance and susceptibilityinterferon and immune responsesReproductive tract infections research

Candida pathogens induce protective mitochondria-associated type I interferon signalling and a damage-driven response in vaginal epithelial cells

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Pekmezovic, Marina, Hovhannisyan, Hrant, Gresnigt, Mark S., Iracane, Elise, Oliveira-Pacheco, João, Siscar-Lewin, Sofía, Seemann, Eric, Qualmann, Britta +8 more·2021·Nature Microbiology

Abstract

Vaginal candidiasis is an extremely common disease predominantly caused by four phylogenetically diverse species: Candida albicans; Candida glabrata; Candida parapsilosis; and Candida tropicalis. Using a time course infection model of vaginal epithelial cells and dual RNA sequencing, we show that these species exhibit distinct pathogenicity patterns, which are defined by highly species-specific transcriptional profiles during infection of vaginal epithelial cells. In contrast, host cells exhibit a homogeneous response to all species at the early stages of infection, which is characterized by sublethal mitochondrial signalling inducing a protective type I interferon response. At the later stages, the transcriptional response of the host diverges in a species-dependent manner. This divergence is primarily driven by the extent of epithelial damage elicited by species-specific mechanisms, such as secretion of the toxin candidalysin by C. albicans. Our results uncover a dynamic, biphasic response of vaginal epithelial cells to Candida species, which is characterized by protective mitochondria-associated type I interferon signalling and a species-specific damage-driven response.

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Authors
Pekmezovic, M., Hovhannisyan, H., Gresnigt, M. S., Iracane, E., Oliveira-Pacheco, J., Siscar-Lewin, S., Seemann, E., Qualmann, B., Kalkreuter, T., Müller, S., Kamradt, T., Mogavero, S., Brunke, S., Butler, G., Gabaldón, T., & Hube, B.
Affiliations
  • Leibniz-Institut für Naturstoff-Forschung und Infektionsbiologie e. V. - Hans-Knöll-Institut (HKI) (DE)
  • Universitat Pompeu Fabra (ES)
  • University College Dublin (IE)
  • Jena University Hospital (DE)
  • Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ES)
Corresponding author
  • Gabaldón, Toni
  • Hube, Bernhard
Venue
Nature Microbiology
Published
2021-03-22
Volume
6
Issue
5
Pages
643-657
ISSN
2058-5276 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3138689869
Cited by
96
References
104
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 16
FWCI
5.08
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Microbiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Repositori digital de la UPF (Universitat Pompeu Fabra) (submittedVersion)
  • UPCommons institutional repository (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Antifungal resistance and susceptibility
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › interferon and immune responses
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Reproductive tract infections research
Keywords
vaginal candidiasis, Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis, vaginal epithelial cells, type I interferon signaling, mitochondrial signalling, candidalysin, epithelial damage, host-pathogen interaction, host transcriptional response
MeSH terms
Candida, Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal, Epithelial Cells, Female, Fungal Proteins, Humans, Interferon Type I, Mitochondria, Species Specificity, Vagina, Virulence

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