Candida Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Candida, including details on thrush infections, yeast, diet, treatment, symptoms.

Immunological reactivity of blood from healthy humans to the rAls3p-N vaccine protein.

Baquir B, Lin L, Ibrahim AS, Fu Y, Avanesian V, Tu A, Edwards J, Spellberg B

Divisions of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, Harbor-University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center, USA.

We determined reactivity of human blood to a vaccine based on the recombinant N-terminus of candidal Als3p (rAls3p-N) in preparation for future clinical trials. Healthy donor plasma had high immunoglobulin G titers (median, 1:51,200) and lower immunoglobulin A (median, 1:3,200) and immunoglobulin E (median, 1:128) titers to rAls3p-N by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. rAls3p-N stimulated interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin (IL)-17, but not IL-4, from donor lymphocytes by enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay and IL-12 p70, IFN-gamma, IL-17, and IL-10 by cytometric bead array. Donors reacted to diverse immunodominant epitopes. Thus, facile humoral and cellular assays can monitor immune responses to the rAls3p-N vaccine in planned clinical trials.

Published 11 January 2010 in J Infect Dis, 201(3): 473-7.
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Articles on Candida published 23 December 2009:

The vacuole-targeting fungicidal activity of amphotericin B against the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans and its enhancement by allicin.   J Antibiot (Tokyo), 62(12): 691-7.

In this study, the vacuole disruptive activity was evaluated as a cause of amphotericin B (AmB) lethality against the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans in terms of its enhancement by allicin, an allyl-sulfur compound from garlic. Vacuole disruption was observed in parallel to AmB-induced cell death when the antibiotic was used at a lethal concentration and at a non-lethal concentration in combination with allicin. Allicin did not enhance AmB-induced cell death and the accompanying vacuole ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Candida albicans releases soluble factors that potentiate cytokine production by human cells through a protease-activated receptor 1- and 2-independent pathway.   Infect Immun, 78(1): 393-9.

The innate immune system recognizes pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) through pattern recognition receptors (PRR) and transduces downstream signaling to activate the host defense. Here we report that in addition to direct PAMP-PRR interactions, live Candida albicans cells can release soluble factors to actively potentiate interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8 production induced in human mononuclear cells by the fungi. Although protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) and PAR2 ligation can ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Candida published 22 December 2009:

New tools at the Candida Genome Database: biochemical pathways and full-text literature search.   Nucleic Acids Res, 38: D428-32.

The Candida Genome Database (CGD, http://www.candidagenome.org/) provides online access to genomic sequence data and manually curated functional information about genes and proteins of the human pathogen Candida albicans. Herein, we describe two recently added features, Candida Biochemical Pathways and the Textpresso full-text literature search tool. The Biochemical Pathways tool provides visualization of metabolic pathways and analysis tools that facilitate interpretation of experimental data, ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Candida published 3 December 2009:

Synthesis of new linear guanidines and macrocyclic amidinourea derivatives endowed with high antifungal activity against Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp.   J Med Chem, 52(23): 7376-9.

New linear and cyclic guanidines were synthesized and tested in vitro for their antifungal activity toward clinically relevant strains of Candida species, in comparison to fluconazole. Macrocyclic compounds showed a minimum inhibitory concentration in the micromolar range and a biological activity profile in some cases better than that of fluconazole. One macrocyclic derivative was also tested against Aspergillus species and showed high antifungal activity comparable to that of amphotericin B ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Candida published 30 November 2009:

The yeast Candida albicans evades human complement attack by secretion of aspartic proteases.   Mol Immunol, 47(2): 465-75.

Candida albicans, which represents one of the most important human pathogenic yeasts, is directly attacked by the host innate immune system upon infection. However this pathogen has developed multiple strategies to escape host immune defense. Here, we show that C. albicans secreted proteases interfere and inactivate host innate immune effector components, such as complement proteins. Secreted aspartic proteases (Saps) in the culture supernatant of C. albicans cells and also recombinant Sap1, ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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The pathogenic yeast Candida albicans utilizes human complement regulators, like Factor H and Factor H like protein-1 (FHL-1) for immune evasion. By screening a C. albicans cDNA expression library, we identified the pH-regulated antigen 1 (Pra1) as a novel Factor H and FHL-1 binding protein. Consequently Pra1 was recombinantly expressed in Pichia pastoris and purified from culture supernatant. Recombinant Pra1 binds Factor H, FHL-1 and also plasminogen. Attached to Pra1, the three human ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Candida published 25 November 2009:

Emerging role of Candida in deep sternal wound infection.   Ann Thorac Surg, 88(6): 1905-9.

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Articles on Candida published 20 November 2009:

Soft X-ray tomography of phenotypic switching and the cellular response to antifungal peptoids in Candida albicans.   Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 106(46): 19375-80.

The opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans can undergo phenotypic switching between a benign, unicellular phenotype and an invasive, multicellular form that causes candidiasis. Increasingly, strains of Candida are becoming resistant to antifungal drugs, making the treatment of candidiasis difficult, especially in immunocompromised or critically ill patients. Consequently, there is a pressing need to develop new drugs that circumvent fungal drug-resistance mechanisms. In this work we used soft ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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