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Oxidative stress response and virulence factors in Candida glabrata clinical isolates

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Abstract

We determined the susceptibility to oxidative stress and assessed the four virulence factors of the 38 Candida glabrata clinical isolates originating from two teaching hospitals in Slovakia. All the isolates were susceptible to hydrogen peroxide, diamide, and 7-chlorotetrazolo[5,1-c]benzo[1,2,4]triazine (CTBT) inducing an increased formation of reactive oxygen species in fungal cells. The mean relative cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) of isolates was 21.9, ranging from 1.92 to 56.96. All isolates showed biofilm formation. A high biofilm formation was observed among 60.5% of isolates. Positive correlations were observed between biofilm formation and moderate values of CSHs. The 76.3% and 84.2% of isolates displayed varying degrees of proteinase and phospholipase activity, respectively. These results demonstrate a differential distribution of factors contributing to virulence of C. glabrata clinical isolates and point to their significance in pathogenesis that would be targeted by novel antifungals.

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Abbreviations

CSH:

Cell surface hydrophobicity

CTBT:

7-Chlorotetrazolo[5,1-c]benzo[1,2,4]triazine

CV:

Crystal violet

PBS:

Phosphate-buffered saline

XTT:

2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide

YNB:

Glucose minimal medium

YPD:

Glucose-rich medium

YPGE:

Glycerol-rich medium

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants of the Slovak Research and Developmental Agency (VVCE-0064-07-04, LPP-0022-06, LPP-0011-07, APVV-0282-10) and the Slovak Grant Agency of Science (VEGA 1/0001/09).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia

    N. Berila, P. Hyroššová & J. Šubík

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  1. N. Berila
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  2. P. Hyroššová
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  3. J. Šubík
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Correspondence to J. Šubík.

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Berila, N., Hyroššová, P. & Šubík, J. Oxidative stress response and virulence factors in Candida glabrata clinical isolates. Folia Microbiol 56, 116–121 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-011-0016-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-011-0016-2

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