Fungal Invasion of Normally Non-Phagocytic Host Cells

Candida albicans Triggers Activation of Distinct Signaling Pathways to Establish a Proinflammatory Gene Expression Program in Primary Human Endothelial Cells

“…Prominent target cells of Candida infection are ECs, which play a pivotal role in the early immune response during candidemia and invasive fungal infection as well as during sepsis. In such situations, Candida adheres to and invades the endothelium resulting in cellular activation and injury (2)(3)(4)6). Using microarray analysis of human primary ECs, we identified 56 genes that were significantly up-regulated and 69 endothelial genes that were significantly suppressed upon coculture of HUVEC with C. albicans blastospores.…”

“…In disseminated candidiasis, Candida adheres to and penetrates the endothelium resulting in cellular activation, injury, and eventually cell death (2)(3)(4)(5). Increasing evidence points to a complex cooperation of different pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) 3 in the host innate immune response to fungal pathogens that not only depend on species and morphotype but also on the route of infection (6,7). Recently, the mechanism of C. albicans recognition by murine macrophages has been elucidated.…”

Decreased expression of 14-3-3 inParacoccidioides brasiliensisconfirms its involvement in fungal pathogenesis

“…[7][8][9][10] The pathogen uses a large repertoire of surface molecules, specifically adhesins, that can bind to the extracellular matrix (ECM) of various cell types in the host, inducing endocytosis in normally non-phagocytic cells (epithelial and endothelial cells) during the invasion process. 11,12 This interaction with the ECM has been correlated with the processes of adhesion and invasion. The ECM is composed of components such as collagen, laminin, fibronectin, vitronectin and proteoglycans, which participate in the regulation of physiological processes including cell migration, signaling and the transport of solutes across cellular barriers.…”

Host Cell Invasion by Medically Important Fungi

“…After invading endothelial cells from their abluminal side, hyphae can then traverse the cell to gain access to the vascular compartment (Kamai et al 2009). Once in the vascular compartment, hyphal fragments can disseminate to distal sites where they are believed to adhere to and invade vascular endothelial cells from the luminal side before penetrating further into other deep tissues such as the brain (Filler and Sheppard 2006 Kamai et al 2009). In contrast, during abluminal infections, endothelial pseudopods are not formed, and the degree of actin polymerization around invading hyphae is significantly lower and more loosely organized, suggesting that invasion may be occurring via active penetration (Kamai et al 2009).…”