Correlation Between
            <i>Candida Albicans</i>
            Biofilm Formation and Invasion of the Invertebrate Host
            <i>Galleria Mellonella</i>

Borghi, Elisa; Romagnoli, Solange; Fuchs, Beth Burgwyn; Cirasola, Daniela; Perdoni, Federica; Tosi, Delfina; Braidotti, Paola; Bulfamante, Gaetano; Morace, Giulia; Mylonakis, Eleftherios

doi:10.2217/fmb.13.159

Cited by 29 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…In vivo analysis revealed larvae inoculated with C. albicans alone exhib-ited fungal biofilms in tissues with widespread visceral invasion by fungal filaments and the formation of large melanized nodules. In addition, fungal biofilms were commonly observed in vital organs (gastrointestinal tract and trachea); in line with previous findings by Borghi et al (33). In contrast, in larvae inoculated with C. albicans plus ACh, only yeast cells or stubby hyphae were observed.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Acetylcholine Protects against Candida albicans Infection by Inhibiting Biofilm Formation and Promoting Hemocyte Function in a Galleria mellonella Infection Model

et al. 2015

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dBoth neuronal acetylcholine and nonneuronal acetylcholine have been demonstrated to modulate inflammatory responses. Studies investigating the role of acetylcholine in the pathogenesis of bacterial infections have revealed contradictory findings with regard to disease outcome. At present, the role of acetylcholine in the pathogenesis of fungal infections is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether acetylcholine plays a role in fungal biofilm formation and the pathogenesis of Candida albicans infection. The effect of acetylcholine on C. albicans biofilm formation and metabolism in vitro was assessed using a crystal violet assay and phenotypic microarray analysis. Its effect on the outcome of a C. albicans infection, fungal burden, and biofilm formation were investigated in vivo using a Galleria mellonella infection model. In addition, its effect on modulation of host immunity to C. albicans infection was also determined in vivo using hemocyte counts, cytospin analysis, larval histology, lysozyme assays, hemolytic assays, and real-time PCR. Acetylcholine was shown to have the ability to inhibit C. albicans biofilm formation in vitro and in vivo. In addition, acetylcholine protected G. mellonella larvae from C. albicans infection mortality. The in vivo protection occurred through acetylcholine enhancing the function of hemocytes while at the same time inhibiting C. albicans biofilm formation. Furthermore, acetylcholine also inhibited inflammation-induced damage to internal organs. This is the first demonstration of a role for acetylcholine in protection against fungal infections, in addition to being the first report that this molecule can inhibit C. albicans biofilm formation. Therefore, acetylcholine has the capacity to modulate complex host-fungal interactions and plays a role in dictating the pathogenesis of fungal infections.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Acetylcholine Protects against Candida albicans Infection by Inhibiting Biofilm Formation and Promoting Hemocyte Function in a Galleria mellonella Infection Model

et al. 2015

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“…2 G. mellonella has since been used as a model to distinguish between the virulence of different strains of fungi 2,3 and their relative virulence at 30 C and 37 C. 4 G. mellonella has also been useful to identify virulence determinants by screening for attenuation of mutants. The results of these studies correlate well with studies performed in mice as well as data from infected humans.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As well as studying virulence in C. albicans 12-15 the larvae have been used as a model to study tissue invasion capabilities between biofilm producing and non-producing isolates, 3 the role of the filamentation phenotype in virulence 16 and as a model to screen for efficacy of antifungal compounds. 4,17 G. mellonella to study virus…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Galleria mellonellaas a model host for microbiological and toxin research

2016

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Mammals are widely used by microbiologists as a model host species to study infectious diseases of humans and domesticated livestock. These studies have been pivotal for our understanding of mechanisms of virulence and have allowed the development of diagnostics, pre-treatments and therapies for disease. However, over the past decade we have seen efforts to identify organisms which can be used as alternatives to mammals for these studies. The drivers for this are complex and multifactorial and include cost, ethical and scientific considerations. Galleria mellonella have been used as an alternative infection model since the 1980s and its utility for the study of bacterial disease and antimicrobial discovery was recently comprehensively reviewed. The wider applications of G. mellonella as a model host, including its susceptibility to 29 species of fungi, 7 viruses, 1 species of parasite and 16 biological toxins, are described in this perspective. In addition, the latest developments in the standardisation of G. mellonella larvae for research purposes has been reviewed.

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“…18 In addition, C. albicans produces filaments and can form a biofilm structure inside the G. mellonella larvae that are useful tools in evaluating the pathogenicity of C. albicans and new antifungal therapies. 24 So far, no studies have used G. mellonella to evaluate the effects of probiotic bacteria on experimental infection, which would permit to standardize an in vivo model for future studies on the antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activity of probiotics in experimental candidiasis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 inhibits biofilm formation by C. albicans and attenuates the experimental candidiasis in Galleria mellonella

et al. 2015

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(2015) Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 inhibits biofilm formation by C.albicans and attenuates the experimental candidiasis in Galleriamellonella, Virulence, 6:1, 29-39, DOI: 10.4161/21505594.2014 Probiotic strains of Lactobacillus have been studied for their inhibitory effects on Candida albicans. However, few studies have investigated the effect of these strains on biofilm formation, filamentation and C. albicans infection. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 on C. albicans ATCC 18804 using in vitro and in vivo models. In vitro analysis evaluated the effects of L. acidophilus on the biofilm formation and on the capacity of C. albicans filamentation. For in vivo study, Galleria mellonella was used as an infection model to evaluate the effects of L. acidophilus on candidiasis by survival analysis, quantification of C. albicans CFU/mL, and histological analysis. The direct effects of L. acidophilus cells on C. albicans, as well as the indirect effects using only a Lactobacillus culture filtrate, were evaluated in both tests. The in vitro results showed that both L. acidophilus cells and filtrate were able to inhibit C. albicans biofilm formation and filamentation. In the in vivo study, injection of L. acidophilus into G. mellonella larvae infected with C. albicans increased the survival of these animals. Furthermore, the number of C. albicans CFU/mL recovered from the larval hemolymph was lower in the group inoculated with L. acidophilus compared to the control group. In conclusion, L. acidophilus ATCC 4356 inhibited in vitro biofilm formation by C. albicans and protected G. mellonella against experimental candidiasis in vivo.

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Correlation Between Candida Albicans Biofilm Formation and Invasion of the Invertebrate Host Galleria Mellonella

Abstract: The histological results demonstrate that the production of biofilm could enhance the invasiveness of C. albicans.

Cited by 29 publications

References 34 publications

Acetylcholine Protects against Candida albicans Infection by Inhibiting Biofilm Formation and Promoting Hemocyte Function in a Galleria mellonella Infection Model

Acetylcholine Protects against Candida albicans Infection by Inhibiting Biofilm Formation and Promoting Hemocyte Function in a Galleria mellonella Infection Model

Galleria mellonellaas a model host for microbiological and toxin research

Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 inhibits biofilm formation by C. albicans and attenuates the experimental candidiasis in Galleria mellonella

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