Studies in Adhesion of Candida albicans on Human Buccal Epithelial Cells

Abstract

Adhesion of microbe on host cell is the most important step in establishment of colonization, biofilm formation and infection. In the present study adhesion of C. albicans on Human Buccal Epithelial Cells (HBEC) was studied among HIV seropositive individuals in relation to increased candida colonization and formation of Oral Candidiasis (OC). A total of 274 HIV seropositive and 260 healthy HIV seronegative subjects were included in the study. The prevalence of OC in HIV seropositive individuals was 40.8% and 8.57% C. albicans strains obtained in HIV seropositive individuals were resistant to fluconazole. The adhesion was seen more with both HBEC and C. albicans isolates obtained from HIV group. Biochemical studies on cell wall protein profiling of candida and HBEC showed importance of lectin-carbohydrate type of mechanisms in candida adhesion to HBEC. Lectin blotting of cell wall proteins using various lectins showed expression of extra bands in C. albicans isolates obtained from HIV seropositive group. Thus indicating possible glycosylation of the cell wall proteins and due to which enhancement of host parasite interactions occur. Physicochemical properties of the cell like cell surface hydrophobicity, cell surface charges, zeta potentials were been analyzed for their role in adhesion. The biochemical functional groups present on candidal cell wall and epithelial cell wall during adhesion and free conditions were analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy. Emergence of newer bands during the cell adhesion was noticed and discussed. Nanotechnological approaches on adhesion research using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) also attempted. Adhesion inhibition tried using few surfactants, fluconazole, plant extracts. Neem, tea tree oil, lemon grass extracts, Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS); are found to be successful candidates in effectively inhibiting the adhesion. A few important findings were also observed here which can help to perceive future research in this field.