Cell damage caused by vaginal Candida albicans isolates from women with different symptomatologies

• DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000547
• Publication Date: 2017-08-03T15:12:49Z
• Authors: Daniella Renata F...; Karina Mayumi Sakita; Luciene Setsuko A...; Érika Seki Kioshima; Terezinha Inez Es...; Patrícia de Souza...
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; Cell Death; Cell Line, Tumor; Candida albicans; Vagina; Humans; Female; Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal; 3. Good health

The present study aimed to characterize cell damage caused by vaginal Candida albicans isolates from women with different symptomatologies. It was evaluated 12 clinical isolates of C. albicans from vaginal samples: 4 from asymptomatic women (AS), 4 from women with a single episode of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and 4 from women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC). We evaluated the ability of C. albicans to adhere to human cervical cancer cells (SiHa), the yeast-SiHa cell interactions and cell damage. All of the clinical isolates presented a high adhesion capacity on SiHa cells. However, clinical isolates from symptomatic women (VVC and RVVC) had higher filamentation after contact (24 h) with SiHa cells and a greater capacity to cause cell damage (>80 %). Clinical isolates from symptomatic women had greater potential to invade SiHa cells, suggesting that they are more pathogenic than AS isolates.