• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.271-279
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• 2005

Although macrophages are an important first line of cellular defense, they are unable to effectively kill phagocytosed C. albicans. To determine the physiological basis of this inability, we investigated the alterations of macrophage proteins caused by C. albicans infection. Since the formation of C. albicans hyphae caused cell death, proteins were prepared 3 h after infection and examined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). The most prominent changes were in glycolytic enzymes, which could have caused energy depletion of the infected cells. Also changed were proteins involved in maintenance of cellular integrity and NO production. Treatment of the macrophages with either cytochalasin D or taxol did not alter their inability to kill C. albicans. Our results indicate that multiple factors contribute to cell death as the pathogenic form of C. albicans becomes fully active inside macrophage cells.

• Mycobiology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.93-95
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• 2002

The antifungal activities of propolis on Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans were evaluated. In microbroth culture assay, the MIC(minimum inhibitory concentration) of propolis for C. neoformans and C. albicans were 2 and 16 mg/ml, respectively. In propolis-included solid medium assay, the MIC of propolis for C. neoformans and C. albicans were 4 and 16 mg/ml, respectively. Propolis showed fungicidal activity against C. neoformans, whereas propolis possesed fungistatic activity against C. albicans. The MFC(minimum fungicidal concentration) for C. neoformans was 8 mg/ml. Cell morphology of C. neoformans was affected by treatment of propolis. In scanning electron microscope, the appearance of cell rupture was observed.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2012

Candida albicans is a common opportunistic pathogen and is frequently associated with biofilm formation occurring on the surfaces of host tissues and medical devices. On account of the distinct resistance of C. albicans biofilms to the conventional antifungal agents, new strategies are required to cope with these infections. The root of Polygonum cuspidatum has been used for medicinal purposes in East Asia. The aim of this study was to assess the anticandidal potential of the P. cuspidatum ethanol extract by evaluating biofilm formation, integrity of the cell membranes of C. albicans and adhesion of C. albicans cells to polystyrene surfaces. The growth and development of the biofilm was assessed using an XTT reduction assay, and the extract (0.39 mg/ml) significantly reduced ($41.1{\pm}17.8%$) biofilm formation of 11 C. albicans strains. The extract damaged the cell membranes of C. albicans and remarkably inhibited cell adhesion to polystyrene surfaces. The plant extract displayed fungistatic activity without significant hemolytic activity. Based on the results of this study, the P. cuspidatum extract has promising potential for use in treating biofilm-associated Candida infection.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.698-713
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• 1999

Adherence of Candida albicans(C. albicans) to the surface of a denture is believed to be an initial and essential step in the formation of denture-induced stematitis. Previous studies have provided enormous infomation on the relationship between composition of palatine gland/parotid saliva and upper denture stomatitis. Relatively little information is available on the correlation between lower denture stomatitis and sublingual-submandibular ( SLSM ) saliva. The plaque samples were collected from the two sites($100mm^2$) on the inner surface of lower partial denture corresponding to the stematitis and healthy region of the lower partial dentures of 12 denture stomatitis patients and 6 nor-mal persons who wore lower partial dentures. The samples were plated to isolate C. albicans on a selective Saboraud's dextrose agar plate and the isolates were identified by germ tube test and gram staining. The subjects were divided into group I (stomatitis with C. albican), group II (lesion without C. albicans), group III (no lesion but C. albicans), and group IV (normal and healthy denture wearer). Individual SLSM saliva($20{\mu}g$ of protein) was analyzed by SDS-PAGE (SDS -poly-acrylamide gel electrophoresis) with Coomassie brilliant blue and PAS(Periodic Acid Schinff) stain-ing. The salivary proteins separated in the polyacryamide gels were subjected to immunoblot anaysis using anti-lactoferrin, anti-sIgA, and anti-secretory component of sIgA. In this study using custom made acrylic denture resin beads(5mm in diameter) coated with stimulated individual SLSM saliva, the binding ability of individual C. albicans strains to the beads was observed. Levels of C, albicans adhered to the acrylic resin beads were determined by measuring the optical density of the bound C. albicans to the beads at 580nm. The results showed that a higher number of C. albicans was observed in the lesion site than healthy site. The saliva of group I contained more high molecular weight glycoprotein(mucin, MGI) as compared to group II, III and IV. And lactoferrin and sIgA affected to the binding ability of C. albicans to acylic resin beads. Binding ability of individual C. albicans to the acrylic resin coated with respective individual saliva was found to be greater in group I than the other 3 groups. And when bound cells of C. albicans isolated from individual subject #2 to the saliva coated beads were used binding ability of subject #2 saliva coated beads was founed to be greater than the other sutjects. These results suggested that denture induced stomatitis is related to individual patient's salivary protein composition, especially MG-1. Future studies will be directed toward saliva exam-ination of patients who have general disease and analysis of pellicles formed on prosthesis with respect to oral disease.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 1978

Modulating effects of Candida albicans on the immune responses of mice immunized with sheep red blood cells(SRBC) were assessed both by footpad tests for anaphylactic, Arthus and delayed type hypersensitivity rections against homologous and heterologous antigenic challenges and by serum antibody titrations for hemagglutinin and hemolysin against SRBC. The results are summarized as follows: 1. In the mice simultaneously immunzed with C. albicans and SRBC, anaphylactic type and Arthus type footpad reactions to C. albicans challenge were enhanced, and extents of the enhancements were proportional to the concentration of SRBC administered for immunization, reaching peak in mice immunized with 0.2ml($10^8$) of 5% SRBC suspension. Although a little enhancement of delayed type hypersensitivity to C. albicans was observed in those mice, there was no significant difference between the mice groups immunized either with SRBC alone or SRBC and C. albicans simultaneously. 2. Simultaneous immunization of mice with C. albicans and SRBC resulted in the suppression of both anaphylactic type and Arthus type footpad reactions to SRBC, and the extent of such suppressions was inversly proportional to the numbers of C. albicans administered for immunization. Delayed type reaction of the mice to SRBC varied little in regards to the different numbers of C. albicans injected. 3. Hemagglutinin titers differed little between the mice groups immunized with SRBC alone or with SRBC and C. albicans simultaneously. Hewever, hemolysin titers were lower in the mice immunized simultaneously with SRBC and C. albicans. 4. In the peripheral blood of mice immunized simultaneously with SRBC and C. albicnas. there observed increases in the percents of monocyte and polymorphonuclear leukocytes and decrease in the numbers of lymphocytes and pyroninophilic lymphocytes. These results indicated that C. albicans is an immunosuppressant of the mice to SRBC when both anteigns were administered simultaneously for immunization, and that SRBC acted as an enhancer of anaphylactic type and Arthus type reaction of mice to C. albicans when administered simultaneously.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2013

Candida biofilms are organized microbial communities growing on the surfaces of host tissues or indwelling medical devices, and the biofilms show enhanced resistance against the conventional antifungal agents. The roots of Coptidis chinensis have been widely used for medicinal purposes in East Asia. The present study was aimed to assess the effect of C. chinensis aqueous extract upon preformed biofilms of 10 clinical Candida albicans isolates and the antifungal activities which contribute to inhibit the C. albicans biofilm formation. Its effect on preformed biofilms was judged using XTT [2,3-Bis-(2-Methoxy-4-Nitro-5-Sulfophenyl)-2H-Tetrazolium-5-Carboxanilide)] reduction assay, and metabolic activity of all tested strains was reduced significantly ($57.3{\pm}14.7%$) at $98{\mu}g/ml$ of the C. chinensis extract. The extract damaged the cell membrane of C. albicans which was analyzed by fluorescein diacetate and propidium iodide staining. The anticandidal activity was fungicidal, and the extract obstructed the adhesion of C. albicans biofilms to polystyrene surfaces, arrested C. albicans cells at $G_o/G_1$ as well, and reduced the growth of biofilms or budding yeasts finally. The data suggest that C. chinensis has multiple antifungal effects on target fungi resulting in preventing the formation of biofilms. Therefore, C. chinensis holds great promise for exploring antifungal agents from natural products in treating and eliminating biofilm-associated Candida infection.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.482-490
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• 2018

Candida albicans infections are often problematic to treat owing to antifungal resistance, as such infections are mostly associated with biofilms. The ability of C. albicans to switch from a budding yeast to filamentous hyphae and to adhere to host cells or various surfaces supports biofilm formation. Previously, the ethanol extract from Paeonia lactiflora was reported to inhibit cell wall synthesis and cause depolarization and permeabilization of the cell membrane in C. albicans. In this study, the P. lactiflora extract was found to significantly reduce the initial stage of C. albicans biofilms from 12 clinical isolates by 38.4%. Thus, to assess the action mechanism, the effect of the P. lactiflora extract on the adhesion of C. albicans cells to polystyrene and germ tube formation was investigated using a microscopic analysis. The density of the adherent cells was diminished following incubation with the P. lactiflora extract in an acidic medium. Additionally, the P. lactiflora-treated C. albicans cells were mostly composed of less virulent pseudohyphae, and ruptured debris was found in the serum-containing medium. A quantitative real-time PCR analysis indicated that P. lactiflora downregulated the expression of C. albicans hypha-specific genes: ALS3 by 65% (p = 0.004), ECE1 by 34.9% (p = 0.001), HWP1 by 29.2% (p = 0.002), and SAP1 by 37.5% (p = 0.001), matching the microscopic analysis of the P. lactiflora action on biofilm formation. Therefore, the current findings demonstrate that the P. lactiflora ethanol extract is effective in inhibiting C. albicans biofilms in vitro, suggesting its therapeutic potential for the treatment of biofilm-associated infections.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.123-129
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate antifungal activity of shiitake mushroom yeast and hyphal type of Candida albicans. Materials and Methods: The extract from shiitake mushroom was collected by drying the supernatant after soaking shiitake mushrooms in water or ethanol. The antifungal activity of the extracts against yeast type of C. albicans was investigated by the susceptibility assay using microplate. C. albicans biofilm was formed on 12-well plate using Ham's F-12 medium in CO₂ incubator and treated with the ethanol extract. Furthermore, C. albicans biofilm was formed on denture base resin disk and treated with or without the ethanol extract in the presence of denture cleanser. Live C. albicans in biofilm was counted by cultured colony forming unit value after inoculated on agar plate. Results: Ethanol extract from shiitake mushroom showed stronger antifungal activity against yeast type of C. albicans compared to its water extract. The ethanol extract significantly reduced count of C. albicans in hyphal biofilm (P < 0.05). Also, the ethanol extract showed synergistically antifungal effect with denture cleanser on candidal biofilm on denture base resin disk (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The ethanol extract of shiitake mushroom may be a candidate for preventing candidal stomatitis as well as denture-related stomatitis.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 1999

Protective roles of antioxidant enzymes, copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), and catalase of Candida albicans against exogenous reactive oxygens and oxidative killing by macrophages were investigated. The initial growth of C. albicans was inhibited by reactive, oxygen-producing chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide, pyrogallol, and paraquat, but it was restored as the production of antioxidant enzymes were increased. The growth inhibition of C. albicans by reactive, oxygen-producing chemicals was reduced by treating the purified candidal SOD and catalase. Also, in the presence of SOD and catalase, the oxidative killing of C. albicans by macrophages was significantly inhibited. These results suggest that antioxidant enzymes, CuZnSOD, MnSOD, and catalase of C. albicans may play important roles in the protection of C. albicans not only from exogenous oxidative stress but also from oxidative killing by macrophages.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the antifungal effect of bee venom (BV) and sweet bee venom (SBV) against Candida albicans (C. albicans) clinical isolates. Methods: In this study, BV and SBV were examined for antifungal activities against the Korean Collection for Type Cultures (KCTC) strain and 10 clinical isolates of C. albicans. The disk diffusion method was used to measure the antifungal activity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays were performed by using a broth microdilution method. Also, a killing curve assay was conducted to investigate the kinetics of the anti-fungal action. Results: BV and SBV showed antifungal activity against 10 clinical isolates of C. albicans that were cultured from blood and the vagina by using disk diffusion method. The MIC values obtained for clinical isolates by using the broth microdilution method varied from $62.5{\mu}g/mL$ to $125{\mu}g/mL$ for BV and from $15.63{\mu}g/mL$ to $62.5{\mu}g/mL$ for SBV. In the killing-curve assay, SBV behaved as amphotericin B, which was used as positive control, did. The antifungal efficacy of SBV was much higher than that of BV. Conclusion: BV and SBV showed antifungal activity against C. albicans clinical strains that were isolated from blood and the vagina. Especially, SBV might be a candidate for a new antifungal agent against C. albicans clinical isolates.