ADHESION OF CANDIDA-ALBICANS TO EPITHELIAL-CELLS - EFFECT OF NIKKOMYCIN

This study investigated the effect of the chitin synthetase inhibitors , the nikkomycins (NZ and NZ + NX), on Candida albicans adhesion to bu ccal epithelial cells (BECs) in vitro. The effect was expressed in red uced chitin synthetase activity and chitin content of fungal cells. In vitro adhesion assays to BECs of Candida exposed to NZ and NZ + NX re vealed reduced adhesion values. Light, scanning and transmission elect ron microscopy (SEM, TEM) of NZ-treated and untreated microorganisms s howed changed fungal morphology and reduced adherence of the treated y easts. Scanning electron microscopy of NZ-treated C. albicans labelled with gold-conjugated wheatgerm agglutinin (WGA) revealed less labelli ng than in the untreated organisms. A close contact between the fungus and the epithelial cell at a site with intense WGA-gold labelling was noted in TEM experiments. The data point to the involvement of chitin in the adhesion of C. albicans to epithelial cells.