UZH researches the containment of Candida albicans yeast

(CONNECT) Researchers from the Vetsuisse Faculty at the University of Zurich (UZH) have investigated the spread of the yeast Candida albicans. According to a press release from the university, uncontrolled growth of the fungus can lead to dangerous infections such as thrush, a candidiasis of the oral mucosa, for example. Candidiasis can also have far-reaching consequences in immunocompromised patients, including lethality.

In order to stop or prevent uncontrolled growth, the mechanism by which the Candida fungus spreads must be understood. "The mechanisms that keep the fungus on our mucous membranes under control and prevent infection are still poorly understood," Salomé LeibundGut-Landmann, Professor of Immunology at the Vetsuisse Faculty of the University of Zurich, is quoted as saying in the press release.

Her team has now made two important discoveries. A fungal toxin called candidalysin attacks host cells directly and allows the fungus to grow. In a second study, the researchers discovered that the immune factor interleukin-17 can mediate immunity against the growth of the fungus by indirectly depriving it of zinc - an important reproductive factor. "Interleukin-17 is like a gatekeeper that ensures that Candida albicans remains harmless," says LeibundGut-Landmann. The studies on the dynamics of Candida albicans growth and the effect of interleukin-17 have recently been published in the journal Nature Microbiology. ce/ww