Eicosapentaenoic acid influences the pathogenesis of Candida albicans in Caenorhabditis elegans via inhibition of hyphal formation and stimulation of the host immune response

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dc.contributor.author Mokoena, N.Z.
dc.contributor.author Steyn, H.
dc.contributor.author Hugo, A.
dc.contributor.author Dix-Peek, T.
dc.contributor.author Dickens, C.
dc.contributor.author Gcilitshana, O.M.N.
dc.contributor.author Sebolai, O.
dc.contributor.author Albertyn, J.
dc.contributor.author Pohl, C.H.
dc.date.accessioned 2024-02-20T10:31:19Z
dc.date.available 2024-02-20T10:31:19Z
dc.date.issued 2023-10
dc.description DATA AVAILABILITY : All data generated during this study are included in this article and supplementary data. en_US
dc.description.abstract The intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), is associated with health benefits due to its anti-inflammatory properties. This fatty acid also exhibits antifungal properties in vitro. In order to determine if this antifungal property is valid in vivo, we examined how EPA affects Candida albicans pathogenesis in the Caenorhabditis elegans infection model, an alternative to mammalian host models. The nematodes were supplemented with EPA prior to infection, and the influence of EPA on C. elegans lipid metabolism, survival and immune response was studied. In addition, the influence of EPA on hyphal formation in C. albicans was investigated. It was discovered that EPA supplementation changed the lipid composition, but not the unsaturation index of C. elegans by regulating genes involved in fatty acid and eicosanoid production. EPA supplementation also delayed killing of C. elegans by C. albicans due to the inhibition of hyphal formation in vivo, via the action of the eicosanoid metabolite of EPA, 17,18-epoxyeicosatetraenoic acid. Moreover, EPA supplementation also caused differential expression of biofilm-related gene expression in C. albicans and stimulated the immune response of C. elegans. This provides a link between EPA and host susceptibility to microbial infection in this model. en_US
dc.description.department Biochemistry en_US
dc.description.department Genetics en_US
dc.description.department Microbiology and Plant Pathology en_US
dc.description.librarian hj2024 en_US
dc.description.sdg None en_US
dc.description.sponsorship The National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa. Open access funding provided by University of the Free State. en_US
dc.description.uri https://link.springer.com/journal/430 en_US
dc.identifier.citation Mokoena, N.Z., Steyn, H., Hugo, A. et al. Eicosapentaenoic acid influences the pathogenesis of Candida albicans in Caenorhabditis elegans via inhibition of hyphal formation and stimulation of the host immune response. Medical Microbiology and Immunology 212, 349–368 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00430-023-00777-6. en_US
dc.identifier.issn 0300-8584 (print)
dc.identifier.issn 1432-1831 (online)
dc.identifier.other 10.1007/s00430-023-00777-6
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/94752
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher Springer en_US
dc.rights © The Author(s) 2023. Open Access. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. en_US
dc.subject Hyphal formation en_US
dc.subject Candida albicans en_US
dc.subject Caenorhabditis elegans en_US
dc.subject 17,18-Epoxyeicosatetraenoic acid en_US
dc.subject Eicosapentaenoic acid en_US
dc.title Eicosapentaenoic acid influences the pathogenesis of Candida albicans in Caenorhabditis elegans via inhibition of hyphal formation and stimulation of the host immune response en_US
dc.type Article en_US


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