Stage-specific sampling by pattern recognition receptors during Candida albicans phagocytosis

Heinsbroek, Sigrid E M; Taylor, Philip R; Martinez, Fernando O; Martinez-Pomares, Luisa; Brown, Gordon D; Gordon, Siamon

Stage-specific sampling by pattern recognition receptors during Candida albicans phagocytosis

Journal Article

2008

Journal Title

PLoS One

Link to Journal

http://journals.plos.org/plospathogens

Publisher

Public Library of Science

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine

Faculty

Faculty of Health Sciences

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

Abstract

Author Summary Infection by Candida albicans has increased as a result of immunosuppression associated with AIDS and organ transplantation. We assessed the role of three pattern recognition receptors, namely Dectin-1 (a beta glucan receptor), the type 3 complement receptor (CR3), and the mannose receptor, in mediating uptake of this fungus. These receptors are known to recognize structures on the C. albicans cell wall, but their exact contribution to binding and uptake is still unclear. We show that only Dectin-1 plays a major role in binding and uptake of C. albicans . Furthermore, we are the first to find that these receptors sample the internalized particle in a sequential manner; intracellular mannose receptor is recruited later and is involved in secretion of immune modulators. These findings provide a better understanding of the innate immune mechanisms involved in protection against this medically important fungal pathogen.