Adherence of Candida albicans to human buccal epithelial cells

Abstract

The adherence of Candida albicans to human buccal epithelial cells after 2 h at 37°C was significantly greater in human saliva than in phosphate-buffered saline. In saliva, viable fungi adhered much better than did nonviable fungi, and this adherence was greater at 37 than at 25°C. Viable yeasts, preincubated in saliva for 90 min at 37°C before being washed and mixed with epithelial cells in phosphate-buffered saline, adhered better than nonviable yeasts or yeasts preincubated in phosphate-buffered saline. Enhanced adherence in saliva appeared to be associated with germination of the yeast cells. Conditions permitting germination (growth in tissue culture medium 199 at 37°C but not at 25°C) also supported enhanced adherence. After germination had occurred, the fungi could be killed with Formalin without interfering with their rapid and efficient adherence to epithelial cells. These data indicate that the enhanced adherence of C. albicans observed after incubation in saliva is related to changes in the fungi, rather than to a requirement for prolonged interaction between fungi and epithelial cells.