Cotter G, Kavanagh K
Department of Biology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
Br J Biomed Sci. 2000;57(3):241-9.
The yeast Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that is capable of inducing a range of superficial and systemic diseases in the immunocompromised host. Although it displays a variety of virulence factors, one--the ability to adhere to host tissue--is considered essential in the early stages of colonisation and tissue invasion. Adherence is achieved by a combination of specific (ligand-receptor interactions) and non-specific (electrostatic charge, van der Waals forces) mechanisms which allow the yeast to attach to a wide range of tissue types and inanimate surfaces. Conventional methods for treating disease cause by C. albicans rely upon the use of antifungal drugs designed to kill the yeast or arrest its growth. An alternative approach, aimed at disrupting the adherence of the yeast to host tissue in cases of superficial infection, may have potential for controlling disease, particularly in situations where the unattached fungal cell can be removed from the affected site, either by the flushing action of the oropharynx or by the production of mucus in the vagina.
白色念珠菌是一种机会性真菌病原体，能够在免疫功能低下的宿主中引发一系列浅表和全身性疾病。尽管它表现出多种毒力因子，但其中一种——粘附于宿主组织的能力——在定植和组织侵袭的早期阶段被认为是必不可少的。粘附是通过特异性（配体 - 受体相互作用）和非特异性（静电荷、范德华力）机制的组合实现的，这些机制使酵母能够附着于多种组织类型和无生命表面。治疗由白色念珠菌引起的疾病的传统方法依赖于使用旨在杀死酵母或阻止其生长的抗真菌药物。一种替代方法，旨在在浅表感染的情况下破坏酵母与宿主组织的粘附，可能具有控制疾病的潜力，特别是在未附着的真菌细胞可以通过口咽的冲洗作用或阴道中粘液的产生从受影响部位清除的情况下。
