Adherence of Candida albicans to human vaginal and buccal epithelial cells.

Factors that may influence adherence of Candida albicans to exfoliated human vaginal and buccal epithelial cells were studied in vitro. Factors that enhanced germination enhanced adherence. Heat-killed, germinated Candida organisms demonstrated poorer adherence than viable Candida organisms and no better adherence than nonviable, ungerminated Candida organisms. The difference between adherence of C. albicans to buccal epithelial cells and that to vaginal epithelial cells was significant, as were differences among volunteers. Preincubation in fucose but not mannose, glucose or galactose solutions, preincubation of germinated yeast or of epithelial cells in chymotrypsin or trypsin, a culture supernatant of germinated yeast killed by ultraviolet light, or precoating of epithelial cells with lactobacilli each inhibited adherence. These studies indicate that adherence of C. albicans is enhanced by a surface component of germinated yeast, probably a surface protein that binds to the epithelial receptor, possibly a glycoprotein.