Faculty Sponsor

Patrice G Bouyer

College

Arts and Sciences

Discipline(s)

Microbiology, Cellular Biology

ORCID Identifier(s)

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3527-8438

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Symposium Date

Summer 5-14-2020

Abstract

C. albicans undergoes morphological change in order to infiltrate the epithelial cell layer, posing health threat. This morphological infectious state is known as filamentous due to the elongated protrusion that stems from the base yeast form. To date, the intestinal cues responsible for the change in C. albicans morphology are not clearly defined. Candidiasis is observed in Crohn’s disease, where elevated level of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis alpha (TNF-α) is reported. We hypothesize that TNF-α may represent an intestinal cue responsible for the shift in morphology in C. albicans. We tested our hypothesis in three different liquid media: Minimal (MM), Yeast Extract Peptone Dextrose (YEPD), and Spider media (SM). In our experimental conditions, we found that Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) induced filamentous growth 66% of the time in SM, 16% of the time in YEPD and none in MM (n = 18 plates for each condition). While both YEPD and SM saw significant impact on filamentous growth with FBS, SM showed greater significance so this condition was used in the TNF-α study. In a preliminary study, we found that TNF-α on its own did not cause filamentation (n = 15). Yet, TNF-⍺ totally inhibited FBS-induced filamentous growth, while FBS induced 20% filamentous growth in our control (n=15). In conclusion, we found that FBS-induced filamentous growth is dependent on the type of liquid media used. In addition, our preliminary experiments show that TNF-α prevent filamentous growth and may represent a protective mechanism during candidiasis observed during Crohn’s disease.

Biographical Information about Author(s)

Chase Jones - Worked with Dr.Bouyer since his Freshman year, has done a variety of projects with Dr.Bouyer but this is the first where he has taken the lead. He Would like to continue in graduate school to study pathology or bacteriology.

Alyssa Graziani - New addition to the research team, interested in being a cardiac specialist and is seeking a medical doctorate program.

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