Typing of feces-derivedCandida albicansstrains using a novel seven-locus microsatellite panel reveals associations with yeast phenotype in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

AbstractInflammatory diseases of the human gastrointestinal tract are affected by the microbes that reside in the mucosal surfaces along this tract. Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) have altered bacterial and fungal intestinal compositions, including higher levels of fecalCandidayeasts. Ongoing research indicates that genetic and phenotypic diversity ofCandida albicansmay be linked with disease severity. In this study, we set out to investigate feces-derivedC. albicansstrains from individuals with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and healthy volunteers through microsatellite-based genotyping and phenotypic assays. A seven-locus microsatellite panel was applied, of which six loci were newly developed. Combined interpretation of minimum spanning networks and principal component analysis (PCA) led to indications that there is no specific lineage ofC. albicansthat is associated with IBD, but rather that the three study populations do have distinguishable distributions of genotypes. In addition, phenotypic characterization by means of enzyme release assays revealed trends between genotypes and virulence-related enzyme activity. Furthermore, correlations were observed between the clinical inflammation biomarker fecal calprotectin and serum anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiaeantibodies, as well as between lipase activity of feces-derivedC. albicansstrains and serum 1,3-β-glucan levels. We thus show that microsatellite typing can describe genetic diversity of feces-derivedC. albicansstrains, and that phenotypic diversity of these strains may indeed correlate with fungal genotype or disease. This study opens further possibilities to investigate fecal fungi in relation to severity of inflammation in IBD or in other (intestinal) diseases.