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Review
. 2021 Jul 22;17(7):e1009710.
doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009710. eCollection 2021 Jul.

Candida albicans colonization of the gastrointestinal tract: A double-edged sword

Rebeca Alonso-Monge  1 , Mark S Gresnigt  2 , Elvira Román  1 , Bernhard Hube  3   4 , Jesús Pla  1
Affiliations
Review

Candida albicans colonization of the gastrointestinal tract: A double-edged sword

Rebeca Alonso-Monge et al. PLoS Pathog. .
No abstract available

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. A general scheme of beneficial and detrimental effects of Candida albicans colonization in the gut.
C. albicans inhabits the intestinal tract with other fungal and bacterial microbiota, preferably as a yeast form, in healthy individuals. Alteration of this equilibrium (caused by immunological defects, use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, barrier damage, etc.) can lead to dysbiosis. C. albicans can then translocate from the gut lumen and invade the intestinal mucosa, getting access to blood vessels and causing systemic infections. The presence of C. albicans as a harmless intestinal commensal, however, induces TH17 mediated responses. Neutrophils are attracted to the intestinal mucosa playing a protective role against other pathogens such as Clostridioides difficile. This TH17 response can exacerbate inflammation in IBD patients or aggravate allergic symptoms to Aspergillus fumigatus. CX3CR1+ CARD9+ macrophages mediate induction of B cell responses that generate anti-Candida antibodies that protect the host from other fungal systemic infections. A protection against potentially pathogenic fungi or bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus or Acinetobacter baumanii has also been reported, indicating cross-kingdom protection. Ab, antibody; IBD, inflammatory bowel disease; IL-17, interleukin 17.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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