Integrated proteomics and genomics strategies bring new insight into Candida albicans response upon macrophage interaction

The interaction of Candida albicans with macrophages is considered a crucial step in the development of an adequate immune response in systemic candidiasis. An in vitro model of phagocytosis that includes a differential staining procedure to discriminate between internalized and non-internalized yeast was developed. Upon optimization of a protocol to obtain an enriched population of ingested yeasts, a thorough genomics and proteomics analysis was carried out on these cells. Both proteins and mRNA were obtained from the same sample and analyzed in parallel. The combination of two-dimensional PAGE with MS revealed a total of 132 differentially expressed yeast protein species upon macrophage interaction. Among these species, 67 unique proteins were identified. This is the first time that a proteomics approach has been used to study C. albicans-macrophage interaction. We provide evidence of a rapid protein response of the fungus to adapt to the new environment inside the phagosome by changing the expression of proteins belonging to different pathways. The clear down-regulation of the carbon-compound metabolism, plus the up-regulation of lipid, fatty acid, glyoxylate, and tricarboxylic acid cycles, indicates that yeast shifts to a starvation mode. There is an important activation of the degradation and detoxification protein machinery. The complementary genomics approach led to the detection of specific pathways related to the virulence of Candida. Network analyses allowed us to generate a hypothetical model of Candida cell death after macrophage interaction, highlighting the interconnection between actin cytoskeleton, mitochondria, and autophagy in the regulation of apoptosis. In conclusion, the combination of genomics, proteomics, and network analyses is a powerful strategy to better understand the complex host-pathogen interactions.