Metabolism impacts upon Candida immunogenicity and pathogenicity at multiple levels

Highlights

• Metabolic adaptation impacts upon Candida albicans pathogenicity at multiple levels.

• Carbon sources influence virulence factor expression and innate immune surveillance.

• Nutrients also affect stress resistance and antifungal drug susceptibility.

• Candida pathogenicity and immunogenicity therefore must differ between host niches.

Abstract

Metabolism is integral to the pathogenicity of Candida albicans, a major fungal pathogen of humans. As well as providing the platform for nutrient assimilation and growth in diverse host niches, metabolic adaptation affects the susceptibility of C. albicans to host-imposed stresses and antifungal drugs, the expression of key virulence factors, and fungal vulnerability to innate immune defences. These effects, which are driven by complex regulatory networks linking metabolism, morphogenesis, stress adaptation, and cell wall remodelling, influence commensalism and infection. Therefore, current concepts of Candida–host interactions must be extended to include the impact of metabolic adaptation upon pathogenicity and immunogenicity.