The Potential Association of Human ABO Blood Group in Candida albicans Germination

Abstract

Candidiasis is an infection caused by Candida spp., mostly Candida albicans. Infection with Candida spp. in immunocompetent individuals is often limited to the mouth, genital area or skin. However, patients who are immunocompromised due to infections or medications including corticosteroids or anticancer drugs are more susceptible to systemic candidiasis and candidemia. Upon C. albicans infections, the pathogenic yeasts enter the bloodstream and disseminate to the remote organs, leading to the formation of germ tube. Dimorphic adaptation is one of contributing virulent factors in C. albicans, which is responsible for disease pathogenesis and severity. However, little is known about whether differences among human ABO blood groups facilitate the development of C. albicans germ tube. Therefore, this study investigated the germ tube formation of C. albicans that grown in human serums from different ABO blood groups. Human pool serums varying ABO blood groups from healthy individuals were tested for C. albicans germ tube induction. After incubation for 2 h at 37 °C, the rate of germ tube formation at 15-min intervals was determined. Serum from human blood group A exhibited the highest rate of germ tube formation. Humans with blood group A exhibited the unique serum biochemical structure that possibly helps facilitate germ tube formation during C. albicans infection.