# Regulation of Innate Immune System Sensing of C. Albicans Infections

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · 2020 · $373,023

## Abstract

   
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Disseminated C. albicans infection in patients who have a weakened immune system is life-threatening. In hospitals 40% of bloodstream infections (candidemia) are caused by Candida spp. Despite the availability of several anti-fungal drugs, invasive candidiasis still has a high mortality rate ranging from 45 to 75%. The high morbidity and mortality associated with disseminated candidiasis are mainly due to the lack of early and accurate diagnostic tools, the limited anti-fungal drugs, and the emergence of drug resistance, thus highlighting the need to further understand host-pathogen interactions and the mechanisms of immune resistance to fungal spread, and to develop alternative immune-based strategies to combat candidemia. In normal hosts, C. albicans is controlled after activation of innate immune cells via cell surface pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) such as TLR2 and C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) that detect the infecting fungi. The CLRs Dectin-1 and Dectin-2/3 recognize C. albicans yeast cells and hyphae by binding to the surface β-glucans and α- mannans of the two fungal forms, respectively. Recognition of these molecules results in release of inflammatory cytokines from innate immune cells, which is critical for anti-fungal immunity. The mechanisms that control this CLR-mediated innate immune response to fungal infection are completely unknown. Our preliminary results showed that bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) from Cblb-/- mice infected with C. albicans yeast and hyphae produce more inflammatory cytokines than do BMDMs from wild type (WT) mice. This response involves signaling via Dectin-1, -2, and/or -3 but not via the TLRs. This finding suggests that Cbl-b acts through the Dectin CLRs but not the TLRs in macrophages. Consistent with this notion, BMDMs from Cblb-/- mice have impaired Dectin-1, -2, and -3 degradation upon interaction with C. albicans yeast and hyphae. In support of this finding, Dectin-1 undergoes poly-ubiquitination in macrophages upon infection with C. albicans yeasts, whereas this ubiquitination is abrogated in BMDMs lacking Cbl-b. Furthermore, Cblb-/- mice are protected from infection with a lethal dose of C. albicans. Based on these results, we hypothesize that during C. albicans infection, Cbl-b is recruited to Dectin CLRs, and this targets Dectins for ubiquitination which dampens CLR-mediated innate immune responses against fungi. To test this hypothesis, we propose to determine (1) whether and how Cbl-b regulates Dectin down-modulation via protein ubiquitination in vitro; and (2) whether Cbl-b dampens host effective responses against C. albicans mediated by the Dectin family of CLRs. Successful completion of this project will reveal a previously unknown host defense mechanism and provide molecular insight into the host defense machinery and ultimately facilitate the identification of candidate targets for appropriate modulation of anti-fungal responses and the...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9896753
- **Project number:** 5R01AI123253-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
- **Principal Investigator:** THOMAS J WALDSCHMIDT
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $373,023
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-04-01 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9896753

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9896753, Regulation of Innate Immune System Sensing of C. Albicans Infections (5R01AI123253-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9896753. Licensed CC0.

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