Alterations in the gut microbiota and metabolic profiles coincide with intestinal damage in mice with a bloodborne Candida albicans infection

作者：Wanchao Hu, Dan Xu, Ziyang Zhou, Junfeng Zhu, Dan Wang, Jianguo Tang · 发表于：Microbial Pathogenesis · 年份：2021 · DOI：10.1016/j.micpath.2021.104826 · 被引用次数：28 · 研究领域：Gut microbiota and health、Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens research、Oral microbiology and periodontitis research

Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungus that can threaten life especially in patients with candidemia. The morbidity and mortality of candidemia originating from a central venous catheter (CVC) and illicit intravenous drug use (IVDU) are increasing. However, the mechanism underlying the bloodborne C. albicans infection remains unclear. Herein, we evaluated the gut microbiome, metabolites and intestinal mucosa by constructing the mouse models with candidemia. Model mice were injected with C. albicans via tail vein. Control mice underwent sham procedures. We observed basic life characteristics, intestinal damage-related alterations using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, intestinal tight junction protein levels, and intestinal permeability in these mice. Fecal samples were analyzed by performing 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the microbiota and LC-MS metabolomics to reveal the perturbations in intestinal flora and metabolism exacerbating intestinal damage. Weight loss, a decreased survival rate, C. albicans infection spread, and colonic epithelial damage occurred in the model group. Furthermore, the intestinal flora abundance was reduced. Several probiotics, such as Lactobacillus, and butyrate-producing bacteria, including Roseburia, Lachnospiraceae, and Clostridia, were depleted, and some pathogenic bacteria, such as Escherichia-Shigella and Proteus, belonging to the Proteobacteria phylum, and the inflammation mediators Ruminococcus and Parabacteroides were enriched in mo...