Apoptosis on the other hand may inactivate IL-33. It is likely that both inactivation and release of IL-33 take place linking between apoptosis and cell damage in many chronic inflammatory diseases in which click here IL-33 has been detected. The crucial role of IL-33 in asthma has been assumed due to several pieces of evidence. Administration of IL-33 results in lymphocyte-independent airway hyperreactivity, goblet

cell hyperplasia and eosinophilic and monocytic infiltration. Hypertrophy and enhanced mucous secretion in the bronchi and bronchioles occurs after repeated applications in mice 5. In addition, IL-13-dependent differentiation of alveolar macrophages towards alternatively activated macrophages with increased airway inflammation has been reported in a murine model 19. Furthermore,

CD34pos progenitor cells express the receptor for IL-33, ST2, and secrete large amounts of Th2-type cytokines and chemokines in the presence of IL-33. IL-13- and IL-5-expressing CD34pos cells have been found in the sputum of asthmatic individuals and were up-regulated upon allergen-challenge 12. Moreover, IL-33 contributes to the recruitment and activation of eosinophils to the same degree as IL-5. The in vivo relevance of IL-33 in human asthma is further supported by its higher expression in epithelial cells and smooth muscle cells in moderate to severe asthmatics, but not mild asthmatics. This has been confirmed DNA-PK inhibitor at the protein level in broncheoalveolar lavage fluid 20. Finally, a genome-wide association study has reported the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in the IL-33 gene and in the ST2 gene and an increased risk to develop asthma 21. In conclusion, IL-33 is evolving as a candidate molecule that acts on DCs and bridges innate and adaptive immune responses in the lung. IL-33 thereby affects both the development of allergic sensitization and the aggravation of lung inflammation. The study by Besnard et al. 13 demonstrates this in an elegant way, defining DCs as effector cells in vivo and confirming ST2-specific Cediranib (AZD2171) DC activation. However, further work is required to fully delineate the role of IL-33 in allergic disease. Conflict of

interest: The authors declare no financial or commercial conflict of interest. See accompanying article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eji.201041033 “
“In this study, we investigated the characteristics of the infection and subsequent immunity induced by Strongyloides venezuelensis in Lewis rats. Animals were infected with 4000 L3 of S. venezuelensis and number of eggs per gram of faeces indicated an acute phase around day 8 and a recovery phase around day 32 after infection. A strong Th2 polarization during recovery phase was ascertained by a significant increase in IgG1 and IgE compared with that in the acute period. A shift in the cytokine profile confirmed these findings. A predominant production of IFN-γ during the acute phase was followed by IL-10 production during recovery.

“
“Please cite this paper as: Nunes, Krishnan, Gerard, Dale, Maddie, Benton and Hoying (2010). Angiogenic Potential of Microvessel Fragments is Independent of the Tissue of Origin and

can be Influenced by the Cellular Composition of the Implants. Microcirculation17(7), 557–567. We have demonstrated that MFs isolated from adipose retain angiogenic potential in vitro and form a mature, perfused network when implanted. However, adipose-derived Panobinostat microvessels are rich in provascularizing cells that could uniquely drive neovascularization in adipose-derived MFs implants. Objective:  Investigate the ability of MFs from a different vascular bed to recapitulate adipose-derived microvessel angiogenesis and network formation and analyze adipose-derived vessel plasticity by assessing whether vessel function ICG-001 cell line could be modulated by astrocyte-like cells. Methods:  MFs were isolated by limited collagenase digestion from rodent brain or adipose and assembled into 3D collagen gels in the presence or absence of GRPs. The resulting

neovasculatures that formed following implantation were assessed by measuring 3D vascularity and vessel permeability to small and large molecular tracers. Results:  Similar to adipose-derived MFs, brain-derived MFs can sprout and form a perfused neovascular network when implanted. Furthermore, when co-implanted in the constructs, GRPs caused adipose-derived vessels to express the brain endothelial marker glucose transporter-1 and to significantly reduce microvessel permeability. Conclusion:  Neovascularization involving isolated microvessel elements is independent of the tissue origin and degree of vessel specialization. In addition, adipose-derived vessels have the ability to respond to environmental signals and change vessel characteristics. “
“Please cite this paper as: Roustit and Cracowski (2012). Non-invasive Assessment of Skin Microvascular Function in Humans:

An Insight Into Methods. Microcirculation 19(1), 47–64. For more than two decades, learn more methods for the non-invasive exploration of cutaneous microcirculation have been mainly based on optical microscopy and laser Doppler techniques. In this review, we discuss the advantages and drawbacks of these techniques. Although optical microscopy-derived techniques, such as nailfold videocapillaroscopy, have found clinical applications, they mainly provide morphological information about the microvessels. Laser Doppler techniques coupled with reactivity tests are widespread in the field of microvascular function research, but many technical issues need to be taken into account when performing these tests. Post-occlusive reactive hyperemia and local thermal hyperemia have been shown to be reliable tests, although their underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood.

(Table 1). In the CKD group, mean serum creatinine was 2.4 mg/dl. 73% patients were in CKD stage 111. Conclusion: CKD was the most common renal syndrome observed in 44% patients. Mesangial proliferation followed by focal endocapillary proliferation were the predominant histological pattern observed in our study. SIVATHASAN SUDHAHARAN Department of Nephrology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur Djengkol bean (Pithecellobium jeringa) is frequently used in the Malay Archipelago as a staple in local cuisine and for its purported medicinal value (Figure). It contains djenkolic acid, a sulphur-containing

amino acid. Its precipitation in urine forms sludge, causing obstructive uropathy. Djenkolism has been reported almost exclusively involving the South East Asian population principally Malaysians and Indonesians. A healthy 44 year old Indonesian gentleman had consumed a kilogram of djengkol beans with IWR-1 order boiled rice (nasi ulam). He presented 48 hours later with colicky abdominal pain, inability to pass urine or have bowel openings. Examination revealed a distended abdomen with sluggish bowel sounds. There was no pedal edema. He had an initial urea of 14.8 mmol/L,

potassium 4.3 mmol/L and creatinine 443 μmol/L. It had deteriorated to a peak urea of 27.1 mmol/L and creatinine 1088 μmol/L. He had compensated metabolic acidosis, with a pH of 7.332, bicarbonate 12.1 mmol/L and selleck screening library base excess −11.6. A urine examination revealed microscopic hematuria. An ultrasound on admission revealed good sized kidneys with mild right hydronephrosis but no calculi, confirmed by a CT urogram. He was anuric the first three days of admission despite aggressive hydration. Haemodialysis via a femoral catheter was performed twice. On day three of admission he developed frank haematuria and was put on bladder irrigation by the Urology team. He was initially planned for stent

insertion for obstructive uropathy; however the hematuria resolved and he was polyuric after bladder irrigation. As for the constipation, an abdominal Xray revealed prominent large bowel dilatation. He Histamine H2 receptor was treated conservatively by the Surgical team. When he produced urine, he was also able to open his bowels. He was discharged well on day seven of admission with resolution of the acute kidney injury. Djenkolism occurs predominantly in males, with a seasonal increase between September and February in keeping with the rainy season and blossoming of the djengkol tree. The development of renal failure is not dependent on the method of preparation or amount consumed. The prognosis is good, with all case reports published reporting resolution of renal failure with conservative measures, one requiring bilateral stenting. This is believed to be the first report of djenkolism requiring acute dialysis, and one that caused acute intestinal obstruction.

This was recently shown with a non-protective, cryptic CD8+ T-cell epitope in ESAT-6 16. TB10.4 is a promising vaccine candidate against infection with M.tb, and as a vaccine Ag it is part of a fusion protein

subunit vaccine HyVac4 based on TB10.4 and Ag85B that RG7204 datasheet is currently in clinical trials 15. TB10.4 is expressed by both M.tb and the currently available vaccine, BCG 15. In this paper, we examined in detail the T-cell epitope pattern induced against TB10.4, by comparing the epitopes induced by the recombinant protein with that induced by a live vector such as BCG or M.tb. We furthermore examined the differences in the in vivo and in vitro cellular uptake and ingestion of the two vaccines to compare the uptake of a vaccine based on a recombinant protein (TB10.4) in the adjuvant CAF01 and a vaccine based on a

live vector (BCG). We first analyzed T-cell epitope-specificity against TB10.4 in mice immunized with (i) TB10.4 formulated in the Th1-promoting adjuvant CAF01 (consisting of dimethyl dioctadecyl ammonium bromide (DDA) and the synthetic cord factor of M.tb, TDB (trehalose 6,6′-dibehenate)17), (ii) BCG or (iii) an aerosol exposure to virulent M.tb Erdman. An F1 cross of C57BL/6×BALB/c mice (hereafter named CB6F1 mice) were immunized once with BCG or three times with recombinant TB10.4, or challenged by the aerosol route learn more with virulent M.tb Erdman. Splenocytes were isolated from mice at approximately week 4 post immunizations with TB10.4/CAF01 or BCG or week 4 post infection. Galactosylceramidase Lymphocytes were stimulated in vitro with overlapping peptides covering the TB10.4 sequence (Fig. 1A, left panel). T-cell specificity against

the different peptides P1–P9 used for stimulation was assessed by ELISA on supernatants from stimulated-lymphocyte cultures after 72 h. Surprisingly, the results showed that all three groups induced unique epitope recognition patterns. Mice immunized with TB10.4 generated IFN-γ-producing T cells that were specific for peptide 3 (P3) and to a lesser extent P7 in the spleen (and blood, data not shown), resulting in secretion of 1600±237 and 934±217 pg/mL IFN-γ. T cells from the BCG-immunized group mainly recognized the peptide P8 (2635±25 pg/mL IFN-γ) and P9 (658±302 pg/mL IFN-γ). Furthermore, a third distinct epitope recognition pattern was seen in the group challenged with virulent M.tb, where especially peptides P1 and P8 were strongly recognized, inducing IFN-γ release between 6500 and 11 000 pg/mL IFN-γ. Twenty-four weeks after infection, or 16 wk post BCG or TB10.4 vaccination, the epitope patterns had not changed significantly (Fig. 1B). Taken together, clear differences in the epitopes recognized on the same Ag, TB10.4, were observed between the groups that were immunized with TB10.4 in CAF01 or TB10.4 expressed by BCG or M.tb, and these differences were not only transient, since epitope recognition was highly comparable at an early and late time point.

Surprisingly, GN still develops in lyn–/–IL-21–/–

mice. This likely results from the presence of IgG autoantibodies against a limited set of non-DNA Ags. These studies identify a specific role for IL-21 in the class switching of anti-DNA B cells and demonstrate that neither IL-21 nor anti-DNA IgG is required for kidney damage in lyn–/– mice. The autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is driven by the production of autoantibodies and exacerbated by innate immune system hyperactivation. This leads to inflammation and Selleck Ridaforolimus damage to multiple organs, including the kidneys. Genetic studies in humans and mice have identified multiple pathways that contribute to the autoimmune phenotypes associated with lupus [1, 2]. Despite these advances, the majority of current treatments for SLE involve nonspecific immunosuppression. A more thorough understanding of the mechanism(s) responsible for the initial loss of tolerance and the subsequent end organ damage might facilitate the development of more targeted therapies. Lyn-deficient mice lack a critical negative regulator of B-cell and myeloid cell activation [3]. These mice exhibit hyper-active B cells, plasma cell (PC) accumulation, autoantibodies, Mdm2 inhibitor and glomerulonephritis

(GN) [4-6], all features of SLE. Reduced Lyn expression has been observed in B cells from SLE patients [7, 8], and polymorphisms in the lyn gene have been associated with SLE [9, 10]. By defining the requirements for autoantibody production and kidney damage

in lyn–/– mice, we hope to better understand the events that disrupt normal B-cell tolerance checkpoints and the consequences of these for disease pathology. We previously identified two stages in the development of humoral autoimmunity in this model [11]. The first involves the accumulation of PCs and IgM autoantibodies, while the second controls the class switching of autoreactive B cells specific for lupus-associated autoantigens such as dsDNA. The latter step requires IL-6, a proinflammatory cytokine associated with autoimmunity Sulfite dehydrogenase in mice and humans [11, 12]. Understanding how IL-6 promotes autoantibody production in lyn–/– mice may have important clinical applications, as anti-IL6R antibodies are currently in trials as a therapy for SLE [13]. While IL-6 has pleiotropic effects [14], it likely promotes autoantibody production via the cytokine IL-21. IL-6 induces IL-21 expression by multiple subsets of CD4+ T cells [15-17]. IL-21 is a potent stimulator of B-cell differentiation [15, 18-24] and class switching [18, 19, 25-27] and promotes GC maintenance [21, 28]. IL-21 and/or IL-21-producing cells such as T follicular helper (Tfh) cells or extrafollicular T helper cells are elevated in several murine lupus models [18, 29-32]. In BXSB.Yaa [31] and MRL.lpr mice [33, 34], blocking IL-21 signaling can prevent autoimmune pheno-types.

We have recently shown that mycobacteria-specific Th17 cells are also detectable in peripheral blood of M.tb-exposed humans 20. This population was distinct from specific Th1 cells. No data on the induction of specific T cells expressing IL-17 or GM-CSF after TB or other vaccination in humans have been published. Six candidate TB vaccines are currently undergoing clinical trials 21. Modified vaccinia Ankara-expressing Ag85A (MVA85A), a recombinant strain of modified vaccinia Ankara-expressing Ag85A from M.tb22, is the most advanced in the clinical development process. This vaccine, designed to enhance

BCG-induced immunity, was found to be safe and highly immunogenic in healthy adults from the UK 23, The Gambia 24 and South Africa 25. CP-690550 mouse MVA85A is the first novel TB vaccine to be tested in children, who are an important target population for vaccination. As

part of an age de-escalation strategy in a TB-endemic region, we evaluated and compared the safety of MVA85A ICG-001 mouse vaccination and characterized the induced T-cell responses in healthy, M.tb-naïve adolescents and children. Twenty six adolescents and 56 children were screened between November 2006 and January 2008. Twelve adolescents and 24 children, none infected with M.tb, were found eligible for vaccination. Demographic characteristics are presented in Table 1 and reasons for exclusion in Supporting Information Table 1. All adolescents completed the 364-day follow-up period. One participant missed a single scheduled visit. Two of the 12 adolescents did not enter a record on their many diary cards for all of the first 7 days post-vaccination, as had been requested. These two participants were able to recall symptoms during scheduled visits on days 2 and 7 after vaccination, when specifically questioned for possible adverse events, including those recorded on the diary cards. Among adolescents, 64 adverse events were recorded (Table 2): 61 (95%) were classified as mild and 3 (5%) as moderate; no severe or serious adverse events were recorded. The moderate events were all skin reactions at the vaccination

site. There was a median of six adverse events per participant. Fifty (78%) adverse events were local reactions at the vaccination site, which occurred in all participants. The reactions were most pronounced 2 days after vaccination; by day 7 post-vaccination 31 (62%) had resolved. Of the 19 (38%) local events that had not resolved by day 7, 15 (30%) had resolved by day 14, and the remainder by day 28. The majority of these more persistent events were desquamation and swelling. Systemic adverse events were infrequent, and comprised primarily arthralgia, headache and feeling feverish. There were no significant abnormalities in hematology or biochemistry parameters, measured 7 and 84 days after vaccination.

Sodium restriction added additional blood pressure lowering to the DASH diet. Sodium restriction was more effective with increasing age and more effective than Selleckchem Ixazomib increasing fruit and vegetable content. The DASH diet is recognized as one of the most important non-pharmacological measures for managing blood pressure. The PREMIER study33 was a multicentre randomized trial, involving 810 adults with hypertension but not taking antihypertensive medications, which provided level II evidence that lifestyle changes, including weight loss, increased physical activity, a sodium-restricted diet and limited

alcohol consumption, can lead to significant reductions in blood pressure, with or without adherence to the DASH diet (described above). This study found that once a sodium restriction is achieved and exercise and weight loss goals are reached, adding the DASH diet had additional benefit with respect to blood pressure but, in contrast to the DASH study selleckchem findings, this was only the case for those over

50 years of age. Nevertheless, those who followed the DASH diet had significantly higher intakes of fibre, folate and certain minerals. A review of the evidence in the general population suggests that reducing dietary sodium and/or increasing dietary potassium is associated with a clinically significant fall in systolic blood pressure for both normotensive and hypertensive individuals. There is evidence that high sodium diets are associated with increased stroke incidence, and mortality from coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease whereas high potassium diets are associated with decreased stroke and cardiovascular disease mortality. An upper limit of 6 g salt (2300 mg sodium)/day has been set by NHMRC but estimates suggest that reducing salt to as low as

3 g salt/day would confer benefits on blood pressure.31 An important finding of the PREMIER trial was that intensive behavioural interventions P-type ATPase (14 group sessions and four individual sessions in the first 6 months, with monthly group sessions and three individual sessions during months 7–18) versus ‘advice only’ (two individual sessions at the start of the study and at 6 months) effected significantly greater changes to diet and physical activity, and a more significant decrease in weight and blood pressure.33 A sodium-restricted diet (80–100 mmol/day) has been shown to lower the blood pressure in kidney transplant recipients. There is evidence that the blood-pressure lowering effect of a sodium restriction is more likely to occur in cyclosporine-treated patients compared with those treated with azathioprine. There are no studies that have examined the potential for adverse effects to be associated with restricted sodium intake in kidney transplant recipients.

To determine if the stimuli enhanced buy BYL719 the S6 phosphorylation, PDC were stimulated with CpGA or loxoribine in the presence of IL-3 and intracellular p-S6 expression was determined with flow cytometric staining (Fig. 1b). CpGA stimulation resulted in the same fluorescence intensity as IL-3 treatment alone, while loxoribine stimulation slightly increased the p-S6 expression. CpG-A was a more effective stimulus than loxoribine to induce IFN-α secretion (Fig. 1c). While 20 ng/ml rapamycin inhibited loxoribine-induced IFN-α secretion by 64%, it inhibited CpG-A-induced IFN-α secretion by only 20%, despite almost complete suppression of mTOR-signalling. In contrast, secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α was inhibited

by rapamycin with similar efficacy in both stimulation conditions (Fig. 1d). The observed inhibitory effects of rapamycin were not due to

general impairment of PDC function, because no inhibition of CXCL-10 secretion was observed (Fig. 1d) and rapamycin did not induce apoptosis, as demonstrated by the absence of active caspase-3 (data not shown). As mTOR inhibition decreased cytokine secretion by PDC, we reasoned that mTOR stimulation might increase cytokine production. Therefore we added 10 nM VO-OHpic trihydrate, a specific inhibitor of PTEN, during PDC activation. The upstream signalling pathway that activates mTOR is initiated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), which generates 3-phosphorylated inositol lipids (PIP3) [23]. PTEN is a negative regulator of PIP3K-signalling

because it dephosphorylates PIP3 [24], and therefore inhibition of PTEN can abrogate negative regulation of mTOR phosphorylation. find more Buspirone HCl The addition of VO-OHpic trihydrate to TLR-activated PDC in a concentration that increased generation of PDC from human CD34+ progenitor cells [25] did not, however, affect p-S6 expression and cytokine production by PDC (data not shown), suggesting that PI3K-mTOR signalling is not limited by PTEN in human PDC. Together, these data show that a clinically relevant concentration of rapamycin inhibits proinflammatory cytokine production by TLR-7-activated PDC and TLR-9-activated PDC, while it suppresses IFN-α secretion in TLR-7-activated PDC but almost not in TLR-9-engaged PDC. To study the effects of mTOR inhibition on the T cell stimulatory capacity of PDC, we activated PDC with TLR ligands for 18 h and then added allogeneic CD3+ T cells. After activation in the presence or absence of rapamycin, PDC were washed carefully to remove rapamycin before T cells were added. Activation of PDC via TLR-7 in the presence of rapamycin increased their capacity to stimulate T cell proliferation, while the addition of rapamycin during TLR-9 activation did not (Fig. 2a). The increased proliferation of T cells upon mTOR inhibition in TLR-7-activated PDC was confined to enhanced expansion of the CD4 compartment (Fig. 2b), and was observed in both memory (CD45RO+) and naive (CD45RA+) T cells (Fig. 2c).

Membrane vesicles, bound to SF proteins in a calcium-dependent manner, were washed twice using this buffer in order to eliminate unspecifically bound proteins. The

specifically bound proteins were released from membrane by including 1 mM EGTA minus calcium-containing buffer by centrifugation at 28 000 g for 30 min at 4°C. The supernatant containing NAP was dialysed and purified further by size exclusion chromatography using Sephadex G-100, after which its identity was determined by peptide mass fingerprinting and N-terminal protein sequencing. The purified fraction was assayed for proangiogenic activity using human umbilical vein endothelial click here cells mTOR inhibitor (HUVECs) for tube

formation [21]. Purified NAP was used to produce monoclonal antibody. Briefly, BALB/c mice were immunized four times over a 2-month period with 50 μg of purified NAP with Freund’s adjuvant. Serum samples were collected 2 weeks after the second, third and fourth immunizations and screened for anti-NAP antibody using indirect ELISA. Spleen from mice that displayed high antibody titres were used subsequently to generate hybridomas using standard spleen cell/myeloma fusion. Briefly, NAP-primed B cell 1 × 108 (splenocytes) from mouse producing high-titre neutralizing antibodies were fused with logarithmically growing Sp2/0 myeloma cells (1 × 107), using polyethyleneglycol-1500. Hybridoma selection was carried out in hypoxanthine–aminopterin–thymidine (HAT) medium. The resulting monoclonal hybridomas were grown to confluency and the cell supernatant from a single clone was collected as a source of anti-NAP mAb, verified using

ELISA in which NAP was used for capture of the anti-NAP mAb, and purified by protein-A agarose affinity column chromatography. Further immunodetection Urocanase of anti-NAP mAb was carried out by Western blot analysis. Arthritis was induced in Wistar rats by subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of NAP or ovalbumin (OVA; Sigma, St Louis, MO, USA), as described previously [22]. There were five groups containing six animals, each in duplicate, as follows: group 1, controls; group 2, positive control [OVA-induced arthritis (AIA; untreated)]; group 3, NIA untreated; groups 4 and 5 served as test (AIA DMRD-treated and NIA mAb-treated), respectively. All rats except controls were sensitized twice during a 6-week period with 2 mg/ml of OVA or 50 μg/ml NAP emulsified in complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) (Sigma) and administered s.c. At the end of 6 weeks, animals received an intra-articular injection of 2 mg/ml of OVA or 50 μg/ml NAP in CFA in order to induce arthritis. The control rats were injected only with Freund’s adjuvant. Arthritis was achieved in 6–7 days post-IA injections and was considered as day ‘0’.

tropicalis (21%), C. parapsilosis (21%) and C. glabrata (5%). A similar study conducted by Chang et al. [11] in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, detected the presence of C. albicans (45.8%), C. parapsilosis (34.4%), C. tropicalis (14.6%) and C. glabrata (5.2%) in venous blood samples from hospitalised patients. AG-14699 A current study conducted by Motta et al. [12] in the largest Brazilian teaching hospital complex demonstrated a similar profile, with C. albicans showing the highest incidence (52.2%), followed by C. parapsilosis (22.1%), C. tropicalis (14.8%) and C. glabrata (6.6%). The incidence of infections due to non-albicans Candida spp. is increasing[4] although

C. albicans remains the species of greatest clinical interest.[13] Currently,

there are about 17 species known to cause invasive or superficial mycoses. Based on a recent study, non-albicans Candida spp. are responsible for 35% to 65% of all candidiasis cases.[14] According to Glolo and Svidzinski [15], the most common species involved in the infectious processes are C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei, C. kefyr, C. norvegensis, C. rugosa, C. guilliermondii, C. lusitaniae, C. ciferrii, C. haemulonii, C. lypolytica, C. pulcherrima, C. catenulata, C. utilis, C. viswanathii Decitabine datasheet and C. seylanoides. Many factors may predispose an individual to infection, among them the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, being a transplant patient, prolonged hospitalization and invasive surgical procedures such as the use of vesical catheters, venous catheters and mechanical ventilation.[15, 16] Other Palbociclib factors, such as extreme age, immunosuppression, renal failure, diabetes, chemotherapy,

radiotherapy, mucosal injury, haemodialysis, previous surgery, corticotherapy and use of dental prostheses, can also play a role.[17-19] The ability of Candida to cause infection also depends on its intrinsic virulence attributes.[20] Yeast of the genus Candida spp. possess several virulence-associated factors that ensure their ability to colonise and cause infection. These include the ability to adhere to host cells, promoting phenotypic changes, converging between yeast and pseudohyphae forms, the ability to form biofilms, producing substances harmful to cells, such as haemolysins, the ability to resist hydrogen peroxide and derivatives and the ability to produce and secrete hydrolytic enzymes. These factors can facilitate the promotion of infections in susceptible hosts and ensure microbial permanence to colonise or invade host tissues.[20-22] Candida albicans has well-known pathogenic potential, due to its ability to adhere to mucosal and epithelial cells, phenotypic transition with the production of hyphae that help tissue invasion, significant thermotolerance and the production of hydrolytic enzymes.[23, 24] In addition, C. albicans forms biofilms that adhere to and colonise surfaces.