Effects of Candida albicans infection on defense effector secretion by human oral mucosal epithelial cells Publication date: July 2019 Source: Archives of Oral Biology, Volume 103 Author(s): Fan Huang, Yuefeng Song, Wei Chen, Qin Liu, Qiong Wang, Weida Liu, Xiang Wang, Wenmei Wang Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Candida albicans on the production of defense effector molecules by human oral mucosal epithelial cells in vitro. Design Immortalized human oral mucosal epithelial (Leuk-1) cells and C. albicans strain 5314 were cocultured at different cell-to-C. albicans ratios. The viability of Leuk-1 cells was determined by MTT and RTCA measurements. The secretory levels of multiple defense effector molecules were determined by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results Our results indicated that C. albicans significantly decreased the secretion of IgG, cystatin C, lactoferrin, and TGF-β1 in a dose-dependent manner and remarkably reduced the production of IgA independent of the cell-to-C. albicans ratio. However, C. albicans clearly enhanced the secretion of IgM, galectin-3, P-selectin, granzyme B and perforin. Conclusion These results suggest that C. albicans may exert a regulatory role in the defense response of oral mucosal epithelial cells by altering secretory levels of defense effector molecules.