Journal Article

Candida spp. suppress neutrophil reactive nitrogen species to evade killing

Partridge, David G., Johnston, Simon A., Burgess, Thomas B., Prince, Lynne R., Elks, Philip M., Szkuta, Piotr T., Hammond, Ffion R., Lewis, Amy, Bicanic, Tihana, Bowden, Keiran A., Christou, Stella, Ayscough, Kathryn R., Condliffe, Alison M.

2026

Overview

Candida albicans is a fungus that normally lives harmlessly in the human body but can cause life-threatening infections in people with weakened immune systems. A key part of the body’s defense against this fungus is neutrophils, immune cells that kill microbes using toxic molecules. However, how Candida avoids neutrophil defense is not well understood. Here, we used zebrafish and human immune cells to show that Candida suppresses an important neutrophil defense, reactive nitrogen species (RNS), during infection. Unlike bacteria, which trigger RNS, Candida reduces these protective molecules to below normal levels, helping its survival. This effect was also observed with other disease-causing Candida species. We went on to show that both the host and Candida contribute to this suppression. Importantly, boosting the neutrophil response improved survival and helped clear infection, especially when combined with standard antifungal drugs. These findings suggest new ways to support the immune system alongside existing treatments.

• Publisher: ASM
• Subject: Candida Albicans Pathogenesis / Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases / Eukaryotic Microbiology / Fungal Immune Evasion / Fungal Immunity / Fungal Invasion Strategies / Fungal Pathogenesis / Fungal-Host Interactions / Host Cell Invasion / Host-Fungal Interactions / Host-Pathogen Interactions / Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology / Pathogen-Specific Immunity / Pathogenesis and Host Response / Pathogenesis of Medically Important Fungi / Research Article / Systemic Candidiasis / Systemic Infections