Effect of inhibitors of arachidonic acid metabolism on prostaglandin E₂ production by Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis biofilms.

Arachidonic acid (AA) is released from infected host cells during Candida albicans infection and may serve as carbon source for yeast growth and as precursor for the production of biologically active eicosanoids, such as prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) by C. albicans. However, the mechanism involved in this production is still unclear. Therefore, it was of interest to investigate the effect of different arachidonic acid metabolism inhibitors on PGE₂ production by biofilms of C. albicans and the closely related C. dubliniensis. This was done by growing Candida biofilms in the presence of AA as well as cytochrome P450 (CYP), multicopper oxidase, cyclooxygenase or lipoxygenase inhibitors. The concentration of PGE₂ was determined by a monoclonal PGE₂ enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and verified with LCMS/MS. The results obtained indicate the ability of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis biofilms to produce PGE₂ from exogenous AA. The use of different inhibitors suggested that CYPs and multicopper oxidases are involved in PGE₂ production by these Candida biofilms.