Changes in actin cytoskeleton are involved in the cytopathic action of Candida albicans upon human skin fibroblasts.

The infection of human skin fibroblasts grown in culture with Candida albicans causes the death of infected cells, as assayed with the trypan blue exclusion test. The cell death is preceded by: (1) an attachment of germ tubes to the perinuclear surface of fibroblasts; (2) the disappearance of stress fibers and the disorganization of F-actin cytoskeleton and (3) cell rounding and detachment from the substratum. The results provide evidence for the role of F-actin cytoskeleton as a target in the cytopathic activity of C. albicans against human skin fibroblasts.