Fig. 2: Increased host cell cytotoxicity parallels fungal growth and is contact-dependent.

A Growth of different C. albicans isolates and deletion mutants in RPMI-1640 with or without albumin assessed by optical density measurements every 30 min for 45 h at 600 nm (n = 3). B Representative microscopic images showing SC5314, efg1ΔΔ/cph1ΔΔ, and 101 grown with and without albumin in the absence of host cells. Images were taken after 24 h at ×10 magnification (scale bar = 200 µm). C Cytotoxicity of A-431 cells infected with C. albicans strains at different multiplicities of infections (MOI) after 45 h post infection (hpi) with or without albumin (n = 3). D Comparison of cytotoxicity induced to A-431 cells in a transwell system (indirect infection) to directly infected A-431 cells in presence or absence of albumin after 45 hpi (n = 4). E Cytotoxicity of A-431 cells infected with albumin pre-incubated or non-albumin pre-incubated C. albicans strains. The pre-incubation took place for 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 h, or 3 h. The cytotoxicity measurements were carried out after 45 hpi, as a control served a direct infection with or without albumin (n = 4). Cytotoxicity (C–E) was quantified by measuring the LDH activity in the supernatant. Bars represent the mean ± SEM, and dots represent the mean of the technical replicates of the individual experiments. Data were tested for significance using a two-way ANOVA with Holm-Šídák multiple comparisons test (C–E). P values are provided in the figure for significant comparisons. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.