Journal: mBio
Article Title: Candida albicans -induced ubiquitination of EGFR reveals novel host–fungal interaction pathways
doi: 10.1128/mbio.03448-25
Figure Lengend Snippet: Model for epithelial cell activation and EGFR trafficking induced by C. albicans . (A) During epithelial infection, C. albicans hyphae form an invasion pocket, predominantly through the binding of the fungal adhesin/invasin Als3p to the EGFR/HER2 complex on epithelial cells. Hyphae secrete the cytolytic peptide toxin candidalysin, which accumulates in the invasion pocket prior to forming pores in the plasma membrane, triggering calcium influx and cell damage (LDH release). Calcium influx stimulates the activation of matrix metalloproteinases, which release surface-tethered epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligands, epigen (EPGN), epiregulin (EREG), and amphiregulin (AREG). (B) These ligands bind to EGFR, triggering receptor dimerization and activation. (C) EGFR activation induces ERK1/2 phosphorylation and the subsequent activation of the transcription factor c-Fos. This leads to the expression of cytokines (G-CSF, GM-CSF, IL-1α, and IL-1β), which are released from the cell, inducing neutrophil recruitment and type 17 immunity. (D) In parallel, candidalysin activates the p38-MAPK pathway, which can also activate EGFR and Hsp27 and controls IL-6 secretion. (E) Candidalysin also drives the upregulation of ubiquitin C ( UBC ) and ubiquitin pathway-associated genes such as USPs and TNFAIP3 , as well as an increase in total protein ubiquitination. (F) Once EGFR is activated, adaptor protein Grb2 is recruited, and EGFR is ubiquitinated. (G) EGFR is then internalized into early endosomes, trafficked into multivesicular bodies (MVBs), and finally degraded in lysosomes. The degradation of EGFR negatively regulates EGFR signaling. This model is based on in vitro data. Figure created with BioRender.com .
Article Snippet: GRB2 , Rabbit , 1:1,000 , Cell Signaling Technology , 3972.
Techniques: Activation Assay, Infection, Binding Assay, Clinical Proteomics, Membrane, Phospho-proteomics, Expressing, Ubiquitin Proteomics, In Vitro