Authors:

Tanvi Karthika Nadimpalli

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As microbial metabolites gain recognition for their bioactive properties, this study investigates the effects of fungal supernatants on cancer cell proliferation, focusing on Candida albicans and Candida glabrata. Past studies have shown that these opportunistic pathogenic yeasts, common in the human microbiota, secrete bioactive compounds such as Beta- glucan, chitin, mannan, and mannoproteins, which have demonstrated immunomodulatory and antitumor properties. However, their direct impact on tumor cells remains relatively underexplored. To address this, cell-free supernatants were collected from high-density cultures of C. albicans and C. glabrata and applied at 10-, 100-, and 1000-fold dilutions to SNU719, an Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-positive gastric carcinoma cell line. The fungi were cultured at both 30°C, their optimal growth temperature, and 37°C, the core temperature of the human body, to assess whether environmental temperature influences the potency of secreted metabolites. Cells were treated for 72 hours before viability was measured using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assay. Preliminary trends suggest a dose-dependent relationship, with lower dilutions- reflecting higher concentrations of fungal metabolites-leading to an increase in cancer cell viability and proliferation. However, this relationship is still being evaluated and confirmed through ongoing experiments. Temperature-dependent differences in bioactivity are also under assessment. These findings suggest that secreted products from opportunistic pathogenic fungi, Candida Albicans, and Candida Glabrata, can induce tumor cell growth and may be influenced by host-relevant conditions. This work contributes to a growing understanding of host- microbe interactions in cancer and supports further investigation into fungal-derived metabolites as regulators of tumor behavior. Keywords: Candida albicans; Candida Glabrata; Fungal Metabolites; Gastric Carcinoma; Cell Proliferation † Presenting Undergrad Author; ‡ Contributing Undergrad Author; * Undergrad Acknowledgment

Source:

Purdue University / 2025

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Co-authors:

Tanvi Karthika Nadimpalli