Table 1.
The most important virulence factors associated with Candida biofilm formation during VVC and their functions.
| Factor | Genes | Candida Strains | Function in Biofilm Formation during VVC | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Als proteins | family of ALS |
C. albicans C. parapsilosis C. tropicalis C. dubliniensis C. guillermondii C. lusitaniae |
adhesion to VECs | [8,42,47,48] |
| Epa protein | EPA |
C. albicans
C. glabrata |
adhesion to VECs | [8,42,51] |
| Hwp1 protein | HWP1 | Candida spp. | adhesion to VECs | [8,41,44,48] |
| Sap enzymes | family of SAP |
C. albicans
C. parapsilosis C. tropicalis C. dubliniensis |
adhesion to VECs, phenotypic switching, formation of hyphae and its adhesion and penetration into VECs | [24,42,47,50,54] |
| yapsins | YPS | C. glabrata | adhesion to VECs, phenotypic switching, formation of hyphae and its adhesion and penetration into VEC | [8,53,54] |
| lipases | LIP |
C. albicans
C. parapsilosis C. tropicalis |
increasing adhesion to VECs | [42,50,53,59] |