Abstract: Objective To investigate the differential expression of secretory aspartyl proteinase in patients with vaginal C.albicans infection and in asymptomatic candidal carriers.Methods Secretory aspartyl proteinase expression was determined with reverse transcription-PCR in vaginal specimens taken from 10 asymptomatic candidal carriers,14 patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and 10 patients with recurrent VVC (RVVC).Results SAP2 and SAP4 to SAP6 subfamily were detected in both candidal carriers and patients with vaginal candidiasis.SAP1 and SAP3 transcripts were not observed in 10 asymptomatic candidal carriers.All 9 SAP genes were differently expressed in VVC and RVVC patients.SAP1 and SAP3 transcripts were frequently amplified in some patients.Conclusion It is shown that C.albicans infection is associated with differential expression of individual SAP genes,which may be involved in the pathogenesis of vaginal candidiasis.

Key words: Candidiasis,vulvovaginal, Aspartic endopeptidases, Gene expression