Chemiluminescence of polymorphonuclear granulocytes in the presence of selected Candida species.
We monitored the respiratory burst of polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMN) during infection in vitro with 25 strains of six Candida species with different extracellular proteolytic activity by chemiluminescence (CL). The CL-response of PMNs to viable Candida blastoconidia was compared to the response to ethanol-fixed cells of the same strain. Ethanol-fixed blastoconidia of all tested fungal strains uniformly increased the CL-response on contact. Viable fungal blastoconidia induced different CL-responses: (1) virulent C. albicans and C. tropicalis induced a low CL-response, (2) less virulent C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis and C. krusei induced CL-responses which reflected strain-specific differences, and (3) viable blastoconidia of attenuated C. guilliermondii uniformly caused a high PMN CL-response. After the CL-measurement, the killing of Candida by PMNs was assayed. High CL-response could be correlated to an augmented killing of the yeasts. These results were discussed with respect to a factor of fungal virulence, the secretion of acid proteinase.
Borg-von Zepelin
M
M
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Göttingen, Germany.
Schuff-Werner
P
P
D002175:Candida / Q000276:immunology*; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016897:Respiratory Burst / Q000502:physiology*
D005609:Free Radicals