Role of CD4+ lymphocytes in resistance to mucosal candidiasis.
The role of CD4+ lymphocytes in resistance of N:NIH(S) III bg/bg nu/+ mice to mucosal candidiasis was evaluated. Alimentary tract colonization with a pure culture of Candida albicans induced a population of lymphocytes in both the Peyer's patches and spleens of bg/bg nu/+ mice, but not bg/bg nu/nu mice, that proliferated and produced interleukin-2 (IL-2) in response to C. albicans antigens. The induction of candida-specific lymphocytes correlated with the clearance of C. albicans from the esophagus and tongue of resistant bg/bg nu/+ mice. Isogenic bg/bg nu/nu mice which do not develop candida-reactive lymphocytes were unable to clear C. albicans from their tongues and esophagi. Treatment of bg/bg nu/+ mice with anti-CD4+ monoclonal antibodies depleted their CD4+ lymphocytes and increased their susceptibility to mucosal candidiasis of the tongue and esophagus. In vivo treatment of bg/bg nu/+ mice with anti-IL-2, anti-gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), or both anti-IL-2 and anti-IFN-gamma monoclonal antibodies did not abrogate their resistance to mucosal candidiasis. Furthermore, treatment of C. albicans-susceptible bg/bg nu/nu mice with IFN-gamma and IL-2 did not protect them from mucosal candidiasis. Thus, CD4+ cells apparently play a critical role in resistance to mucosal candidiasis; however, we were unable to demonstrate a role for IL-2 and IFN-gamma in mediating resistance to mucosal candidiasis.
Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison 53706.
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D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000032:analysis; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000276:immunology*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude / Q000276:immunology; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007371:Interferon-gamma