Modification of an experimental mouse Candida infection by human dialyzable leukocyte extract.
Human dialyzable leukocyte extract (10(7) - 10(8) leukocyte equivalents, containing transfer factor) was administered intraperitoneally to CFW mice the day of and 2 days after intravenous infection with Candida albicans. Tissue Candida populations were determined immediately after and 2, 4, 7 and 14 days after infection. Kidney populations were significantly reduced on 27% of the days studied. Similar reduction in C. albicans census was obtained after injection of leukocyte extracts from donors skin test-positive to Candida antigens or donors negative to Candida antigens by skin test and migration inhibition analyses. There was no evidence of a dose-response relationship for leukocyte extract in the range 10(5) - 10(9) leukocyte equivalents. When mice were primed with C. albicans antigen 4 weeks prior to challenge the efficacy of leukocyte extracts was not augmented. There was no evidence that the infection-reducing effects were related to augmented polymorphonuclear leukocyte mobilization, increased mononuclear clearance of C. albicans, or to a direct toxic effect on C. albicans blastospores. These studies suggest that the reduction in Candida populations was non-specific and give further impetus to the use of the dialyzable leukocyte extracts as non-specific supplements to antibiotics in overwhelming or recalcitrant infections in man.
D000818:Animals; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000276:immunology; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000382:microbiology*; D002457:Cell Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D007668:Kidney / Q000382:microbiology; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000032:analysis*; D051379:Mice; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014165:Transfer Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D002457:Cell Extracts; D014020:Tissue Extracts; D014165:Transfer Factor