Mucosal candidiasis in transgenic mice expressing human immunodeficiency virus type 1.
The availability of CD4C/HIV(MutA) transgenic (Tg) mice expressing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in immune cells and developing an AIDS-like disease has provided the opportunity to devise a model of mucosal candidiasis that closely mimics the clinical and pathologic features of candidal infection in human AIDS. After intraoral infection with Candida albicans, oral burdens were strikingly elevated in the Tg mice, compared with non-Tg littermates (P<.05), during primary infection, a 6-10-week carrier state, and a marked terminal outgrowth preceding death. The chronic carrier state was absent in the non-Tg mice because of clearing of C. albicans. Candida hyphae penetrated the epithelium of the oral cavity, esophagus, and cardial-atrium fold of the stomach, accompanied by a mononuclear cell infiltrate. Immunohistochemical analysis suggested that decreased frequencies of major histocompatibility complex class II-expressing cells, combined with reduced CD4+ cells, may underlie the susceptibility to mucosal candidiasis in these Tg mice.
de Repentigny
Louis
L
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal and Sainte-Justine Hospital, 3175 Côte-Ste-Catherine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3T 1C5. louis.de.repentigny@umontreal.ca
Aumont
Francine
F
Ripeau
Jean-Sébastien
JS
Fiorillo
Marie
M
Kay
Denis G
DG
Hanna
Zaher
Z
Jolicoeur
Paul
P
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008822:Mice, Transgenic
D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II