Protection of mice from lethal endogenous Candida albicans infection by immunization with Candida membrane antigen.
The protective effects of immunization with Candida membrane antigen (CMA) on a systemic infection originating from intestinally colonized Candida albicans were examined. The colonization of orally inoculated C. albicans in the intestinal tract was established in BALB/c mice that had been concomitantly treated with oral doses of antibacterial drugs. In these animals, a systemic dissemination of C. albicans with fatal outcome was induced by a repeated dosing of prednisolone. In this endogenous infection model, the effects of immunization by CMA on the infection were examined. CMA-immunized mice showed a longer lifespan than unimmunized mice. The protective effect of CMA immunization in immunosuppressed mice was also measured by a decrease in body weight loss after treatment with prednisolone and in the number of viable Candida cells in the target organs, the kidneys and livers. However, the CFU of C. albicans in the intestinal tract was not significantly lowered. These results suggest that CMA immunization inhibited the dissemination of systemic Candida infection from the intestinal tract induced by treatment with prednisolone.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Shigeru
S
Tansho
Shigeru
S
Ab
Shigetoshi
S
Mizutani
Yasuo
Y
Ono
Kazutoh
K
Takesako
Hideyo
H
Yamaguchi
D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000276:immunology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007668:Kidney / Q000382:microbiology; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011239:Prednisolone