title: Inhibition of monocytic interleukin-12 production by Candida albicans via selective activation of ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase.
abstract: Our previous data demonstrated that live Candida albicans inhibits interleukin-12 (IL-12) production by human monocytes. Here we explored whether C. albicans inhibits IL-12 via a released factor and whether the inhibition is mediated via mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) regulation. Supernatant fluids were obtained from cultured C. albicans (SC5314) as well as cultured Saccharomyces cerevisiae after 20 h of incubation. At 2 h postincubation of monocytes with heat-killed C. albicans (HKCA) (2:1) to stimulate IL-12, concentrated fungal supernatant fluids were added and incubated for an additional 20 h. The present data show that, unlike supernatant fluids obtained from S. cerevisiae, the C. albicans supernatant fluids significantly suppressed IL-12 production induced by HKCA. This suggested that the inhibition is Candida specific. A preliminary biochemical analysis revealed that this secretory IL-12 inhibitory factor is glycoprotein in nature. The inhibitory activity had no effect on the phagocytosis of yeasts. Supernatant fluids from C. albicans markedly induced the phosphorylation of ERK44/42 MAPK, but not p38 and SAPK, 1 min after they were added to monocytes. To test if the induction of ERK44/42 MAPK was central to the IL-12 inhibition, we used gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) (1 ng/ml) plus lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (100 ng/ml) to stimulate IL-12 production by monocytes. The inhibition of ERK MAPK by the specific inhibitor PD 98059 significantly reduced phospho-ERK44/42 MAPK levels induced by C. albicans supernatant fluids in the IFN-gamma-plus-LPS-driven monocytes. Concomitantly, PD 98059 reversed the IL-12 inhibitory activity of the C. albicans supernatant (P < 0.01). These data indicate that C. albicans can inhibit IL-12 production by secreting an ERK44/42 MAPK-stimulating factor and thus can attenuate effective immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Center for Medical Mycology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University, OH 44106, USA.
authors.forename: Ningfeng
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Liming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Kefei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Pranab K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahara
authors.forename: Guofen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Thomas S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghannoum
mesh_terms: D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005419:Flavonoids; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one