title: Local IL-23 expression in murine vaginal candidiasis and its relationship with infection and immune status.
abstract: To investigate the expression of vaginal IL-23 and its role in experimental murine vaginal candidiasis and its relationship with infection and immune status, immuno-competent (group A) and immuno-suppressed (group B) murine models of vaginal candidiasis were established in estrogen-treated mice. Non-estrogen-treated mice were used as controls (group C). The level of IL-23 p19 mRNA in murine vaginal tissue was determined by RT-PCR. Significantly increased levels of IL-23p19mRNA were observed on the 4th, the 7th and 14th day after inoculation in immuno-competent group when compared with that in control group (P<0.01, P<0.05). However, significant increase of IL-23 p19mRNA were only observed on the 7th day and the 14th day after inoculatuon in immuno-suppressed groups (P<0.05). On the 4th and 7th day, the levels of IL-23 p19mRNA were significantly increased in immuno-competent group than those in immuno-suppressed group (P <0.05). Local IL-23 may play a role in the pathogenesis of murine vaginal candidiasis and has a protective function during infection. Low vaginal IL-23 level may correlate with the increased susceptibility to Candida albicans in immuno-suppressed group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhijian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Zhixiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Dechao
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Jiawen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000254:growth & development; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D053759:Interleukin-23; D012333:RNA, Messenger