In vitro response to Candida albicans in cultures of whole human blood from young and aged donors.
Invasive infections with opportunistic fungi, such as Candida albicans, have become an increasing problem in aged adults in recent years. This work investigates the influence of human ageing on C. albicans recognition by toll-like receptors (TLRs), essential components of the innate immune system, using a cohort of 96 young (15-42 years) and aged (>70 years) human volunteers. No significant differences between aged and young donors were observed on (1) cell surface TLR2, TLR6 and TLR4 expression on lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes, (2) production of cytokines [IL-8, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-10, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and IL-12p70] and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) by whole human blood in response to C. albicans and (3) fungicidal activity of whole blood. A statistically significant higher titre of natural anti-C. albicans antibodies was found in plasma of volunteers between 80 and 95 years old when compared with other age groups, probably as a consequence of the increased levels of serum Ig that has been described in elderly subjects. Therefore, the results indicate that the increased susceptibility to C. albicans infections in the elderly is not a consequence of defects in TLRs expression or signalling, nor of an impaired fungicidal activity of blood.
Murciano
Celia
C
Departamento de Microbiología y Ecología, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain.
Villamón
Eva
E
Yáñez
Alberto
A
Murciano
José
J
Mir
Amparo
A
O'Connor
José E
JE
Gozalbo
Daniel
D
Gil
M Luisa
ML
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood; D001769:Blood / Q000276:immunology; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D050296:Microbial Viability; D009000:Monocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2 / Q000032:analysis; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000032:analysis; D051216:Toll-Like Receptor 6 / Q000032:analysis
D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D016207:Cytokines; C495342:TLR2 protein, human; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; C495368:TLR6 protein, human; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051216:Toll-Like Receptor 6; D015232:Dinoprostone