title: Concanavalin-A induces IL-17 production during the course of Candida albicans infection.
abstract: In a previous study, our group verified that 100% of mice survived to a lethal dose of Candida albicans following pretreatment with concanavalin-A (Con-A) for 3 days. This work proposed to investigate whether treatment could mediate an adaptative immune response involving T(H) 17 cells. A significant increase in IL-17 levels at 6 h postinfection was observed and was maintained up to 18 h in the Con-A group, whereas in control mice, a reduction in this cytokine was verified. In addition, T(H) 17 cells develop in the presence of TGF-β, IL-1 β, and IL-6 that were increased significantly 2 h postinfection in Con-A-treated mice. Macrophages were involved in the process, engulfing greater numbers of yeast cells, and were activated through TNF-α and interferon-γ produced at significant levels at 2 h postinfection. A significant increase in IL-12 levels was also observed at 2 h postinfection. Thus, activated macrophages were probably more capable of killing and processing Candida antigens, signalizing an adaptative immune response. Macrophages from controls did not prevent yeast-to-hyphae transition and were partially destroyed, as shown in scanning microscopy. These results suggest that treatment with Con-A facilitated the triggering of T(H) 17 and T(H) 1 responses via IL-17 and IFN-γ production, leading to the resolution of C. albicans infection.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Patológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula Galdino Cardin
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Luiz Antonio
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Custódio
authors.forename: Ivete
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Conchon-Costa
authors.forename: Célia Guadalupe Tardeli de Jesus
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Gustavo Fernando da Silva
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Quirino
authors.forename: Ricardo Sergio Couto
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: Ionice
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Felipe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D020381:Interleukin-17; D003208:Concanavalin A