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Oroesophageal candidiasis is lethal for transgenic mice with combined natural killer and T-cell defects

E Balish1, T Warner, C J Pierson

  • 1Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison 53706, USA. balish@surgery.wisc.edu

Medical Mycology
|July 12, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Germfree mice with defects in natural killer (NK) and T cells are highly susceptible to Candida albicans infections in the esophagus and stomach. These immune cells are crucial for preventing severe candidiasis.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Transgenic mice models are essential for studying host-pathogen interactions.
  • Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that can cause severe infections in immunocompromised individuals.
  • Natural killer (NK) cells and T cells play critical roles in the immune response against fungal infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of NK cells and T cells in host defense against Candida albicans.
  • To determine the susceptibility of germfree transgenic epsilon 26 (Tgepsilon26) mice with combined NK and T cell defects to candidiasis.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized germfree transgenic epsilon 26 (Tgepsilon26) mice expressing the human CD3epsilon gene.
  • Colonized the alimentary tracts of Tgepsilon26 mice with Candida albicans.
  • Assessed susceptibility to oroesophageal, gastric, and systemic candidiasis.
  • Performed granulocyte depletion experiments to evaluate the role of granulocytes and macrophages.

Main Results:

  • Tgepsilon26 mice exhibited extreme susceptibility to oroesophageal and gastric candidiasis, succumbing within 2-4 weeks post-colonization.
  • These mice showed resistance to acute systemic candidiasis for the first 2 weeks.
  • Granulocytes and macrophages alone could not prevent lethal oroesophageal and systemic candidiasis in the absence of NK and T cells.

Conclusions:

  • NK cells and T cells are vital for effective host resistance against oroesophageal and systemic candidiasis.
  • Combined defects in NK and T cells lead to severe susceptibility to mucosal and systemic candidiasis caused by Candida albicans.

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