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Acquired immunity to systemic candidiasis in immunodeficient mice
1Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison 53706-1532.
The Journal of Infectious Diseases
|November 1, 1991
Summary
T cell-mediated immunity is crucial for preventing systemic candidiasis after Candida albicans gut colonization. T cell-competent mice showed resistance, while T cell-deficient mice did not.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Systemic candidiasis is a serious opportunistic infection.
- The role of T cell immunity in resistance to Candida albicans colonization is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of T cell-mediated immunity in acquired resistance to systemic candidiasis following gastrointestinal colonization with Candida albicans.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of mortality and immune responses in beige-athymic (T cell-deficient) and beige-euthymic (T cell-competent) mice colonized with Candida albicans.
- Assessment of T cell-dependent antibody and cell-mediated immune responses.
Main Results:
- Beige-athymic mice exhibited a 27% mortality rate from systemic candidiasis after C. albicans colonization.
- Beige-euthymic mice did not develop systemic candidiasis and mounted specific T cell-dependent immune responses.
- Mucosal colonization with C. albicans enhanced resistance in T cell-competent mice but not in T cell-deficient mice.
Conclusions:
- T cell-mediated immunity is essential for acquired resistance to systemic candidiasis after gastrointestinal C. albicans colonization.
- Mucosal colonization primes T cell immunity, conferring protection against systemic spread.