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Activation of complement by Pityrosporum orbiculare
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology
|February 1, 1983
Summary
Pityrosporum orbiculare and Candida albicans activate complement equally in human serum. This immune response does not explain the differing inflammation seen in tinea versicolor and candidiasis, suggesting other factors are involved.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Medical Mycology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Pityrosporum orbiculare is linked to tinea versicolor, while Candida albicans causes candidiasis.
- The complement system plays a crucial role in the immune response to fungal infections.
- Understanding complement activation by these yeasts is key to explaining disease pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the complement-activating abilities of P. orbiculare and C. albicans in human serum.
- To investigate the relationship between complement activation and the inflammatory differences observed in infections caused by these yeasts.
Main Methods:
- Complement activation was assessed by measuring the inhibition of rabbit red blood cell lysis in human serum incubated with the yeasts.
- Quantification of complement component C3 deposition on yeast surfaces was performed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Main Results:
- Both P. orbiculare and C. albicans demonstrated comparable abilities to activate complement in normal human serum and serum with an intact alternative pathway.
- Despite C. albicans extracts containing higher levels of carbohydrate and antigenic material, complement activation was similar between the two organisms.
- The observed differences in inflammation between tinea versicolor and candidiasis lesions do not correlate with the complement-activating capacity of the respective yeasts.
Conclusions:
- The complement-activating potential of P. orbiculare and C. albicans is similar, challenging the notion that this directly explains differential inflammatory responses.
- Factors beyond complement activation, such as microbial invasiveness or the induction of other immune reactions, likely account for the distinct clinical presentations of tinea versicolor and candidiasis.