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Growth inhibition of Candida albicans hyphae by CD8+ lymphocytes

D W Beno1, A G Stöver, H L Mathews

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University of Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.

Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)
|May 15, 1995
PubMed

Insights

CD8+ T lymphocytes activated by IL-2 effectively inhibit Candida albicans hyphae growth. Natural killer (NK) cells, activated by IL-2 or IFN-gamma, showed minimal antifungal activity against hyphae.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Mycology

Background:

  • Interleukin-2 (IL-2) activated splenocytes previously demonstrated inhibition of Candida albicans hyphae.
  • The specific lymphocyte subset mediating this antifungal activity remained to be identified.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the specific lymphocyte subset responsible for the antifungal activity against Candida albicans hyphae.
  • To elucidate the role of CD8+ T cells and NK1.1+ cells in IL-2-mediated antifungal responses.

Main Methods:

  • Enrichment and depletion of CD8+ and NK1.1+ cells from IL-2-activated lymphocyte populations.
  • Assays for antifungal activity against Candida albicans hyphae.
  • Cytotoxic activity assays against NK-resistant and NK-sensitive cell lines.

Main Results:

  • Plastic nonadherent CD8+ lymphocytes were identified as the primary mediators of antifungal activity against C. albicans hyphae.
  • Enrichment of CD8+ cells enhanced both antifungal and cytotoxic activity, while depletion reduced it.
  • NK1.1+ cells showed reduced antifungal activity against hyphae but increased cytotoxicity against NK-sensitive cells.
  • Antifungal lymphocyte generation required IL-2, and IFN-gamma could not substitute for IL-2.

Conclusions:

  • IL-2-activated CD8+ T lymphocytes are the main effectors against the hyphal form of C. albicans.
  • IL-2- or IFN-gamma-activated NK cells exhibit limited or no antifungal activity against C. albicans hyphae.

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