Protective immunity induced by low-virulence Candida albicans: cytokine production in the development of the anti-infectious state

A low-virulence, agerminative strain of Candida albicans (PCA-2) is able to confer a high degree of nonspecific protection against subsequent challenge with highly virulent microorganisms in mice. In an attempt to better define the effect of PCA-2 vaccination on the immune system and the nature of the mechanisms involved in this protective state, we evaluated the pattern and kinetics of production of selected cytokines in PCA-2-treated mice. Thus, granulocyte/monocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and interleukin 1 (IL-1) were measured in the sera and spleen cell supernatants of vaccinated mice. In both cases, high levels of CSF, TNF, IL-1, and IFN were found 6 hr after PCA-2 infection and persisted for many days. There was always a correlation between the ability of PCA-2 to induce antimicrobial protection in vivo and its ability to cause cytokine production in vitro. Supernatants of splenocyte cultures from PCA-2-infected animals possessed macrophage-activating activity, as measured in microbiological assays. These data suggest an important involvement of cytokines in the nonspecific anti-infectious immunity induced by PCA-2, and also suggest a crucial role for IL-1 as an endogenous adjuvant in the initiation of the immune response to PCA-2.     

Immunomodulation by Candida albicans: crucial role of organ colonization and chronic infection with an attenuated agerminative strain of C. albicans for establishment of anti-infectious protection

Intravenous inoculation of an attenuated agerminative strain of Candida albicans (PCA-2) of low virulence, but not of two other species of Candida of low virulence (C. parapsilosis and C. viswanathii) into CD2F1 mice conferred protection against the highly virulent microbes C. albicans CA-6, Staphylococcus aureus and Aspergillus fumigatus. To provide protection, a definite inoculum size (10(6) cells per mouse) resulting in organ colonization and establishment of a long-lasting chronic infection with PCA-2 was needed. An inoculum of 10(5) cells gave rise to transient kidney colonization whereas inocula greater than 10(6) cells led to acute septicaemia and eventual death. Chronic infection of mice following inoculation of 10(6) PCA-2 cells was accompanied by detectable mannoprotein antigen levels in the serum (30-70 ng ml-1) while specific antibodies did not appear until 14 d after inoculation, at which time low antimannan antibody was present (ELISA titre 1:40-1:80). Chronic infection was characterized by the presence in the kidneys of 2-3 x 10(6) c.f.u. of PCA-2 for at least 40 d after inoculation. Pharmacological modulation of the host through administration of either an anti-Candida drug, amphotericin B, or an immunosuppressive agent, cyclophosphamide, strongly supported the premise that the anti-infectious state conferred by PCA-2 'immunization' correlated with the maintenance of a sufficient number of PCA-2 in vivo. Protection was 'switched on' when 2-3 x 10(5) cells were present in the kidneys. It was maximal at a kidney count of 2-3 x 10(6) c.f.u. of PCA-2, and promptly declined when the number of PCA-2 cells in the kidney fell below 2 x 10(5). Mice chronically infected with PCA-2 had splenic macrophages with pronounced candidacidal activity in vitro. Modulation of the growth of PCA-2 in vivo, which determined activation or deactivation of the protective state, was paralleled by a similar modulation in macrophage activation, showing that in all cases resistance to virulent organisms persisted as long as macrophage activation was present. The results demonstrate that a critical in vivo antigenic load is crucial for the occurrence of resistance to infection and suggests that macrophages could be involved in this protection.     

T cell subsets and IFN-gamma production in resistance to systemic candidosis in immunized mice

In addition to previous evidence for the roles of T cell-dependent immunity and delayed-type hypersensitivity in acquired resistance to systemic candidosis in mice, in the present study we have investigated the relative contributions of L3T4+ and Lyt-2+ lymphocytes in the protective immunity induced by vaccination with low virulence Candida albicans cells. We have also addressed the issue of the mode of Candida Ag recognition by specific T cells leading to cytokine release. Spleen cells from immunized mice produced high levels of IFN-gamma in vitro in response to Candida Ag, and this activity was abolished only by the combined treatment of the responder population with anti-L3T4 and anti-Lyt-2.2 mAb plus C. Positively selected L3T4+ and Lyt-2+ cells also produced IFN-gamma in vitro, provided accessory cells (plastic-adherent and Thy-1- Ia- splenocytes, respectively) were added to the lymphocyte-yeast cell cocultures. The production of IFN-gamma by purified L3T4+ and Lyt-2+ cells was inhibited by addition of the respective anti-class II and anti-class I H-2 antibody to the cultures. In vivo, administration of anti-L3T4, anti-Lyt-2.2 mAb or a combination of both significantly impaired the resistance of immunized mice to challenge with virulent C. albicans, as manifested by increased recovery of the yeast from the mouse kidneys. A similar effect was observed upon neutralization of endogenous IFN-gamma by treatment with rat mAb. These results suggest that both L3T4+ and Lyt-2+ T cells play a role in acquired immunity to systemic C. albicans infection, and that their activity may involve IFN-gamma-mediated stimulation of candidacidal mechanisms.     

Toll-like receptor 2 is dispensable for acquired host immune resistance to Candida albicans in a murine model of disseminated candidiasis

Previous work by our group showed that Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is essential for activation of innate immunity, playing a major role in the response of macrophages to Candida albicans, triggering cytokine and chemokine expression, and therefore TLR2 -/- mice are more susceptible to systemic primary candidiasis. In this work, we used a murine model of systemic C. albicans infection, in which resistance to reinfection with virulent wild-type cells is induced by prior exposure of mice to a low-virulence agerminative strain of C. albicans (primary sublethal infection), to study the influence of TLR2 gene deletion on (i) the ability to develop an acquired resistance upon vaccination; (ii) the development of the acquired humoral response; and (iii) the production of Th1 cytokines IFN-gamma, IL-12 and TNF-alpha. Our results indicate that, although TLR2 -/- mice have a very impaired production of Th1 cytokines compared with control mice, they are equally capable of mounting a specific humoral response to the fungus and developing a vaccine-induced resistance.     

Pathogenicity of various species of Candida in an experimental murine system

The systemic infection induced by Candida albicans, Candida krusei and Candida viswanathii was studied in an experimental murine system. Candida albicans is able to kill outbred CD1 mice within a few days and at a very low concentration; C. krusei is not pathogenic not even when inoculated at a higher concentration; C. viswanathii is able to kill animals only a a higher concentration. The different resistances do not seem to be under genic control, in as much as the different strains of mice used (hybrid CD2F1 and B6C3HF1, inbred Balb/c) show the same degree of resistance as the CD1 mice to the three species of Candida. The colony forming units (CFU) in the kidneys of CD1 mice inoculated intravenously with 10(5) cells of the three species of Candida, collected at various intervals showed a good correlation with the median survival times: a rapid moltiplication of the C. albicans is evident in the kidneys of the animals 24 hours after the inoculation, while the C. krusei and the C. viswanathii do not moltiply.     

Protection of mice from lethal endogenous Candida albicans infection by immunization with Candida membrane antigen

The protective effects of immunization with Candida membrane antigen (CMA) on a systemic infection originating from intestinally colonized Candida albicans were examined. The colonization of orally inoculated C. albicans in the intestinal tract was established in BALB/c mice that had been concomitantly treated with oral doses of antibacterial drugs. In these animals, a systemic dissemination of C. albicans with fatal outcome was induced by a repeated dosing of prednisolone. In this endogenous infection model, the effects of immunization by CMA on the infection were examined. CMA-immunized mice showed a longer lifespan than unimmunized mice. The protective effect of CMA immunization in immunosuppressed mice was also measured by a decrease in body weight loss after treatment with prednisolone and in the number of viable Candida cells in the target organs, the kidneys and livers. However, the CFU of C. albicans in the intestinal tract was not significantly lowered. These results suggest that CMA immunization inhibited the dissemination of systemic Candida infection from the intestinal tract induced by treatment with prednisolone.     

Live virulent Rhodococcus equi, rather than killed or avirulent, elicits protective immunity to R. equi infection in mice

Mice inoculated intravenously with a sublethal dose of live virulent Rhodococcus equi ATCC 33701 that contained an 85-kb virulence plasmid were immune to a lethal intravenous challenge of ATCC 33701. This immunity depended upon the dose of immunization and developed rapidly: mice primed with 10(5) live ATCC 33701 eliminated the challenged bacteria more rapidly than mice primed with doses ranging from 10(2) to 10(4) bacteria, and mice given 10(5) live ATCC 33701 intravenously withstood the lethal challenge as early as 5 days after the initial inoculation. However, this protective immunity did not develop in mice immunized with doses of heat-killed ATCC 33701 ranging from 10(6) to 10(8), or in mice immunized with doses of live ATCC 33701P-, a plasmid-cured derivative (avirulent), in doses ranging from 10(5) to 10(7). These mice had positive antibody titers against R. equi at the challenge (14 days after priming). Adoptive transfer of resistance to virulent R equi was obtained with spleen cells from mice immunized with live ATCC 33701, but not monoclonal antibody to 15- to 17-kDa virulence-associated antigens. These results revealed that live ATCC 33701P-, a plasmid-cured derivative of virulent R equi, could not elicit protective immunity, and are consistent with previous observations that protective immunity was induced by live virulent, but not killed organisms.     

A comparison of experimental pathogenicity of Candida species in cyclophosphamide-immunodepressed mice

The experimental pathogenicity of Candida albicans, C. krusei, C. guilliermondii, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis and C. viswanathii was tested in normal and in cyclophosphamide-(Cy) immunodepressed mice. In unpretreated CD1 mice only C. albicans, C. tropicalis and C. viswanathii were pathogenic on intravenous challenge, with LD50 of 1.0 X 10(6), 4.8 X 10(6), 7.2 X 10(8) cells, respectively, per kg. Three days after a single intraperitoneal injection of Cy (150 mg kg-1) mice had a marked decrease in spleen weight and cellularity as well as reduced numbers of circulating leukocytes. Under these conditions, there was a significant, proportional increase in pathogenicity of C. albicans, C. tropicalis and C. viswanathii but the animals were still resistant to challenge with C. krusei, C. guilliermondii and C. parapsilosis. This pattern of susceptibility was not influenced by higher doses of Cy. Only C. albicans and C. tropicalis were capable of rapid and extensive multiplication in target organs such as kidney and brain in normal and Cy-treated mice and for both these species of Candida, there was a 'rebound' effect of increased resistance to experimental infection after 12 days from Cy administration. This study shows that the strong immunodepression provoked by Cy does not modify significantly the susceptibility of the animal to those species of Candida which were endowed with low or no pathogenicity for normal mice, but it greatly increases the susceptibility to those species of Candida that are already pathogenic for unmodified host.     

Innate immune responses in peptidoglycan recognition protein L-deficient mice

Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) constitute a family of innate immune recognition molecules. In Drosophila, distinct PGRPs bind to peptidoglycans on gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria and provide essential signals upstream of the Toll and Imd pathways required for immunity against infection. Four PGRPs, PGRP-L, -S, -Ialpha, and -Ibeta, are expressed from three genes in mammals. In this paper, we provide direct evidence that the longest family member, PGRP-L, is a secreted serum protein with the capacity to multimerize. Using gene targeting to create PGRP-L-deficient mice, we demonstrate little contribution by PGRP-L to systemic challenge using gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, slightly less susceptible), Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus), or yeast (Candida albicans). Peritoneal macrophages from PGRP-L-deficient mice produced decreased amounts of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha when stimulated with E. coli or lipopolysaccharide, but comparable amounts when stimulated with S. aureus, C. albicans, or their cell wall components. Additionally, these cells produced similar amounts of cytokines when challenged with gram-positive or -negative peptidoglycans. In contrast to its critical role in immunity in flies, PGRP-L is largely dispensable for mammalian immunity against bacteria and fungi.     

CpG oligodeoxynucleotides protect mice from lethal challenge with Candida albicans via a pathway involving tumor necrosis factor-alpha-dependent interleukin-12 induction

In this study, we have attempted to determine whether the systemic administration of CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN) 1826 would protect mice against systemic lethal Candida albicans infection. CpG-ODNs were found completely to protect mice from death and also reduced the growth of C. albicans in the kidneys. The administration of CpG-ODNs resulted in early interleukin (IL)-12 mRNA expression in the kidneys and an increase in serum IL-12 levels. The protective activity of CpG-ODN was abolished in IL-12-deficient (IL-12-/-) mice, thereby indicating the IL-12-dependency inherent to the effects of CpG-ODN. The protective effect of CpG-ODN was not associated with the activity of NF-kappaB. Interestingly, in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-deficient (TNF-/-) mice CpG-ODN neither exerted protective effects nor induced IL-12 expression. These data indicate that CpG-ODN protects animals against lethal C. albicans challenge via a pathway that involves the TNF-alpha-dependent induction of IL-12.     

Characterisation of Candida albicans infections of haematogenous and mucosal origin in mice lacking the interferon gamma receptor protein

Mice harbouring a null deletion mutation in the IFNgamma receptor gene were used to study the role of IFNgamma responsiveness during experimental systemic candidiasis of mucosal or haematogenous origin. After intravenous (i.v.) or intranasal (i.n.) challenge with Candida albicans the progression of infection and concomitant cellular and antibody anti-C. albicans immune responses were analysed. During the week following i.v. challenge, the rate of C. albicans multiplication in kidneys, liver and spleen was faster in IFNgammaR (-/-) than IFNgammaR (+/+) mice. As a result, IFNgammaR (-/-) mice perished earlier than IFNgammaR (+/+) mice when challenged with equal numbers of live yeast cells. However, the overall susceptibility of the two mouse strains, in terms of survival against different C. albicans challenge doses over a 60-day period, was similar. No differences were found in the cellular anti-C. albicans response generated by i.v. challenge in both mouse strains. In contrast the kinetics and strength of the serum anti-C. albicans antibody responses were markedly different. Significantly stronger, predominantly IgG2a antibody responses accompanied the eventual control of C. albicans infection in IFNgammaR (-/-) mice. Following intranasal challenge, there was no difference in the rate of C. albicans clearance from the lungs of IFNgammaR (-/-) and IFNgammaR (+/+) mice. However, 48 h after challenge, large, conspicuous abscesses appeared in the lungs, liver, kidneys and spleen of IFNgammaR (-/-) mice. These abscesses were characterised by the presence of C. albicans and abundant neutrophilic infiltrates, but very few macrophages. No such abscesses developed in i.n. challenged IFNgammaR (+/+) mice. In both mouse strains, i.n. challenge induced strong systemic anti-C. albicans cellular responses, but relatively low titre systemic antibody responses. Mucosal anti-C. albicans antibody responses were detected in IFNgammaR (+/+), but not IFNgammaR (-/-) mice. Splenic adherent macrophages obtained from IFNgammaR (-/-) mice exhibited a significantly lower candidacidal activity than those of IFNgammaR (+/+) mice, and as expected, were not responsive to IFNgamma. In summary, these data suggest that IFNgamma has a role in limiting C. albicans multiplication during the early stages of infection, as well as in preventing the development of C. albicans-associated abscesses. Activation of macrophages by IFNgamma might be pivotal in mediating this role.     

猪白细胞介素4、6融合基因对小鼠免疫的影响

目的：研究猪白细胞介素IL4、IL6融合基因（PIL46）对小鼠免疫应答的反应。方法：以壳聚糖纳米颗粒包裹融合基因（PIL46）的真核表达质粒（VPIL46）接种昆明小鼠,免疫后28日以口服攻毒实验小鼠,观察其体液和细胞免疫水平指标的变化和病变情况。实验结果发现：CNP包裹VPIL46接种小鼠体液免疫和细胞免疫指标不同程度地增多,均显著高于对照组（P〈0．05）;与CNP包裹VPIL4＋6免疫效果相近。免疫后28日以口服攻毒实验小鼠,检测结果发现：CNP包裹VPIL46组和CNP包裹VPIL4＋6组小鼠的上述免疫指标除中性粒细胞外均显著多于对照小鼠,免疫小鼠无症状和病变,健康存活;而对照小鼠均发病,消化道组织器官呈现明显出血病变。结论：PIL46基在具有显著增强小鼠体液和细胞免疫机能、提高对大肠杆菌感染抵抗力的免疫调节效应,可作为有效的抗感染免疫调节剂。     

Protection against Candida albicans gastrointestinal colonization and dissemination by saccharides in experimental animals

Pre- or post-treatment of duodenal discs with mannose, N-acetylglucosamine or chitin soluble extracts (CSE) prevented the adherence of Candida albicans to gastrointestinal tract. CSE was the most effective in blocking the adherence of C. albicans. Treatment of infant mice with saccharides significantly reduced the systemic spread of C. albicans inoculated into the gut. The best protection was obtained when the saccharides were given 2 days prior to the infection and continued over the course of the infection. However, systemic spread was reduced with a single dose of saccharide 30 min before infection. The saccharides may bind to the gastrointestinal mucosa and block the attachment of C. albicans.     

Clinical complications of Mycoplasma pneumoniae disease--central nervous system

The mechanism of the neurologic complications associated with primary atypical pneumonia is unknown. To examine the ability of Mycoplasma pneumoniae to enter the brain of experimental animals, the organism was inoculated into adult and suckling mice by various routes. After intranasal infection, M. pneumoniae was isolated from brains and lungs of both groups of mice. After intracerebral inoculation, the high levels of the mycoplasma persisted for two months or more in the brains of suckling mice. In addition, after intravenous infection, the systemic spread of infection occurred in the mice treated with high doses of cyclophosphamide. Our results suggest that M. pneumoniae may be able to reach the brain via blood and it may occur with relative ease in compromised hosts.     

Cellular elements in the resistance to candida infection in mice. I. Contribution of T lymphocytes and phagocytes at various stages of infection.

Live organisms (cfu) of Candida albicans per organ were counted 1 hr and 1 to 20 days after an intravenous inoculation into various groups of mice which had distinct levels of immunologic or non-immunologic defense mechanisms. a) The number of cfu in the liver decreased progressively in normal mice, but those in the kidney maintained a constant level during the observation period. b) The number of cfu in the liver decreased progressively also in nude mice. In their kidneys, however, cfu increased progressively at a late stage of infection. c) In lethally irradiated AKR of nude mice in which phagocyte functions were severely depressed, the number of cfu increased progressively in both liver and kidney from the initial stage of infection. d) In immunized AKR mice, growth of C. albicans was suppressed at late stages of infection. Such protective immunity could be transferred partly with immune lymphoid cells but not with hyperimmune serum in the experimental system employed. In protection against candida infection, non-immune phagocytosis and T cell-mediated immunity appear to be required at the early and late stages of infection, respectively.     

Enhancement of immunity and resistance in mice by pig IL-6 gene and CpG motifs encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticle

This study was conducted to explore the synergetic effect of a novel plasmid containing a porcine IL-6 gene and CpG motifs on immunity of mice in order to develop an effective adjuvant to boost resistance against infection. The synthetic oligodeoxynucleotide containing 11 CpG motifs was inserted into the reconstructed VR1020 plasmid containing the pig IL-6 gene (VRPIL6), designated VRIL6C, and then encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles (CNP) prepared by ionic cross linkage, designated VRIL6C-CNP. The 3-week old mice were injected, respectively, with VRIL6C-CNP, VRIL6-CNP, CpG-CNP and VR1020-CNP to detect the changes of immunity. At 28 days post inoculation, the mice were challenged with virulent hemolytic serotype 2 Streptococcus to test their resistance against infection. The results showed that there was a significant increase in immunoglobulins and interleukins in mice receiving VRIL6C-CNP compared with the control groups, as well as an increase in the lymphocytes and monocytes in the inoculated mice, so that the immunity was remarkably improved in the VRIL6C-CNP group. The challenge provoked stronger immunity and protection against infection in the VRIL6C-CNP group than in the control mice that manifested severe symptoms and lesions. This suggests that VRIL6C-CNP could remarkably enhance the nonspecific immunity of mice, and facilitate the development of an effective immunopotentiator to promote the resistance of the animals against infection.     

Systemic candidiasis in mice immunized with Candida albicans ribosomes

In view of our previous findings that vaccination of mice with Candida albicans ribosomes protects them against experimental systemic candidiasis, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of this vaccination on the course of infection in immunized animals. Since the kidney is the maj or target in systemic candidal infection, we concentrated in this research on studying the histopathology and determining quantitatively the candidal colonization of this organ. The experiments were carried out at various time intervals after intravenous inoculation with live C. albicans. The colonization of kidneys in immunized mice was markedly lower than that in controls. The maximal difference in renal colonization between immunized and non immunized animals was observed when relatively low challenge doses were used. The inhibition of candidal multiplication in immunized mice seemed to be correlated to their increased resistance against lethal challenge, as expressed by a significantly higher survival rate. Histopathological changes and fungal elements were found in kidneys of control mice as early as 20 h post infection, while the kidneys of immunized mice did not seem affected by the disease. Moreover, even 3 days post infection, the kidneys of vaccinated animals still seemed normal. In conclusion, apparently the ribosomal vaccination leads to diminished colonization of the major site of infection in candidiasis, thus affording protection to the immunized animals against these infections.     

Production and function of cytokines in natural and acquired immunity to Candida albicans infection.

Host resistance against infections caused by the yeast Candida albicans is mediated predominantly by polymorphonuclear leukocytes and macrophages. Antigens of Candida stimulate lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine synthesis, and in both humans and mice, these cytokines enhance the candidacidal functions of the phagocytic cells. In systemic candidiasis in mice, cytokine production has been found to be a function of the CD4+ T helper (Th) cells. The Th1 subset of these cells, characterized by the production of gamma interferon and interleukin-2, is associated with macrophage activation and enhanced resistance against reinfection, whereas the Th2 subset, which produces interleukins-4, -6, and -10, is linked to the development of chronic disease. However, other models have generated divergent data. Mucosal infection generally elicits Th1-type cytokine responses and protection from systemic challenge, and identification of cytokine mRNA present in infected tissues of mice that develop mild or severe lesions does not show pure Th1- or Th2-type responses. Furthermore, antigens of C. albicans, mannan in particular, can induce suppressor cells that modulate both specific and nonspecific cellular and humoral immune responses, and there is an emerging body of evidence that molecular mimicry may affect the efficiency of anti-Candida responses within defined genetic contexts.     

SCID小鼠肠道菌群失调对深部白色念珠菌感染的影响研究

目的建立重度联合免疫缺陷（SCID）小鼠白色念珠菌感染模型,探讨肠道菌群失调与深部白色念珠菌感染的联系。方法SCID小鼠随机口服万古霉素水溶液7d,饥饿24h后给予白色念珠菌灌胃,建立小鼠白色念珠菌感染模型,观察小鼠死亡情况。荧光定量PCR检测肠道细菌总量、基质辅助激光解析电离飞行时间质谱仪鉴定肠道菌群种类,并应用扫描电镜观察肠壁黏膜组织超微结构的改变。结果应用万古霉素可致肠道菌群失调,肠道黏膜完整性受损。在万古霉素致肠道菌群失调的基础上,外源性白色念珠菌攻击可加重肠道菌群失调和肠壁黏膜损伤程度,促进深部白色念珠菌感染的发生。结论肠道菌群失衡可以导致深部白色念珠菌感染的发生,肠壁黏膜的完整性可能参与了肠道白色念珠菌播散过程。