Increased carbohydrate content in the thymus and spleen in mice receiving Candida albicans orally (occurence of lymphomas)

Following oral administration ofCancida albicans to non — inbred albino mice in the experimental conditions reported, an increased level of carbohydrate was found in the spleen and thymus. Significant increase of carbohydrate content in these organs was found to occur in the third month of the experiment and remained so, during the ten months of its duration with the exception of the fourth and fifth month. The carbohydrate content in other essential organs was in a similar range in the control and experimental animals. No significant differences in protein level in the control and experimental animals were found. This was regarded as an indication that the incresaed carbohydrate level in the thymus and spleen of experimental animals represents their reaction to the pathological influences of metabolic products ofCandida albicans.Appearance of lymphomas was observed between the seventh and tenth month. Three lymphomas were found in sixty four animals which were autopsied. Previously reported occurrence of lymphomas in mice which received injection ofCandida albicans to the spleen, provides circumstantial support that the observed increase of carbohydrate level as reported here in the spleen and thymus represents the pathological reaction towards metabolic products ofCandida albicans and forms the basis of a collapse of the defense system of the experimental animals.Thymus and spleen appear to act synergically in the reported experimental conditions and as a part of enterodefense system. The possibility of relevance of observed pathology to humans is discussed.This work was supported partially byDora Kaplan, Joan Sloan, Cathy Cooper Memorial Funds and the Roon Foundation.