Candida albicans-infected oral epithelial cells augment the anti-fungal activity of human neutrophilsin vitro

Abstract

Oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) is the most common opportunistic infection in immunosuppressed patients. In OPC, Candida albicans persists intraepithelially triggering inflammatory events, without generally causing invasive infection. Since neutrophils play an important role in preventing invasive infection and since they establish contact with the microorganisms only within the epithelial cell layer, we examined the ability of Candida-infected oral epithelial cells to augment neutrophil-mediated hyphal damage in vitro. We found that challenge of neutrophils with hyphal organisms in the presence of C. albicans-infected oral epithelial cell supernatants resulted in a significantly greater suppression of hyphal cell metabolic activity compared to basal neutrophil anti-fungal function. Anti-hyphal activity in response to these supernatants was partly inhibited by neutralizing anti-IL-1alpha antibody and IL-1 receptor antagonist. Control supernatants from uninfected oral epithelial cells, as well as C. albicans conditioned-medium had a much less pronounced effect on neutrophil anti-fungal activity, which was not inhibited by these cytokine antagonists. We conclude that oral epithelial cells can act as activators of neutrophil anti-hyphal function, an effect that can be partly attributed to the generation of immunomodulatory cytokines during the interaction of oral mucosal cells with the pathogen.

Baofukang suppository promotes the repair of vaginal epithelial cells in response to Candida albicans

“…As in anticandidal mucosal immunity, the innate role of the epithelial response involves the release of epithelial cell-derived cytokines and chemokines in response to C. albicans appear to have important roles recruiting and activating a variety of immune cells, immunoregulation, and tissue repair (Dongari-Bagtzoglou et al 2005; Schaller et al 2004). This serves to further mediate the innate and adaptive responses of protective mucosal immunity against C. albicans .…”

Pathogenesis of invasive candidiasis

“…They form a natural barrier against invasion, they release IL-8 and GM-CSF in response to invasion by Candida spp. [26,27 ,28], and can increase the antifungal activity of neutrophils in vitro [29]. It has been shown that upregulation of TLR4 expression in C. albicans-infected human oral epithelium is directly associated with protection against fungal invasion of the tissue [30].…”

Baofukang suppository promotes the repair of vaginal epithelial cells in response to candida albicans

“…As in anticandidal mucosal immunity, the innate role of the epithelial response involves the release of epithelial cell-derived cytokines and chemokines in response to C. albicans appear to have important roles recruiting and activating a variety of immune cells, immunoregulation, and tissue repair (Dongari-Bagtzoglou et al 2005;Schaller et al 2004). This serves to further mediate the innate and adaptive responses of protective mucosal immunity against C. albicans.…”