Adherence of Candida albicans to Tissues from Mice with Drug- or Radiation-Induced Immunodeficiencies

Host factors that influence binding of Candida albicans to murine spleen, lymph node, and kidney were studied. Organs were harvested from BALB/cByJ and AKR/J mice immunocompromised by irradiation, cyclophosphamide, and cortisone acetate alone or in combination. Tissues from treated mice and untreated littermates were compared for their ability to bind C. albicans in ex vivo assays. Immunosuppressive regimens decreased yeast binding to splenic marginal zones, but when mice recovered for 5 days after treatment, adherence to spleen was similar to adherence in untreated littermates. Adherence to lymph node and kidney in treated mice was not different from binding to these tissues in untreated mice. Total serum immunoglobulin titers correlated with binding of yeast cells to mouse spleen. Blocking studies ruled out a mannosyl-fucosyl receptor-mediated binding. These results suggest that ex vivo adherence of C. albicans represents a host immune defense mechanism by which the immunocompetent host binds blood-borne yeast cells to host immune cells in reticuloendothelial organs to prevent dissemination to other organs.