Increased clearance of Candida albicans from the peritoneal cavity of mice pretreated with concanavalin A or jacalin

ABSTRACT

We have studied the role of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and macrophages in the clearance of Candida albicans from the peritoneal cavity of Swiss mice after treatment with jacalin or concanavalin A (Con-A). Mice (25-30 g, N = 7 per group) received jacalin or Con-A (500 µg/0.5 ml PBS) intraperitoneally 96 h before intraperitoneal inoculation of 5 x 10(7) yast cell. The clearance of Candida from the peritoneal cavity was complete 24 h after inoculation for animals pretreated with jacalin and 48 h after inoculation for animals pretreated with Con-A, whereas a reduction to 4 x 10(4) yeast cells/cavity occurred in control animals 48 h after inoculation. Pretreatment with jacalin or Con-A reduced the recovery of C. albicans from spleen, kidney and liver 10- to 80-fold compared to control animals. Pretreatment with the lectins increased the number of phagocytic cells in the peritoneal exudate 5-to 10-fold and their candidacidal activity was increased 6-fold compared to controls. These data explain the increased rate of clearance and reduced yeast dissemination to the viscera of lectintreated mice