Th17 cells differentiated with mycelial membranes of Candida albicans prevent oral candidiasis

FEMS Yeast Res. 2018 May 1;18(3):foy018. doi: 10.1093/femsyr/foy018.

Abstract

Candida albicans is a human commensal that causes opportunistic infections. Th17 cells provide resistance against mucosal infection with C. albicans; however, the T cell antigens remain little known. Our final goal is to find effective T cell antigens of C. albicans that are responsible for immunotherapy against candidiasis. Here, we prepared fractions including cytosol, membrane and cell wall from yeast and mycelial cells. Proteins derived from a membrane fraction of mycelial cells effectively induced differentiation of CD4+ T cells into IL-17A-producing Th17 cells. To confirm the immunological response in vivo of proteins from mycelial membrane, we performed adoptive transfer experiments using ex vivo stimulated CD4+ T cells from IL-17A-GFP reporter mice. Mycelial membrane-differentiated CD4+ Th17 cells adoptively transferred intravenously prevented oral candidiasis by oral infection of C. albicans, compared with control anti-CD3-stimulated CD4+ T cells. This was confirmed by the clinical score and the number of neutrophils on the infected tissues. These data suggest that effective T cell antigens against candidiasis could be present in the membrane protein fraction of mycelial cells. The design of novel vaccination strategies against candidiasis will be our next step.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Fungal / immunology
  • Antigens, Fungal / pharmacology
  • Candida albicans / immunology
  • Candidiasis, Oral / immunology
  • Candidiasis, Oral / prevention & control*
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Female
  • Fungal Proteins / immunology
  • Fungal Proteins / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mycelium / chemistry*
  • Mycelium / immunology
  • Th17 Cells / cytology
  • Th17 Cells / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Fungal
  • Fungal Proteins