Antifungal antibiotic hamycin increases susceptibility of Candida albicans to phagocytosis by murine macrophages

FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 1998 Feb;20(2):153-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-695X.1998.tb01122.x.

Abstract

Hamycin is an antifungal antibiotic produced by Streptomyces pimprina Thirum. In the present study, the effect of hamycin on (a) the phagocytosis of Candida albicans by murine peritoneal macrophages and (b) the cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) of C. albicans was investigated. Addition of hamycin to the culture of macrophages and Candida cells increased the susceptibility of Candida cells to the phagocytosis by macrophages. Pretreatment of Candida cells with hamycin increased their vulnerability to killing by macrophages. Examination of physico-chemical properties of Candida cell surface showed a significant decrease in the CSH. These findings suggest that the binding of hamycin to Candida cells induces biochemical/physico-chemical alterations of the surface, so that it becomes more susceptible to phagocytosis by murine macrophages.

Publication types

  • Retracted Publication

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antifungal Agents / metabolism
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Candida albicans / chemistry
  • Candida albicans / drug effects
  • Candida albicans / immunology*
  • Candida albicans / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Formaldehyde / pharmacology
  • Kinetics
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / drug effects
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / immunology*
  • Macrophages, Peritoneal / microbiology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Phagocytosis / drug effects*
  • Polyenes / metabolism
  • Polyenes / pharmacology
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Polyenes
  • hamycin
  • Formaldehyde