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Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis development is aggravated by Candida albicans infection.

ABSTRACT: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory/autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) mainly mediated by myelin specific T cells. It is widely believed that environmental factors, including fungal infections, contribute to disease induction or evolution. Even though Candida infection among MS patients has been described, the participation of this fungus in this pathology is not clear. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of a Candida albicans infection on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) that is a widely accepted model to study MS. Female C57BL/6 mice were infected with C. albicans and 3 days later, animals were submitted to EAE induction by immunization with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein. Previous infection increased the clinical score and also the body weight loss. EAE aggravation was associated with expansion of peripheral CD4(+) T cells and production of high levels of TNF-?, IFN-? IL-6, and IL-17 by spleen and CNS cells. In addition to yeast and hyphae, fungus specific T cells were found in the CNS. These findings suggest that C. albicans infection before EAE induction aggravates EAE, and possibly MS, mainly by CNS dissemination and local induction of encephalitogenic cytokines. Peripheral production of encephalitogenic cytokines could also contribute to disease aggravation.

SUBMITTER: Fraga-Silva TF

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4417602 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis development is aggravated by Candida albicans infection.

Fraga-Silva Thais F C TF Mimura Luiza A N LA Marchetti Camila M CM Chiuso-Minicucci Fernanda F França Thais G D TG Zorzella-Pezavento Sofia F G SF Venturini James J Arruda Maria S P MS Sartori Alexandrina A

Journal of immunology research 20150419

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory/autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) mainly mediated by myelin specific T cells. It is widely believed that environmental factors, including fungal infections, contribute to disease induction or evolution. Even though Candida infection among MS patients has been described, the participation of this fungus in this pathology is not clear. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of a Candida albicans infection on experimental ...[more]

PMID: 25969836

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Project description:Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that attacks myelinated axons in the central nervous system. Induction of oral tolerance is a potent mechanism to prevent autoimmunity. The food yeast Candida utilis was used to test the therapeutic potential of oral tolerance induction in an animal model of human multiple sclerosis (MS). We constructed a C. utilis strain, which displays a fusion peptide composed of the encephalitogenic MOG35-55 peptide and the C. utilis Gas1 cell wall protein on its surface.By immunizing mice with MOG35-55 peptide experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced in a mouse model. Feeding of mice with C. utilis that expresses MOG35-55 peptide on its surface was started seven days prior to immunization and was continued for ten days. Control animals were treated with wild-type fungus or left untreated. Untreated mice developed first clinical symptoms ten days post immunization (p. i.) with an ascending paralysis reaching maximal clinical disability at day 18 to 20 p. i.. Treatment with the wild-type strain demonstrated comparable clinical symptoms. In contrast, oral gavage of MOG35-55-presenting fungus ameliorated the development of EAE. In addition, incidence as well as maximal clinical disease severity were significantly reduced. Interestingly, reduction of disease severity also occurred in animals treated with heat-inactivated C. utilis cells indicating that tolerance induction was independent of fungal viability. Better disease outcome correlated with reduced demyelination and cellular inflammation in the spinal cord, lower T cell proliferation against rechallenge with MOG35-55 and more regulatory T cells in the lymph nodes. Our data demonstrate successful that using the food approved fungus C. utilis presenting the immunogenic MOG35-55 peptide on its surface induced an oral tolerance against this epitope in EAE. Further studies will reveal the nature and extent of an anti-inflammatory environment established by the treatment that prevents the development of an autoimmune disorder affecting the CNS.

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Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis development is aggravated by Candida albicans infection.

Publications

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis development is aggravated by Candida albicans infection.

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