Monocyte-mediated Serum-independent Damage to Hyphal and Pseudohyphal Forms of Candida albicans In Vitro

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Abstract

Human peripheral blood monocytes attached to Candida albicans hyphae in the absence of serum and damaged the hyphae without completely ingesting them. Attachment and damage was not augmented by the addition of serum. Damage to hyphae was quantitated by a previously developed metabolic assay that measured leukocyte-induced reduction in uptake of [14C]cytosine by the hyphae. Use of cells from patients with hereditary disorders of leukocyte function, chronic granulomatous disease, and myeloperoxidase deficiency indicated that myeloperoxidase-independent and nonoxidative mechanisms could sometimes damage hyphae where oxidative mechanisms were impaired. Damage to hyphae by normal monocytes was inhibited by concentrations of sodium azide and sodium cyanide that primarily affect myeloperoxidase activity, as well as by halide-free conditions, catalase, and putative antagonists of hypochlorous acid or singlet oxygen. Iodination of hyphae, a myeloperoxidase and hydrogen peroxide-dependent process of monocytes, was similarly inhibited by sodium azide, sodium cyanide, and catalase. Under anaerobic conditions, damage to hyphae was reduced by 64.0-68.4%. In contrast, inhibitors of potential nonoxidative antifungal mechanisms, iron salts to saturate iron chelators, and polyanionic amino acid polymers to neutralize cationic proteins did not block damage to hyphae by monocytes. Preparations rich in lysosomal granules from fractionated normal monocytes also did not damage hyphae. Overall, it appeared that oxidative mechanisms were most important for damage to hyphae by normal monocytes.

Authors

Richard D. Diamond, Christian C. Haudenschild