ANTIFUNGAL ANTIBIOTIC BENANOMICIN-A INCREASES SUSCEPTIBILITY OF CANDIDA-ALBICANS TO PHAGOCYTOSIS BY MURINE MACROPHAGES

Benanomicin A is an antifungal antibiotic produced by Actinomadura spa dix. In the present study, we investigated the effect of benanomicin A on the phagocytosis of Candida albicans by murine peritoneal macropha ges and on the cell-surface hydrophobicity (CSH) of C. albicans. Altho ugh pretreatment of macrophages with benanomicin A had no effect on th e phagocytosis, addition of benanomicin A to the culture of macrophage s and Candida cells increased the susceptibility of Candida cells to t he phagocytosis by the macrophages. Pretreatment of Candida cells with benanomicin A also increased the susceptibility of Candida cells to t he phagocytosis. When Candida cells were mixed with benanomicin A, the antibiotic bound irreversibly to Candida cells. These data suggest th e possibility that the increased susceptibility of Candida cells to th e phagocytosis is mediated by the binding of benanomicin A to Candida cells. Examination of physicochemical property of Candida cell surface showed that the CSH of Candida cells significantly decreased by the t reatment with benanomicin A. Thus, binding of benanomicin A to Candida cells may induce biochemical/physicochemical alternation of the surfa ces, so that they become more susceptible to phagocytosis by murine ma crophages. These properties of benanomicin A, along with its antifunga l activity, seem to be beneficial in the treatment of fungal infection s.