QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENT OF LYMPHOCYTE-MEDIATED GROWTH-INHIBITION OF CANDIDA-ALBICANS

A rapid and reproducible assay has been developed to measure the capac ity of lymphocytes to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans. Fungal g rowth inhibition was assessed optimally as the incorporation of [H-3]u ridine into preformed hyphae, following interaction of the hyphae with effector lymphocytes. The assay was sensitive to the detection of fun gal growth inhibition by lymphocytes at low effector to target ratios and results correlated well with other methods for measurement of anti -C. albicans growth inhibition in vitro. Although the assay was develo ped for the measurement of lymphocyte mediated anti-fungal activity, o ther mammalian cell populations can be assayed for growth inhibition o f C. albicans as well. The described assay utilizes the enzyme lyticas e to reduce the surface binding of C. albicans. The use of this enzyme permits the efficient harvest of large numbers of experimental sample s with a multiple automated sample harvester.