EVALUATION OF THE INTRANASAL CHALLENGE ROUTE IN MICE AS A MUCOSAL MODEL FOR CANDIDA-ALBICANS INFECTION

The intranasal route was used to study Candida albicans infections in mice. Mice from two different inbred strains were challenged intranasa lly with C. albicans and the level of local and systemic colonization was monitored. DBA/2 mice were highly susceptible to challenge and via ble C. albicans disseminated from the lungs to deeper tissues, includi ng kidneys, liver and spleen within 48 h. In contrast, in BALB/c mice challenged in the same manner, C. albicans were retained within the lu ngs and cleared. Local and systemic anti-C. albicans immune responses were investigated. BALB/c mice exhibited higher titres of serum and mu cosal anti-C. albicans IgA than DBA/2 mice. Splenocytes from BALB/c mi ce, but not from DBA/2 mice, produced detectable levels of interleukin -4 and -5 following stimulation with C. albicans antigens. Both DBA/2- and BALB/c-derived splenocytes produced interferon-gamma and interleu kin-10 in response to similar stimulation. In conclusion, the intranas al route provided a simple, non-invasive murine model for investigatin g C. albicans infection through mucosal surfaces.