C. Monteagudo et al., Immunodetection of CD45 epitopes on the surface of Candida albicans cells in culture and infected human tissues, AM J CLIN P, 113(1), 2000, pp. 59-63
Citations number
24
Categorie Soggetti
Research/Laboratory Medicine & Medical Tecnology","Medical Research Diagnosis & Treatment
Candida albicans is a leading cause of disseminated fungal infection in imm
unocompromised patients. Candida-host cell interactions are mediated at the
cell surface. Since blood-group I epitopes have been detected on the surfa
ce of C albicans cells, we investigated whether CD45, the molecule that car
ries the I antigen on human lymphocytes, is present on the C albicans cell
surface, in culture and in human tissue specimens of human candidiasis. By
using monoclonal antibodies to CD45, CD45RO, and CD45RA, we found a strong
immunoreactivity at the cell surface of blastoconidia bearing germ tubes bu
t weak or no immunostaining of the germ tubes themselves. In human tissues,
immunostaining of C albicans yeast cells was detected, whereas pseudohypha
e were mostly negative. CD45 epitopes on the surface of C albicans might ha
ve a role in tissue invasion and dissemination of the fungus. On the other
hand, its detection may disturb quantitative non-morphology-based determina
tions of lymphoid cell populations in infected tissues.