N. Kurita et al., Effect of cytokines on antifungal activity of human polymorphonuclear leucocytes against yeast cells of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, MED MYCOL, 38(2), 2000, pp. 177-182
In our previous study, it was observed that human peripheral blood polymorp
honuclear leucocytes (PMNs) exhibited a fungistatic effect on yeast cells o
f Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, and that interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), but
not tumor necrosis factor-alpha or interleukin-8 (IL-8), enhanced the anti
fungal activity of PMNs. In the present study, granulocyte-macrophage colon
y-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) also enhanced the PMN activity. GM-CSF-activa
ted PMNs exhibited a killing effect on P. brasiliensis isolate Bt-4 and an
enhanced fungistatic effect on isolate Aoki. IL-1 beta activated PMNs to ki
ll isolate Bt-4. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor had no effect. Combi
nations of IFN-gamma with GM-CSF or IL-1 beta, but not a combination of GM-
CSF and IL-1 beta, exhibited a synergistic effect in enhancing the antifung
al activity of PMNs. These results strongly suggest that PMNs activated wit
h IFN-gamma, GM-CSF and/or IL-1 beta might play an important role in host d
efense in early infection with P. brasiliensis due to their enhanced antifu
ngal activity.