Enhanced resistance to experimental systemic candidiasis in tilorone-treated mice

Candida albicans is an increasingly important opportunistic fungal pathogen in immunocompromised patients. Natural killer (NK) cells constitute an imp ortant immune effector mechanism and are involved in the response to differ ent pathological disorders. We wished to determine if this immune mechanism is involved in the specific response to C. albicans. Tilorone hydrochlorid e and related compounds have been described to display antiviral and antitu moral activity, as well as to enhance NK cell activity. In this study, we s how the antimicrobial activity of different tilorone analogues and the enha nced resistance of tilorone-treated mice in experimental systemic candidias is. We also present data suggesting that there is a correlation between NK cell activation and the resistance to experimental systemic candidiasis. Th us, it seems that the immunesurveillance of metastatic spread and the infec tion by C. albicans share some immune effector mechanisms, in particular ac tivation of NK cells. (C) 2000 Federation of European Microbiological Socie ties. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.