H. Ataoglu et al., Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall mannans produce fever in rats - Role of nitric oxide and cytokines, LIFE SCI, 67(18), 2000, pp. 2247-2256
Mannan components of C. albicans (5 mg/kg, ip) and S. cerevisiae (2.5 mg/kg
, ip) cell walls produced pyrogenic responses which were completely inhibit
ed by indomethacin (5 mg/kg, sc) pretreatment in rats. A non-selective NOS
inhibitor, L-NAME (10 mg/kg, sc), also inhibited the pyrogenic effectivenes
s of C, albicans mannan, whereas it was ineffective on the fever induced by
S. cerevisiae mannan. A selective elevation in the serum TNF-alpha levels
was observed at the initial phase of the fever due to S. cerevisiae mannan,
whereas there was no significant change on the serum levels of TNF-alpha,
IL-1 beta and IFN-gamma during the latent period or at the initial phase of
the fever induced by C. albicans mannan, Injections of N-linlied and/or O-
linked oligomannosides of the either mannan did not cause any significant c
hange in the body temperature and serum cytokine levels. These data suggest
that the mannan components of C. albicans and S. cerevisiae cell walls pro
duce a prostaglandin-dependent fever in rats. The initial signal for fever
seems to be different for each mannan. Data also indicate that integrity of
the mannans is necessary for the pyrogenic response. (C) 2000 Elsevier Sci
ence Inc. All rights reserved.