Candida albicans stimulates local expression of leukocyte adhesion molecules and cytokines in vivo.

The host inflammatory response to the opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans determines susceptibility to disseminated infection. This study used immunohistochemical analysis to correlate microbiologic findings and pathologic changes with local expression of cytokines and leukocyte adhesion molecules in mice with disseminated candidiasis. After being inoculated intravenously as blastospores, the organisms filamented extensively in the kidneys while remaining predominantly as blastospores or short germ tubes in the lung, liver, and spleen. Very few leukocytes accumulated around the invading organisms until 24 h after inoculation. The leukocytes at the infection site appeared to amplify the inflammatory response. They expressed interleukin-1beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, and platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1. Therefore, the morphology of the organism varies with the infection site. Furthermore, leukocyte recruitment occurs relatively late in the infection, and this recruitment is likely amplified by proinflammatory mediators produced by the leukocytes themselves.