Relationship between host survival and the type of immune response in different organs during disseminated candidiasis.

To examine the relationship between host survival and the type of immune response in different organs during disseminated candidiasis, the murine model of disseminated candidiasis was established by injection with Candida albicans via tail vein. The survival time was observed for up to 60 days. And the expression levels of cytokines in the spleen and kidney, including IFN-gamma and IL-4, were determined with RT-PCR. Our results showed that in the spleen, both non-fatal and fatal inoculum caused a type II immune response with steady expression levels of IFN-gamma and the obviously increased levels of IL-4. While in the kidney, non-fatal inoculum induced a type I immune response with the obviously increased levels of IFN-gamma and the steady expression levels of IL-4. However, fatal inoculum induced a type II immune response with a constant expression of IFN-gamma and the evidently increased levels of IL-4. It is concluded that in disseminated candidiasis, host survival is associated with the type of immune responses in the kidney, but not in the spleen.