Experimental cutaneous candidiasis in rodents; II. Role of the stratum corneum barrier and serum complement as a mediator of a protective infalmmatory response

Abstract

Of 6 Candida spp. applied epicutaneously to rodents, only C. albicans and C. stellatoidea penetrate the stratum corneum and produce inflammation. The role of the stratum corneum in experimental murine Candida infections was studied by intraepidermal injection of blastospores in mice that received a prior injection of staphylococcal epidermolysin. All 6 species caused accumulation of neutrophils if placed within an intraepidermal cleft in contact with viable epidermis. The role of serum complement in cutaneous candidiasis was studied in vivo in rodents depleted of complement with cobra venom factor or deficient in the 5th component of complement. These animals failed to develop neutrophilic inflammatory responses to the 6 Candida spp. tested in contrast to control animals. C. albicans, C. stellatoidea and C. tropicalis developed extensive hyphal proliferation with invasion of the entire cutis and subcutis in these animals. The stratum corneum provides an effective barrier to some, but not all Candida species. When this barrier is penetrated, complement mediates an acute neutrophilic pustular response that restricts Candida proliferation and prevents deep invasion of tissue.