Biological effect of C. albicans lipase on macrophages and hepatocytes

PARAJE M.G; RENNA M.S; CANO R; THEUMER M; CORREA S.G; SOTOMAYOR CE

Córdoba

Congreso; VII Latin American Congress of Immunology.; 2005

C.albicans promotes severe hepatic alterations that include tissue injury, steatosis and modification of lipid metabolism. At the present the biological role of C.albicans lipase (LIP) in the as virulence factor/pathogenesis remains to be established. We studied  the effect of LIP purified and characterized in our laboratory, in two different cellular types involved in fungus interactions: peritoneal macrophages(Mfs) as effectors cell and hepatocytes, target cells of immune and fungal mediators. We co-cultured Mfs with LIP (25 and 100 U) and we evaluated already after 24  of contact during 6 to 48 hs and we several times. After 24 hs of infections the Mfs, showed acute steatosis consiststent with lipid accumulation in the cytoplasm; we used specific lipid staining (Sudan Black) and Giemsa, and nuclear alterations (DAPI) whit out cellular injury (LDH). After 48 hs was increased cellular injury with detritus cells. At more higher concentration de damage was marked Microscopic observations of hepatocyte showed a diffuse micro and macrovesicular steatosis and remarkable number of fat vacuoles in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes after 6 h of infections and nuclear alterations (Acridine Orange) whit out cellular injury (LDH). More higher concentrations of LIP or 24 hs incubation de damage was totality. Assay with the fungus alone and hyphal forms not sowed this phenomenon, but fungus kill with heat showed more high levels of LDH and cellular alteration in both type of cells. Other strategy of added LIP to C.albicans not showed more increased than LIP alone. Herein, our date suggest that importance and roll of this virulence factor in the hepatic damage,  in agreement with reported recently by our group with this pattern “in vivo” with the fungus.