Protection against rat vaginal candidiasis by adoptive transfer of vaginal B lymphocytes

• Published in: FEMS yeast research 2010-06, Vol.10 (4), p.432-440
• Main Authors: De Bernardis, Flavia, Santoni, Giorgio, Boccanera, Maria, Lucciarini, Roberta, Arancia, Silvia, Sandini, Silvia, Amantini, Consuelo, Cassone, Antonio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adoptive Transfer; Animals; Antibodies, Fungal - biosynthesis; Antigens, Fungal - immunology; B-Lymphocytes - chemistry; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; Candida; Candida albicans; Candida albicans - immunology; Candidiasis; Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal - prevention & control; CD3 antigen; CD3 Complex - analysis; CD5 antigen; CD5 Antigens - analysis; Colony Count, Microbial; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Fungal Proteins - immunology; Fungi; Humans; Immunoglobulin M; Immunoglobulin M - biosynthesis; Inflammation; Interleukin 10; Interleukin 2; Interleukin 6; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes B; Lymphocytes T; Membrane Glycoproteins - immunology; Mucosa; protection; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Rodents; Vagina; Vagina - microbiology; vaginal B lymphocytes; vaginal candidiasis
• ISSN: 1567-1356; 1567-1364
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1567-1364.2010.00620.x

Vulvovaginal candidiasis is a mucosal infection affecting many women, but the immune mechanisms operating against Candida albicans at the mucosal level remain unknown. A rat model was employed to further characterize the contribution of B and T cells to anti-Candida vaginal protection. Particularly, the protective role of vaginal B cells was studied by means of adoptive transfer of vaginal CD3⁻ CD5⁺ IgM⁺ cells from Candida-immunized rats to naïve animals. This passive transfer of B cells resulted into a number of vaginal C. albicans CFU approximately 50% lower than their controls. Sorted CD3⁻ CD5⁺ IgM⁺ vaginal B lymphocytes from Candida-infected rats proliferated in response to stimulation with an immunodominant mannoprotein (MP) antigen of the fungus. Importantly, anti-MP antibodies and antibody-secreting B cells were detected in the supernatant and cell cultures, respectively, of vaginal B lymphocytes from infected rats incubated in vitro with vaginal T cells and stimulated with MP. No such specific antibodies were found when using vaginal B cells from uninfected rats. Furthermore, inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-6 and IL-10, were found in the supernatant of vaginal B cells from infected rats. These data are evidence of a partial anti-Candida protective role of CD3⁻ CD5⁺ IgM⁺ vaginal B lymphocytes in our experimental model.