EFFECT OF PEPTIDOGLYCANS OF Agaricus blazei ON THE CANDIDACIDAL ACTIVITY BY MOUSE PERITONEAL MACROPHAGES

MARTINS P. R.(1), GAMEIRO M. C.(2), LOPES F. C.(1,3), PINTO A. V. F.(1,3), KANENO R.(1)

(1)Departamento de Microbiologia e Imunologia, IBB-UNESP, Botucatu, SP; (2)Departamento de Doenças Tropicais e Diagnóstico por Imagem, FMB, UNESP, Botucatu, SP; (3)Departamento de Patologia, FMB, UNESP, Botucatu, SP

The immunomodulatory activity of medicinal mushrooms is mainly attributed to the beta glucan fraction. In this work, we evaluate the effect of an acid-treated peptidoglycan fraction (ATF), obtained from the medicinal mushroom Agaricus blazei, on the candidacidal activity, the H2O2 and NO production, and the expression of the mannose receptor (MR) by peritoneal macrophages. Normal BALB/c mice received three intraperitoneal doses of ATF and after 48 hr, their resident peritoneal macrophages were assayed against Candida albicans yeast forms. Our results indicate that the treatment increases the fungicidal activity since less viable fungi were recovered as compared to the control (Control: 100,17 ± 13,27 CFUs; ATF: 80,17 ± 6,88 CFUs; p<0,01). This increased fungicidal activity was associated with a higher spontaneous release of H2O2 by macrophages (control: 1.0 ± 0.16; ATF: 2.0 ± 0.54; p<0.01), although nitric oxide (NO) production was not influenced by the treatment. Further, macrophages were cultured with FITC-labeled a-D-mannosylated BSA which attaches itself to the MR. We found that the treatment enhances the expression of the MR by peritoneal macrophages, which are involved in the attachment and phagocytosis of non-opsonized microorganisms. Our results suggest that ATF can increase the host resistance against some infectious agents through the stimulation of microbicidal activity of macrophages.

KEY WORDS: Candida albicans, Macrophage, Mushroom

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

Prof. Dr. Ramon Kaneno, Departamento de Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biociências, UNESP, Distrito Rubião Jr., Caixa Postal 510, CEP 18618-000, Botucatu – SP, Brazil. Phone: +51 14 3811 6058; FAX: +51 14 38153744. Email: kaneno@ibb.unesp.br