Immune–metabolic balance in stressed rats duringCandida albicansinfection

Abstract

We evaluated the host metabolic response to chronic varied stress during infection with the fungus Candida albicans. We used four groups of female Wistar rats: normal uninfected and unstressed, stressed, C. albicans infected and infected, and stressed. Infected rats reacted with rapid metabolic adjustments, evident as anorexia and body weight loss, partly mediated by glucocorticoids and TNF-alpha. Higher circulating levels of IL-6 and glucose (p < 0.05) revealed the progress and catabolic effect of the inflammatory response. Infected and stressed rats instead showed anorexia associated with infection and weight loss as the result of reduced food intake. This group exhibited a prompt reduction in circulating leptin on day 3 (p < 0.05), reduction in glucose levels and depletion of hepatic glycogen depots. We also evaluated the contribution of TNF-alpha, glucocorticoids, and food deprivation to liver damage. Lipid peroxidation in liver detected in the infected and infected-stressed groups was exacerbated by the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU 486, suggesting the modulatory activity of glucocorticoids, while hepatic fat accumulation and glycogen depletion decreased with anti-TNF-alpha treatment. Food deprivation exacerbated liver injury while the response to stress contributed to greater fungal colonization. Our findings emphasize the impact of metabolic alterations on tissue damage when the host immune activity is modulated by stress mediators.

Interleukin-6 and C-Reactive Protein Are Overexpressed in the Liver of Perinatal Deaths Diagnosed with Fetal Inflammatory Response Syndrome

“…In our data, one might infer that the positive correlation between CRP and body weight would represent a higher amount of fetal adipose tissue, or a more active adipose tissue, since many times the higher body weight in children with FIRS can be justified by edema caused by an inflammatory process in the face of aggressive agents [34]. TNF- α in inflammatory condition may be involved in alterations of the body weight through the association of the TNF- α with glucocorticoids as well as in promoting resistance to insulin [35]. Therefore, to complement the idea that the reduction of body weight is the first sign of intrauterine stress [36], we understand that the severe stress observed in our cases may have been responsible for the development of other alterations such as FIRS and also edema or lipid accumulation, resulting in the increase of body weight through different mechanisms [37].…”

Fatty acid profile and influence of oxythiamine on fatty acid content in Malassezia pachydermatis, Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

“…C. albicans is implicated in mucocutaneous infections such as oral, anorectal and vaginal candidiasis 12–14 . It is also an important agent of serious systemic infections of immuno‐compromised patients 9–11,15 . Infections caused by M. pachydermatis or C. albicans have a chronic character, and are characterised by a high percentage of relapses 16 .…”

Emergence of Leptin in Infection and Immunity: Scope and Challenges in Vaccines Formulation

“…Leptin receptor-deficient obese ( fa/fa ) rats show impaired host defense against C. albicans infection whereas, in stressed rats this infection caused a prompt reduction in systemic leptin levels and increased TNF-α levels (Rodríguez-Galán et al, 2010 ). However, it has been suggested that the leptin can activate healing the critical illness in stress-related activities (Bornstein et al, 1998 ).…”