The effect of monosaccharides on in situ hepatic trapping of Candida albicans

Abstract

The initial clearance of Candida albicans in situ by hepatic tissue was investigated using the isolated perfused mouse liver model in combination with various monosaccharides. When 10(6) yeasts were infused into untreated ICR mouse livers, approximately 61 +/- 2% (mean + SEM) were recovered from the liver and 13 +/- 2% in the effluent for a total recovery of 74 +/- 2%. This suggests that 26 +/- 2% of the infused yeasts were eliminated within the liver and that a total of 87 +/- 1% were trapped (% in the liver + % killed) by the liver. In contrast, when either D-mannose or alpha-methyl-D-mannoside, but not glucose, sucrose, lactose or mannitol, were added to perfusion media (1% w/v) the ability of hepatic tissue to trap C. albicans decreased, in a dose-dependent manner, with increasing concentrations of monosaccharide. Decreased trapping was due to the interaction of these monosaccharides with hepatic tissue and not directly with yeasts. The data suggest that one component of in situ hepatic clearance of C. albicans was the binding of mannose containing structures on the surface of yeasts, most probably by hepatic mannose receptors.