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Regulation of Candida albicans morphogenesis by tumor necrosis factor-alpha and potential for treatment of oral candidiasis.

BACKGROUND
Endogenous tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) has a beneficial effect as an activation mediator of host defense against infection by the fungus Candida albicans (C. albicans). However, it is unclear whether exogenous TNF-alpha has a beneficial or detrimental effect against Candida.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
The direct effect of TNF-alpha on CO2-induced morphological transformation of C. albicans blastoconidia was examined in vitro and the effect of TNF-alpha was determined in a mouse model of oral candidiasis.


RESULTS
TNF-alpha suppressed hyphal formation from C. albicans blastoconidia directly and dose-dependently, whereas it did not affect the fungal budding rate at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 10 microg/ml. In vivo, the oral administration of TNF-alpha significantly reduced the C. albicans CFU in tongue tissues of treated mice. Histopathologically, there was a decrease in the number and size of C. albicans fungi in the tongue tissues.


CONCLUSION
Since orally administered TNF-alpha suppressed fungal burden in the tongue tissue without significant detrimental effects, TNF-alpha has potential as a therapeutic agent against Candida.