Barousse M M, Steele C, Dunlap K, Espinosa T, Boikov D, Sobel J D, Fidel P L
Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
J Infect Dis. 2001 Dec 1;184(11):1489-93. doi: 10.1086/324532.
Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common mucosal infection caused by Candida species in women of childbearing age. Although acute VVC affects a large number of women and is often precipitated by hormonal fluctuations involving high estrogen levels, recurrent VVC (RVVC) affects another 5%-10% of women without any known predisposing factors. We have recently reported that vaginal epithelial cells from nonhuman primates and mice inhibit the growth of Candida albicans in vitro, which may represent an innate host defense mechanism against C. albicans at the vaginal mucosa. In the present study, we show that vaginal epithelial cells collected from healthy women with no history of VVC also exhibit anti-Candida activity, with no differences in activity at various stages of the menstrual cycle. Women diagnosed with RVVC, on the other hand, have reduced epithelial cell anti-Candida activity. These results are further evidence that vaginal epithelial cells provide an innate host resistance mechanism against Candida and that reduced activity may contribute to RVVC.
外阴阴道念珠菌病（VVC）是育龄期女性由念珠菌属引起的常见黏膜感染。虽然急性VVC影响大量女性，且常由涉及高雌激素水平的激素波动引发，但复发性VVC（RVVC）在另外5%-10%的女性中发生，且无任何已知的易感因素。我们最近报道，来自非人类灵长类动物和小鼠的阴道上皮细胞在体外可抑制白色念珠菌的生长，这可能代表了阴道黏膜针对白色念珠菌的一种先天性宿主防御机制。在本研究中，我们表明，从无VVC病史的健康女性收集的阴道上皮细胞也表现出抗念珠菌活性，且在月经周期的各个阶段活性无差异。另一方面，被诊断为RVVC的女性上皮细胞的抗念珠菌活性降低。这些结果进一步证明阴道上皮细胞提供了针对念珠菌的先天性宿主抵抗机制，且活性降低可能导致RVVC。
