Studies of the role of B-cells in the resistance of mice to experimental candidiasis.

The role of humoral immunity in experimental candidiasis was studied in B-cell-deficient mice. The B-cell deficiency was produced by administration of anti-mu antibodies to newborn animals. These anti-IgM-treated mice failed to produce antibodies against sheep red blood cells (SRBC), and their lymph nodes and spleens did not form germinal centres. However, their cell-mediated immune responses were normal as they developed delayed hypersensitivity to SRBC and rejected skin allografts like normal animals. These B-cell-deficient animals along with the controls were infected with one LD50 dose of Candida albicans. These animals were observed for mortality, antibody formation, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) to Candida antigen and viable count of the organism in different organs. The course of the experimental infection was almost parallel in both the groups. B-cell deficiency did not increase the susceptibility of the animals to experimental candidiasis.