Enhanced neutrophil p53 activity during killing of Candida yeasts

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

12-1-1997

Journal

Clinical Infectious Diseases

Volume

25

Issue

2

Abstract

Neutrophils (PMN) play a pivotal role in host defense against fungal infections. p53 is a phosphoprotein transcriptional factor important to cellular regulation of DNA repair. PMN p53 activity was assessed after 1 h incubation at 37°C of human PMN with viable Candida glabrata (Cg) and Candida albicans (Ca) yeasts. Fungicidal activity was demonstrated without compromise to PMN viability. The DNA binding activity of PMN p53 was enhanced after exposure to viable Candida yeasts. The dimeric conformation of p53 was augmented in nuclear lysates of PMN exposed to Candida yeasts compared with that from unchallenged PMN. Despite greater susceptibility to PMN killing of Cg compared with Ca (79.0% ± 6.9% vs 38.6% ± 15.4%, P<0.05), no differences in p53 activity were detected. The specificity of this PMN p53 activity was confirmed by competitive inhibition with consensus DNA sequences and immunoblotting. Changes in PMN p53 activity and dimeric conformation occur during killing of viable Candida yeasts.

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