Jpn. J. Infect. Dis., 57, S9-S10, 2004
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Murine Model of Kawasaki Disease Induced
by Mannoprotein-ƒÀ-Glucan Complex, CAWS, Obtained from Candida
albicans
Naohito Ohno*
School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science,
Tokyo, Japan
*Corresponding author: ohnonao@ps.toyaku.ac.jp
SUMMARY: Intraperitoneal administration of CAWS (water-soluble
extracellular polysaccharide fraction obtained from the culture
supernatant of Candida albicans) to mice induces coronary
arteritis similar to Kawasaki disease. We analyzed differences
in the production of cytokines involved in the occurrence of coronary
arteritis among mouse strains, C3H/HeN, C57BL/6, DBA/2 and CBA/J.
The incidence of arteritis was 100% in C57BL/6, C3H/HeN and DBA/2
mice, but only 10% in CBA/J mice. The coronary arteritis observed
in DBA/2 mice was the most serious, with several mice expiring
during the observation period. The CAWS-sensitive strains revealed
increased levels of IL-6 and IFN- g during
the course of a specific response to CAWS by spleen cells. In
contrast, IL-10 levels were observed to increase markedly in CAWS-resistant
CBA/J mice, but not the CAWS-sensitive strains. However, TNF-ƒ¿
levels were more elevated only in DBA/2 mice. The difference in
disease development and cytokine production strongly suggests
that the genetic background of the immune response to CAWS contributes
to the occurrence of coronary arteritis.