Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Development Is Aggravated by Candida albicans Infection

Figure 5

Previous infection with C. albicans increases the amount of CD4⁺ T cells in the CNS. C57BL/6 mice were infected with C. albicans and 3 days later they were submitted to EAE induction. Fourteen days after EAE induction, inflammation and % of CD4⁺ T cells were evaluated in the CNS. Inflammatory infiltrates detected by H&E staining are shown in brain samples from EAE (b) and from EAE+Ca (c) groups and in spinal cord samples from EAE (e) and from EAE+Ca (f) groups. A brain and spinal cord samples from a normal mouse is shown in (a) and (d), respectively. Total leukocyte number (g) and percentage of CD3⁺CD4⁺ T-cell subset (h) (analysis performed in 50.000 acquired events). The results are expressed as mean ± SD ( mice/group). Unpaired test, and indicate difference between EAE and EAE+Ca groups under the same in vitro stimulation.

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