Effects of Potassium Iodide on Low Avid Immunological Reactions: Probable Mechanism of Action on Selective Fungal Infections

Abstract

Background: Selective in‑vivo anti‑fungal action of potassium iodide (KI) is an enigma, but circumstantial evidences strongly indicate some immune mechanism.

Aim: Study was to demonstrate in‑vitro immune‑modulating role of KI.

Materials and Methods: In identical test conditions keeping appropriate control, different immunological tests were performed with and without 0.1% effective concentration of KI. i) Sera from Coombs positive mothers were treated with O, Rh‑positive erythrocyte suspensions along with Coombs’ sera (CS)/Bovine albumin (BA)/KI. ii) Amboceptor and complement (C) mixtures were titrated for hemolysis with or without KI. iii) Suspension of Salmonella Typhi with positive sera from enteric cases and C + KI was incubated at 37°C for 30 minutes, then sub‑cultured on MacConkey Agar. iv) Positive serum from chronic muco‑cutaneous candidiasis patient was treated with suspension of candida isolate and C + KI at 37°C for 30 minutes then sub‑cultured to note variations in colony counts. The data was analyzed by Fishers exact test using Graphpad Prism 5 version 5.00 (California USA)

Results: i) KI like BA or CS showed hemagglutination. ii) C‑mediated hemolysis was inhibited in presence of KI. iii) C‑mediated lysis of S. typhi was partially enhanced by KI showing reduced number of colonies; iv) while lysis of candida was reduced.

Conclusions: KI increases avidity of some immune reactions including C‑mediated cell lysis. An increase or decrease of cell‑lysis resulted by KI probably mediates by altered access of C‑binding receptors. Thus, hypothetically, a non‑protective Splendore Hoeppli‑like deposit around fungus may turn into protective immune mechanism by influence of KI.

Keywords: Complement fixation, Immune reaction, Potassium iodide, Splendore Hoeppli