Susceptibility to renal candidiasis due to immunosuppression induced by breast cancer cell lines

Abstract

Candidiasis is a fungal infection which is prone to occur in people with immunosuppression due to debilitating diseases and nosocomial causes. While few studies have shown evidence of this disease co-existing with malignancy-induced immunosuppression disease, there never were any exclusive animal studies demonstrating this relationship, especially renal candidiasis with breast cancer. This study aims to demonstrate the relationship between renal candidiasis and breast cancer by observing the histopathological changes of the kidneys harvested from female Balb/c mice experimentally induced with breast cancer and inoculated with candida. The mice were randomly assigned to 5 different groups (n=12). Group 1 was injected with phosphate buffer solution (PBS), Group 2 with candida, Group 3 with breast cancer and Groups 4 and 5 having coexistence of candidiasis and breast cancer at 2 different doses of candidiasis respectively. Inoculation of mice with candidiasis spores was done by intravenous injection of Candida albicans via the tail vein. Induction of mice with breast cancer was via injection of 4T1 cancer cells at the right axillary mammary fatpad. Stained slides of Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E), Periodic Acidic Schiff (PAS) and Gomori Methenamine Silver (GMS) were preapred for histopathology analysis. Grading of primary tumour and identification of metastatic deposits were carried out. Scoring of inflammation and congestion in the kidney was also carried out. Results revealed that group 4 exhibited a highly significant increase in inflammation and congestion (p<0.01). The median severity of candidiasis was also increased in group 4 as compared to group 2. It is concluded that renal candidiasis was significantly increased in mice with breast cancer.