Micafungin Elicits an Immunomodulatory Effect in Galleria mellonella and Mice.

ABSTRACT: The echinocandin family of drugs is well characterized for antifungal function that inhibits β-D-glucan synthesis. The aim of this work was to study whether micafungin, a member of the echinocandin family, elicits additional activities that prime the host's immune response. We found that in a Galleria mellonella model, prophylactic treatment with micafungin extended the life of Staphylococcus aureus-infected larvae (a pathogen to which the drug demonstrates no direct antimicrobial activity) compared to insects that did not receive micafungin (P < 0.05). The inhibition of pathogens in the G. mellonella infection model was characterized by a 2.43-fold increase in hemocyte density, compared to larvae inoculated with PBS. In a murine model where animals were provided micafungin prophylaxis 3 d

SUBMITTER: Fuchs BB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4676791 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature