Induction of Severe Chronic Hyperplastic Candidiasis in Rat by Opportunistic Infection of C. albicans through Combination of Diabetes and Intermittent Prednisolone Administration

Abstract

Chronic hyperplastic candidiasis progresses from squamous cell hyperplasia to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC); however, the oncogenic mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, we attempted to induce opportunistic Candida albicans infection and establish chronic hyperplastic candidiasis in rats by combining diabetic condition and prednisolone administration, followed by analysis of the inflammatory cells involved in the disease progression. Female Wistar Bunn/Kobori (WBN/Kob) rats were divided into 3 groups: alloxan-induced diabetic rats (A group) along with diabetic (AP group) and nondiabetic (P group) rats intermittently treated with prednisolone. Animals were euthanized at 42 weeks of age. Squamous cell hyperplasia following C. albicans infection in the forestomach was observed in almost all AP and A group rats. The lesions in the AP group were significantly more severe than those in the A group. In addition, SCC was detected in 1 AP group animal. Cluster of differentiation (CD)4-positive T cell and CD68-positive macrophage infiltration in the AP group was significantly stronger than that in the A group. These findings suggest that the combination of diabetes and intermittent prednisolone administration could induce chronic hyperplastic candidiasis without direct C. albicans inoculation and that CD4-positive T cells and CD68-positive macrophages may be highly involved in the pathogenesis of these hyperplastic lesions.