Authors : Srikumar Chakravarthi, Choo Zhen Wei, H.S. Nagaraja, Wong Shew Fung, Mak Joon Wah and Shalini Sreekumar
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 cerebral candidiasis with breast cancer. In fact, the exact causative mechanism of candidiasis is by and large still under much speculation. This study aims to demonstrate this relationship by observing the histopathological changes of the brain harvested from female Balb/c mice which were experimentally induced with breast cancer and inoculated with Candida. The mice were randomly assigned to 5 different groups (n = 12). The first group (Group 1) was injected with Phosphate Buffer Solution (PBS), the second group (Group 2) with Candida, third group (Group 3) with breast cancer and the final two groups, fourth and fifth group (Group 4 and 5) having co-existence of candidiasis and breast cancer at 2 different doses of candidiasis respectively. Inoculation of mice with candidiasis was done by intravenous injection of Candida albicans via the tail vein after successful culturing methods. Induction of mice with breast cancer is via injection of 4T1 cancer cells at the right axillary mammary fatpad after effective culturing methods. The prepared slides with the brains were stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin (H and E), Periodic Acidic Schiff (PAS) and Gomori Methenamine Silver (GMS) stains for histopathology analysis. Grading of primary tumour and identification of metastatic deposits were done. Scoring of inflammation and congestion in the brains was done. Statistical tests done to compare group 2 and 4 showed that group 4 exhibited a highly statistically significant increase in inflammation and congestion (p<0.01), especially in the cerebral areas. The median severity of candidiasis was also increased in group 4 as compared to group 2. In conclusion, based on the above evidences, cerebral candidiasis was significantly increased in mice with breast cancer.
Srikumar Chakravarthi, Choo Zhen Wei, H.S. Nagaraja, Wong Shew Fung, Mak Joon Wah and Shalini Sreekumar, 2010. A Histopathological Study of Severity of Cerebral Candidiasis as a Result of Immunosuppression Caused by Breast Carcinoma. International Journal of Molecular Medicine and Advance Sciences, 6: 1-7.