Effect of cilofungin (LY121019), a fungal cell wall synthesis inhibitor, on interactions of Candida albicans with human neutrophils

The effects of cilofungin, a lipopeptide antifungal agent active against several species of Candida, on human neutrophil candidacidal activity were investigated. While no increase or decrease in neutrophil killing of blastospores was observed when cilofungin was simultaneously incubated with neutrophils and yeasts, preincubation of yeasts with serum containing cilofungin resulted in approximately 90% decrease in killing of five of six strains. Attachment/phagocytosis of these strains was unchanged from controls. We conclude that cilofungin interferes with opsonization of most strains of C. albicans, resulting in a marked decrease in neutrophil candidacidal activity, a phenomenon which may be of significance in vivo in certain tissues where access to antibodies and/or complement is limited.