Role of mannose-binding lectin in the innate defense against Candida albicans: Enhancement of complement activation, but lack of opsonic function, in phagocytosis by human dendritic cells

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a serum collectin believed to be of importance in innate immunity. We have investigated the role of MBL in the first-line defense against Candida albicans, an opportunistic fungal pathogen. MBL bound C. albicans via its lectin domain, resulting in agglutination of the organisms upon their outgrowth of hyphae. In a human in vitro MBL system, deposition of C4 fragments on C. albicans was increased when exogenous MBL was added to serum samples from MBL-deficient individuals. Similar enhancement of deposition of iC3b also was observed. MBL and enhanced opsonic C3 fragments mediated by MBL did not facilitate opsonophagocytosis of the organisms by monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs). However, MBL was found to inhibit the growth of C. albicans independently of complement activation, although, with complement activation, further inhibition was observed. We concluded that MBL plays an important role in the first-line defense against C. albicans without the need for opsonophagocytosis by DCs, in which a direct interaction of MBL with C. albicans results in agglutination and accelerated complement activation via the lectin pathway, leading to inhibition of growth.