Uptake and intraphagocytic activity of teicoplanin in human neutrophils

Abstract

The incorporation of antibiotics in phagocytes is necessary for their activity against intracellular microorganisms. The ability of Teicoplanin to enter in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) after infection with Candida albicans was investigated using an in vitro model previously described. Human PMNs were preincubated with Candida albicans for 30 min, after which antibiotic (100 mg/l) was added to cell suspension during 1, 5, 15, 30 and 60 min. The results were expressed as the ratio of the cellular concentration of antibiotic to the extracellular concentration (C/E). Teicoplanin bound rapidly to phagocytes (with a C/E = 2.12 after 1 min of incubation), being the cell-associated drug approximately similar during the entire incubation period. At the same time, Teicoplanin increases the percentage of mortality of Candida albicans previously ingested, which was dependent of the incubation period in its presence.