Biomaterial Database

Immunology of infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. 2005

Floyd L Wormley, and John R Perfect

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that may lead to life-threatening meningoencephalitis and pulmonary infections in immunosuppressed hosts. The lack of an effective fungicidal regimen and the development of antifungal resistant strains suggest that continued investigation is necessary to devise immunotherapeutic strategies and/or drug targets to combat C. neoformans infections. Studies to date involve investigating the host-pathogen interaction of cryptococcal infections through the genetic manipulation of the yeast, as well as the characterization of the host immune response. Macrophage phagocytosis and killing assays have proven to be invaluable tools in evaluating the putative effects of the genetic manipulation of C. neoformans strains on the virulence composite of the yeast. In addition, the assay is used to assess the efficacy of various immunotherapeutic agents (i.e., antibodies and cytokines) to enhance this cell-based antifungal activity. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a brief overview on host immunity to C. neoformans infection and, in addition, describe a protocol for performing macrophage phagocytosis and killing assays with C. neoformans and its mutants.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009569	Nitric Oxide	A free radical gas produced endogenously by a variety of mammalian cells, synthesized from ARGININE by NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE. Nitric oxide is one of the ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT RELAXING FACTORS released by the vascular endothelium and mediates VASODILATION. It also inhibits platelet aggregation, induces disaggregation of aggregated platelets, and inhibits platelet adhesion to the vascular endothelium. Nitric oxide activates cytosolic GUANYLATE CYCLASE and thus elevates intracellular levels of CYCLIC GMP.	Endogenous Nitrate Vasodilator,Mononitrogen Monoxide,Nitric Oxide, Endothelium-Derived,Nitrogen Monoxide,Endothelium-Derived Nitric Oxide,Monoxide, Mononitrogen,Monoxide, Nitrogen,Nitrate Vasodilator, Endogenous,Nitric Oxide, Endothelium Derived,Oxide, Nitric,Vasodilator, Endogenous Nitrate
D010587	Phagocytosis	The engulfing and degradation of microorganisms; other cells that are dead, dying, or pathogenic; and foreign particles by phagocytic cells (PHAGOCYTES).	Phagocytoses
D002460	Cell Line	Established cell cultures that have the potential to propagate indefinitely.	Cell Lines,Line, Cell,Lines, Cell
D003453	Cryptococcosis	Fungal infection caused by genus CRYPTOCOCCUS.	C gattii Infection,C neoformans Infection,C. gattii Infection,C. neoformans Infection,Cryptococcus Infection,Cryptococcus Infections,Cryptococcus gattii Infection,Torulosis,Cryptococcus neoformans Infection,C gattii Infections,C neoformans Infections,C. gattii Infections,C. neoformans Infections,Cryptococcoses,Cryptococcus gattii Infections,Cryptococcus neoformans Infections,Infection, C gattii,Infection, C neoformans,Infection, C. gattii,Infection, C. neoformans,Infection, Cryptococcus,Infection, Cryptococcus gattii,Infection, Cryptococcus neoformans,Infections, C gattii,Infections, C. neoformans,Toruloses
D003455	Cryptococcus neoformans	A species of the fungus CRYPTOCOCCUS. Its teleomorph is Filobasidiella neoformans.	Blastomyces neoformans,Debaryomyces neoformans,Filobasidiella neoformans,Lipomyces neoformans,Saccharomyces neoformans,Torula neoformans,Torulopsis neoformans,Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D016207	Cytokines	Non-antibody proteins secreted by inflammatory leukocytes and some non-leukocytic cells, that act as intercellular mediators. They differ from classical hormones in that they are produced by a number of tissue or cell types rather than by specialized glands. They generally act locally in a paracrine or autocrine rather than endocrine manner.	Cytokine
D016676	Macrophages, Alveolar	Round, granular, mononuclear phagocytes found in the alveoli of the lungs. They ingest small inhaled particles resulting in degradation and presentation of the antigen to immunocompetent cells.	Alveolar Macrophages,Macrophages, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Macrophages,Macrophage, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Macrophage,Alveolar Macrophage,Macrophage, Alveolar
D051379	Mice	The common name for the genus Mus.	Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus