<i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> Infection in the Central Nervous System: The Battle between Host and Pathogen
<i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> (<i>C. neoformans</i>) is a pathogenic fungus with a global distribution. Humans become infected by inhaling the fungus from the environment, and the fungus initially colonizes the lungs. If the immune system fails to contain <i>C. neoform...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Fungi |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/8/10/1069 |
| _version_ | 1797472333612449792 |
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| author | Yanli Chen Zoe W. Shi Ashley B. Strickland Meiqing Shi |
| author_facet | Yanli Chen Zoe W. Shi Ashley B. Strickland Meiqing Shi |
| author_sort | Yanli Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> (<i>C. neoformans</i>) is a pathogenic fungus with a global distribution. Humans become infected by inhaling the fungus from the environment, and the fungus initially colonizes the lungs. If the immune system fails to contain <i>C. neoformans</i> in the lungs, the fungus can disseminate to the blood and invade the central nervous system, resulting in fatal meningoencephalitis particularly in immunocompromised individuals including HIV/AIDS patients. Following brain invasion, <i>C. neoformans</i> will encounter host defenses involving resident as well as recruited immune cells in the brain. To overcome host defenses, <i>C. neoformans</i> possesses multiple virulence factors capable of modulating immune responses. The outcome of the interactions between the host and <i>C. neoformans</i> will determine the disease progression. In this review, we describe the current understanding of how <i>C. neoformans</i> migrates to the brain across the blood–brain barrier, and how the host immune system responds to the invading organism in the brain. We will also discuss the virulence factors that <i>C. neoformans</i> uses to modulate host immune responses. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:00:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d0d9f501f1814226ba029586e11dce46 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2309-608X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:00:23Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Fungi |
| spelling | doaj.art-d0d9f501f1814226ba029586e11dce462023-11-24T00:47:29ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2022-10-01810106910.3390/jof8101069<i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> Infection in the Central Nervous System: The Battle between Host and PathogenYanli Chen0Zoe W. Shi1Ashley B. Strickland2Meiqing Shi3Division of Immunology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USADivision of Immunology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USADivision of Immunology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USADivision of Immunology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA<i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> (<i>C. neoformans</i>) is a pathogenic fungus with a global distribution. Humans become infected by inhaling the fungus from the environment, and the fungus initially colonizes the lungs. If the immune system fails to contain <i>C. neoformans</i> in the lungs, the fungus can disseminate to the blood and invade the central nervous system, resulting in fatal meningoencephalitis particularly in immunocompromised individuals including HIV/AIDS patients. Following brain invasion, <i>C. neoformans</i> will encounter host defenses involving resident as well as recruited immune cells in the brain. To overcome host defenses, <i>C. neoformans</i> possesses multiple virulence factors capable of modulating immune responses. The outcome of the interactions between the host and <i>C. neoformans</i> will determine the disease progression. In this review, we describe the current understanding of how <i>C. neoformans</i> migrates to the brain across the blood–brain barrier, and how the host immune system responds to the invading organism in the brain. We will also discuss the virulence factors that <i>C. neoformans</i> uses to modulate host immune responses.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/8/10/1069fungus<i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i>cryptococcosisfungal pathogenesismeningoencephalitiscentral nervous system |
| spellingShingle | Yanli Chen Zoe W. Shi Ashley B. Strickland Meiqing Shi <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> Infection in the Central Nervous System: The Battle between Host and Pathogen Journal of Fungi fungus <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> cryptococcosis fungal pathogenesis meningoencephalitis central nervous system |
| title | <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> Infection in the Central Nervous System: The Battle between Host and Pathogen |
| title_full | <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> Infection in the Central Nervous System: The Battle between Host and Pathogen |
| title_fullStr | <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> Infection in the Central Nervous System: The Battle between Host and Pathogen |
| title_full_unstemmed | <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> Infection in the Central Nervous System: The Battle between Host and Pathogen |
| title_short | <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> Infection in the Central Nervous System: The Battle between Host and Pathogen |
| title_sort | i cryptococcus neoformans i infection in the central nervous system the battle between host and pathogen |
| topic | fungus <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> cryptococcosis fungal pathogenesis meningoencephalitis central nervous system |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/8/10/1069 |
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