Ada2 acts upstream of Pdr802 in regulating macrophage-enhanced virulence of <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i>.

ABSTRACT: Cryptococcus is the leading cause of fungal meningitis in humans and a major source of mortality in people living with HIV. Infection starts in the lungs and results in meningoencephalitis after dissemination via the bloodstream. Alveolar macrophages are the first immune cells to encounter the infection and are usually capable of clearing it. In immunocompromised hosts, Cryptococcus survives and grows inside macrophages, establishing pulmonary and ultimately central nervous system infection. The initial interaction with macrophages is a key event in pathogenesis, and we have demonstrated that macrophage exposure induces an enhanced virulence phenotype in Cryptococcus. This process can be replicated in vitro: yeast cells exposed to macrophages in culture demonstr

SUBMITTER: Cernohous TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12403825 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature