Host-membrane lipid composition controls <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> cellular targets.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cryptococcus neoformans causes lethal meningoencephalitis and long-term neurological deficits, particularly in immunocompromised hosts of any age group. After penetrating the airway and crossing the blood-tissue barriers, C. neoformans rapidly enters the brain, where it extensively releases the capsular polysaccharide glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), a major virulence factor.

Methods

Cryptococcus neoformans (ATCC 32045) was used to isolate and purify GXM. This study utilized human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived 2D cultured neural stem cells, neurons, and microglia-deficient cerebral organoids to identify GXM-induced pathogenesis. Cryosectioning of frozen tissues, immunostaining, western blot analysis and untargeted lipidomics were employed to

SUBMITTER: Ramesh AI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12815873 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature