biostudies-literatureUnknown16Ramesh AI<h4>Background</h4><i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> 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, <i>C. neoformans</i> rapidly enters the brain, where it extensively releases the capsular polysaccharide glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), a major virulence factor.<h4>Methods</h4><i>Cryptococcus neoformans (</i>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 toFrontiers in immunology1687068https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12815873biostudies-literatureHost-membrane lipid composition controls &lt;i&gt;Cryptococcus neoformans&lt;/i&gt; cellular targets.PMC12815873Reddy SKBhat VKrishnamurthy SMariappan IHegde SShetty AKMallikarjuna PVShettigar KSChandran DRamesh AIBhat PYegneswaran PPSaravu KDabhi AMSabitha KRAimanianda VUpadhya DfalseHost-membrane lipid composition controls &lt;i&gt;Cryptococcus neoformans&lt;/i&gt; cellular targets.<h4>Background</h4><i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> 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, <i>C. neoformans</i> rapidly enters the brain, where it extensively releases the capsular polysaccharide glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), a major virulence factor.<h4>Methods</h4><i>Cryptococcus neoformans (</i>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 to2025-01-01T00:00:00Z20252026-06-12T05:18:47.174Z2026-06-12T03:07:49.934ZS-EPMC128158734156720110.3389/fimmu.2025.1687068