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Protection against cryptococcosis by using a murine gamma interferon-producing Cryptococcus neoformans strain.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Wormley, FL; Perfect, JR; Steele, C; Cox, GM
Published in: Infect Immun
March 2007

We evaluated cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses in mice given a pulmonary infection with a Cryptococcus neoformans strain engineered to produce the Th1-type cytokine gamma interferon (IFN-gamma). Mice given a pulmonary infection with an IFN-gamma-producing C. neoformans strain were able to resolve the primary infection and demonstrated complete (100%) protection against a second pulmonary challenge with a pathogenic C. neoformans strain. Pulmonary cytokine analyses showed that Th1-type/proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine expression were significantly higher and Th2-type cytokine expression was significantly lower in mice infected with the IFN-gamma-producing C. neoformans strain compared to wild-type-infected mice. This increased pulmonary Th1-type cytokine expression was also associated with significantly lower pulmonary fungal burden and significantly higher pulmonary leukocyte and T-lymphocyte recruitment in mice infected with the IFN-gamma-producing C. neoformans strain compared to wild-type-infected mice. Our results demonstrate that pulmonary infection of mice with a C. neoformans strain expressing IFN-gamma results in the stimulation of local Th1-type anti-cryptococcal CMI responses and the development of protective host immunity against future pulmonary cryptococcal infections. The use of fungi engineered to produce host cytokines is a novel method to study immune responses to infection and may be useful in developing vaccine strategies in humans.

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Published In

Infect Immun

DOI

ISSN

0019-9567

Publication Date

March 2007

Volume

75

Issue

3

Start / End Page

1453 / 1462

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Microbiology
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred A
  • Mice
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Female
  • Cryptococcus neoformans
  • Cryptococcosis
  • Animals
  • 3207 Medical microbiology
 

Citation

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Wormley, F. L., Perfect, J. R., Steele, C., & Cox, G. M. (2007). Protection against cryptococcosis by using a murine gamma interferon-producing Cryptococcus neoformans strain. Infect Immun, 75(3), 1453–1462. https://doi.org/10.1128/IAI.00274-06
Wormley, Floyd L., John R. Perfect, Chad Steele, and Gary M. Cox. “Protection against cryptococcosis by using a murine gamma interferon-producing Cryptococcus neoformans strain.Infect Immun 75, no. 3 (March 2007): 1453–62. https://doi.org/10.1128/IAI.00274-06.
Wormley FL, Perfect JR, Steele C, Cox GM. Protection against cryptococcosis by using a murine gamma interferon-producing Cryptococcus neoformans strain. Infect Immun. 2007 Mar;75(3):1453–62.
Wormley, Floyd L., et al. “Protection against cryptococcosis by using a murine gamma interferon-producing Cryptococcus neoformans strain.Infect Immun, vol. 75, no. 3, Mar. 2007, pp. 1453–62. Pubmed, doi:10.1128/IAI.00274-06.
Wormley FL, Perfect JR, Steele C, Cox GM. Protection against cryptococcosis by using a murine gamma interferon-producing Cryptococcus neoformans strain. Infect Immun. 2007 Mar;75(3):1453–1462.

Published In

Infect Immun

DOI

ISSN

0019-9567

Publication Date

March 2007

Volume

75

Issue

3

Start / End Page

1453 / 1462

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Microbiology
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred A
  • Mice
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Female
  • Cryptococcus neoformans
  • Cryptococcosis
  • Animals
  • 3207 Medical microbiology