Mechanisms of Pulmonary Escape and Dissemination by Cryptococcus neoformans

Denham, Steven T.; Brown, Jessica C. S.

doi:10.3390/jof4010025

Open AccessReview

Mechanisms of Pulmonary Escape and Dissemination by Cryptococcus neoformans

by

Steven T. Denham

and

Jessica C. S. Brown

^*

Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah, 15 N Medical Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

J. Fungi 2018, 4(1), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof4010025

Submission received: 31 January 2018 / Revised: 9 February 2018 / Accepted: 16 February 2018 / Published: 17 February 2018

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cryptococcus and Cryptococcosis)

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Abstract

Cryptococcus neoformans is a common environmental saprophyte and human fungal pathogen that primarily causes disease in immunocompromised individuals. Similar to many environmentally acquired human fungal pathogens, C. neoformans initiates infection in the lungs. However, the main driver of mortality is invasive cryptococcosis leading to fungal meningitis. After C. neoformans gains a foothold in the lungs, a critical early step in invasion is transversal of the respiratory epithelium. In this review, we summarize current knowledge relating to pulmonary escape. We focus on fungal factors that allow C. neoformans to disseminate from the lungs via intracellular and extracellular routes.

Keywords: Cryptococcus; pulmonary; macrophages; intracellular proliferation; epithelial cells; dissemination; disease progression; capsule; GXM; cell morphology

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MDPI and ACS Style

Denham, S.T.; Brown, J.C.S. Mechanisms of Pulmonary Escape and Dissemination by Cryptococcus neoformans. J. Fungi 2018, 4, 25. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof4010025

AMA Style

Denham ST, Brown JCS. Mechanisms of Pulmonary Escape and Dissemination by Cryptococcus neoformans. Journal of Fungi. 2018; 4(1):25. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof4010025

Chicago/Turabian Style

Denham, Steven T., and Jessica C. S. Brown. 2018. "Mechanisms of Pulmonary Escape and Dissemination by Cryptococcus neoformans" Journal of Fungi 4, no. 1: 25. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof4010025

APA Style

Denham, S. T., & Brown, J. C. S. (2018). Mechanisms of Pulmonary Escape and Dissemination by Cryptococcus neoformans. Journal of Fungi, 4(1), 25. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof4010025

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Mechanisms of Pulmonary Escape and Dissemination by Cryptococcus neoformans

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