Montone KT
Regulating the T-Cell Immune Response Toward the H99 Strain of Cryptococcus neoformans. [JOURNAL ARTICLE]
Am J Pathol 2009 Oct 29.
C. neoformans infection induces a Th1 immune reaction resulting in an cellular inflammatory reaction toward the organism; however infection with virulent C. neoformans strains such as H99 results in a paucicellular Th2 response in mice. H99 infected mice develop fatal meningoencephalitis weeks following pulmonary infection. Switch from a Th2 to a Th1 immune response, results in a protective effect in the lung of H99 infected mice but does not prevent organism dissemination and subsequent development of meningoencephalitis. Further studies are required to explain what immune mediators are needed to prevent dissemination of virulent C. neoformans even after a protective Th1 immune effect in the lung is achieved. Immune responses toward fungal infections can be altered and the ability to alter immune responses may aid in understanding pathogenesis and as well as improving treatment modalities.
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