title: Contribution of complement component C5 to the pathogenesis of experimental murine cryptococcosis.
abstract: C5-deficient (C5-) mice succumb much sooner after intravenous inoculation with Cryptococcus neoformans than do C5-sufficient (C5+) mice. The C5- mice developed acute, fatal cryptococcal pneumonia, whereas the C5+ mice did not. The pneumonia was characterized by lung viable counts in C5- mice up to 1000-fold higher than in C5+, initial sequestration of twice as much 59Fe-labeled C. neoformans, and subsequent development of pulmonary edema. Chemotaxis of heterophils (PMNs) and mononuclear cells in response to C. neoformans was markedly greater in C5+ mice than in C5- animals. The effect of C5 on localization and growth of C. neoformans in the lung appeared to account for the disparate survival times of C5+ and C5+ mice after intravenous inoculation with C. neoformans.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000382:microbiology; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; D003182:Complement C5 / Q000172:deficiency*; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D007668:Kidney / Q000382:microbiology; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D009504:Neutrophils; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D003182:Complement C5