Involvement of CD14, toll-like receptors 2 and 4, and MyD88 in the host response to the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans in vivo.
The major capsular polysaccharide of Cryptococcus neoformans, glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), is recognized by Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), TLR4, and CD14. In these studies, mice deficient in CD14, TLR2, TLR4, and the TLR-associated adaptor protein, MyD88, were utilized to investigate the contribution of TLRs and CD14 to in vivo host defenses against C. neoformans. MyD88(-/-) mice had significantly reduced survival compared with wild-type C57BL/6 mice after intranasal (i.n.) and intravenous (i.v.) infection with live C. neoformans. CD14(-/-) mice had reduced survival when infected i.v., while TLR2(-/-) mice died significantly earlier after i.n. infection. Mortality was similar comparing TLR4 mutant C3H/HeJ mice and control C3H/HeOuJ mice following i.v. or i.n. challenge with C. neoformans. The course of pulmonary cryptococcosis was studied in more detail in the CD14(-/-), TLR2(-/-), and MyD88(-/-) mice. MyD88(-/-) mice infected i.n. had higher numbers of CFU in the lungs as well as higher GXM levels in the sera and lungs 7 days after infection than wild-type mice did. Surprisingly, there were no major differences in the levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-10, IL-12p70, or gamma interferon in the lungs of C. neoformans-infected knockout mice compared with wild-type mice. Histopathologic analysis of the lungs on day 7 postinfection revealed minimal inflammation in all mouse groups. These studies demonstrate a major role for MyD88 and relatively minor roles for CD14 and TLR2 in the response to cryptococcal infection, with the decreased survival of MyD88(-/-) mice correlating with increased numbers of lung CFU and serum and lung GXM levels.
Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts, USA.
Lauren E
LE
Yauch
Michael K
MK
Mansour
Shmuel
S
Shoham
James B
JB
Rottman
Stuart M
SM
Levitz
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000818:Animals; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000378:metabolism*; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality*; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C507780:Myd88 protein, mouse; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors