Immunosuppression, IL-10 synthesis and apoptosis are induced in rats inoculated with Cryptococcus neoformans glucuronoxylomanan

CHIAPELLO L; BARONETTI J; AOKI MP; GEA S; RUBINSTEIN HR; MASIH DT

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2004 vol. 113 p. 392 - 392

lucuronoxylomannan (GXM) is the major Cryptococcus neoformans capsular polysaccharideand represents the main virulence factor of this fungus. In in vitro studies we have demonstratedpreviously that this acidic and high-molecular-weight polysaccharide suppresses lymphoproliferation,modulates cytokine production and promotes apoptosis in spleen mononuclear (Spm)cells from rats. In this study we demonstrate that these phenomena also occur in vivo afterthe intracardiac inoculation of GXM into normal Wistar rats. The results of this study showsuppression of the proliferative response Spm cells to concanavalin A (Con A) or heat-killedC. neoformans (HKCn) in the first 2 weeks after polysaccharide administration. In addition,increased levels of interleukin (IL)-10 were produced by Con A-stimulated Spm cells, coincidingwith immunohistochemical GXM detection in the white pulp of spleen. In particular, highproduction of IL-10 with dimin