Immunosupression, IL-10 synthesis and apoptosis are induced in ratas inoculated with Cryptococcus neoformans glucuronoxylomannan

LS CHIAPELLO, JL BARONETTI, MP AOKI, S GEA, H RUBINSTEIN AND MASIH DT.

IMMUNOLOGY

Blackwell

Año: 2004 vol. 113 p. 392 - 392

0019-2805

font face="AdvTimes-b" size="1"> Glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) is the major Cryptococcus neoformans capsular polysaccharide and represents the main virulence factor of this fungus. In in vitro studies we have demonstrated previously 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 after the intracardiac inoculation of GXM into normal Wistar rats. The results of this study show suppression of the proliferative response Spm cells to concanavalin A (Con A) or heat-killed