Author(s):
Sousa, Herdson Renney de ; Oliveira Júnior, Getúlio Pereira de ; Frazão, Stefânia de Oliveira ; Gorgonha, Kaio César de Melo ; Rosa, Camila Pereira ; Melgaço Garcez, Emãnuella ; Lucas Júnior, Joaquim ; Correia, Amabel Fernandes ; Freitas, Waleriano Ferreira de ; Borges, Higor Matos ; Alves, Lucas Gomes de Brito ; Paes, Hugo Costa ; Trilles, Luciana ; Lazera, Márcia dos Santos ; Teixeira, Marcus de Melo ; Pinto Júnior, Vitor Laerte ; Felipe, Maria Sueli Soares ; Casadevall, Arturo ; Pereira, Ildinete Silva ; Albuquerque, Patrícia ; Nicola, André Moraes
Date: 2022
Origin: Oasisbr
Subject(s): Cryptococcus neoformans; Criptococose; Virulência (Microbiologia); Melanina; Fagocitose
Description
Cryptococcus spp. are human pathogens that cause 181,000 deaths per year. In this work, we systematically investigated the virulence attributes of Cryptococcus spp. clinical isolates and correlated them with patient data to better understand cryptococcosis. We collected 66 C. neoformans and 19 C. gattii clinical isolates and analyzed multiple virulence phenotypes and host–pathogen interaction outcomes. C. neoformans isolates tended to melanize faster and more intensely and produce thinner capsules in comparison with C. gattii. We also observed correlations that match previous studies, such as that between secreted laccase and disease outcome in patients. We measured Cryptococcus colony melanization kinetics, which followed a sigmoidal curve for most isolates, and showed that faster melanization correlated positively with LC3-associated phagocytosis evasion, virulence in Galleria mellonella and worse prognosis in humans. These results suggest that the speed of melanization, more than the total amount of melanin Cryptococcus spp. produces, is crucial for virulence.
