Capsular hyaluronic acid of cryptococcus neoformans contributes to fungal invasion across the alveolar-capillary interface

摘要

Background: Cryptococcus neoformans infection has significantly increased recently, particularly in AIDS patients and immunocompromised individuals. At present, it is unclear how C. neoformans traversesthe alveolar-capillary interface and causes infection. Previous study has show that C. neoformans capsular hyaluronic acid (HA) was a virulent factor and CD44 is the major HA receptor on HBMEC during C. neoformans infection.