Infectious particle identity determines dissemination and disease outcome for the inhaled human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus
Fig 6
CD11c+ cells display more associated spores than yeast at 6 hours post-infection in the mouse lung.
(A) The total number of each lung cell type (CD11c+, AMs = alveolar macrophages, DCs = dendritic cells) recovered at 6-hours post-infection in mice infected with PBS (“naïve," black bars, 2 mice), 5x106 mCherry-spores (light gray bars, 5 mice), or 5x106 mCherry yeast (dark gray bars, 5 mice). The results are expressed as bar plots illustrating the average ± SEM. For the number of DCs in spore- vs. yeast-infected mice p = 0.14. (B) Percent of each cell type (as identified in panel A) with associated mCherry+ Cryptococcus cells. The results are expressed as bar plots illustrating the average ± SEM. For the percentage of CD11c+ phagocytes associated with spores vs. yeast p = 0.019. (C) Cryptococcal cells per macrophage at 6 hours post-infection. Alveolar macrophages were recovered by bronchoalveolar lavage 6 hours post-infection in mice infected with 5x106 mCherry-spores (light gray bars, 3 mice), or 5x106 mCherry yeast (dark gray bars, 3 mice). The number of mCherry+ cryptococcal cells in 100 occupied macrophages was counted for each infected mouse. The results are expressed as the average occupancy of the three mice for each group ± SEM. For the number of spores vs. yeast per macrophage p = 0.0002 (by a Student's t-test).