Infectious particle identity determines dissemination and disease outcome for the inhaled human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus
Fig 7
Dissemination of Cryptococcus spores to the lymph node is dependent on CD11c+ lung phagocytes.
(A) Schematic illustrating the effects of administering diphtheria toxin to wild type (WT) mice or mice expressing the diphtheria toxin receptor under the control of a CD11c promoter (CD11c-DTR). AMs = Alveolar Macrophages, DCs = Dendritic Cells, DTR = Diphtheria Toxin Receptor. (B) Fungal burden (total colony forming units per organ) 2 days post-infection in the lungs of mice infected with 1x107 spores derived from JEC20 x JEC21 crosses. Burdens are from wild type mice on the left and from CD11c-DTR mice on the right, each in the absence (gray bars) or presence (bars with red outline) of diphtheria toxin administration. (C) Fungal burden (total colony forming units per organ) 2 days post-infection in the lymph nodes of mice infected with 1x107 spores derived from JEC20 x JEC21 crosses. Burdens are from wild type mice on the left and from CD11c-DTR mice on the right, each in the absence (gray bars) or presence (bars with red outline) of diphtheria toxin administration.