Evaluation of IFN-γ secretion after stimulation with C. neoformans and C. gattii antigens in individuals with frequent exposure to the fungus

Isabel Feitosa Maciel; Roseli Santos de Freitas-Xavier; Adriana Pardini Vicentini; Carlos Fernando Apoliano; Juliana Ruiz Fernandes; Alana Dos Santos Dias; Viviane Favero Mazo Gimenes; Gil Benard; Dewton Moraes Vasconcelos

doi:10.1016/j.mycmed.2021.101230

Evaluation of IFN-γ secretion after stimulation with C. neoformans and C. gattii antigens in individuals with frequent exposure to the fungus

J Mycol Med. 2022 May;32(2):101230. doi: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2021.101230. Epub 2021 Dec 5.

Authors

Isabel Feitosa Maciel¹, Roseli Santos de Freitas-Xavier², Adriana Pardini Vicentini³, Carlos Fernando Apoliano⁴, Juliana Ruiz Fernandes⁴, Alana Dos Santos Dias⁴, Viviane Favero Mazo Gimenes², Gil Benard², Dewton Moraes Vasconcelos⁴

Affiliations

¹ Laboratório de Imunologia em Imunodeficiências Primárias e Secundárias, LIM/56, do departamento de Dermatologia do Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: biomed.isabelmaciel@usp.br.
² Laboratório de Micologia Médica, LIM/53, do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
³ Laboratório de Imunodiagnóstico das Micoses, do Instituto Adolfo Lutz, SP, Brazil.
⁴ Laboratório de Imunologia em Imunodeficiências Primárias e Secundárias, LIM/56, do departamento de Dermatologia do Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

PMID: 34923245
DOI: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2021.101230

Abstract

In this study we produced antigenic extracts from prototypical strains of C. neoformans (VNI-VNIV) and C. gattii (VGI-VGIV) and tested IFN-γ secretion by Elispot. Antigens from the eight Cryptococcus molecular types (VNI -VNIV and VGI - VGIV) were obtained after capsule reduction. IFN-γ secretion by Elispot method were stimulated with C. neoformans and C. gattii antigens. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of fourteen healthy control subjects, being: five ecotourists, two mycologists, three poultry keepers, and four individuals without reports of exposure to the fungus. We observed a significant increase in IFN-γ secretion in the group of ecotourists, mycologists and bird keepers in relation to the group of individuals without reports of occupational exposures to these agents. Our results suggest the significant increase in IFN-γ secretion may be related to the continuous exposure of these groups of individuals to the fungus, as well as to the specific antigen memory immune response developed during exposure to Cryptococcus.

Keywords: Cryptococcus gattii; Cryptococcus neoformans; IFN-gamma.

MeSH terms

Cryptococcosis* / microbiology
Cryptococcus gattii*
Cryptococcus neoformans*
Humans
Leukocytes, Mononuclear