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Updated: Feb 28, 2026

Biolistic Transformation of a Fluorescent Tagged Gene into the Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans
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Biolistic Transformation of a Fluorescent Tagged Gene into the Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

Published on: March 19, 2015

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Cryptococcus neoformans and gattii promote DNA damage in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Jéssica Cristina Bilizario Noguerol Andrade1, Mariana Gatto1, Daniela Ramos Rodrigues2

  • 1Botucatu School of Medicine - UNESP, Campus Botucatu, Tropical Diseases Department, São Paulo, Brazil.

Medical Mycology
|June 22, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Both Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii cause DNA damage in human cells. However, only Cryptococcus gattii infection showed a link between DNA damage and elevated nitric oxide (NO) levels.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Immunology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Cryptococcosis, caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii, is a serious fungal infection.
  • Infectious agents can induce DNA damage and cancer, partly due to oxidative stress from host defense mechanisms like nitric oxide (NO).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if C. neoformans and C. gattii induce DNA damage in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).
  • To determine if this DNA damage is associated with NO production by PBMCs.

Main Methods:

  • Exposure of human PBMCs to C. neoformans and C. gattii.
  • Assessment of genotoxicity (DNA damage) in PBMCs.
  • Measurement of nitric oxide (NO) levels in PBMCs.

Main Results:

  • Both C. neoformans and C. gattii equally induced genotoxicity in PBMCs.
  • A significant association between DNA damage and high NO levels was observed only with C. gattii.

Conclusions:

  • C. neoformans and C. gattii can cause DNA damage in human PBMCs.
  • Elevated NO levels are specifically linked to C. gattii-induced DNA damage.
  • Patients with cryptococcosis may have increased susceptibility to other diseases due to DNA damage.

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