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Updated: Sep 22, 2025

Prostaglandin Extraction and Analysis in Caenorhabditis elegans
08:50

Prostaglandin Extraction and Analysis in Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: June 25, 2013

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PPAR-gamma Fun(gi) With Prostaglandin

Robert J Evans1, Simon A Johnston2

  • 1The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.

Nuclear Receptor Signaling
|May 18, 2022
PubMed

Insights

The fungus Cryptococcus neoformans mimics host eicosanoids to manipulate immune cells. It activates the PPAR-gamma receptor, impacting macrophage inflammation.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Mycology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • * Cryptococcus neoformans is a fungal pathogen that causes cryptococcosis.
  • * Host immune responses are crucial for controlling fungal infections.
  • * Eicosanoids are signaling molecules involved in inflammation and immune regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To investigate the mechanism by which Cryptococcus neoformans manipulates host cells.
  • * To identify the specific molecules produced by the fungus that mediate this manipulation.
  • * To understand how these fungal molecules affect host innate immune cells.

Main Methods:

  • * In vivo infection model using zebrafish.
  • * In vitro macrophage cell culture model.
  • * Analysis of eicosanoid production and host receptor activation.

Main Results:

  • * Cryptococcus neoformans produces eicosanoids that mimic host molecules.
  • * These fungal eicosanoids activate the host receptor PPAR-gamma.
  • * 15-keto-PGE2 was identified as the key eicosanoid, acting as a partial agonist to PPAR-gamma.

Conclusions:

  • * Fungal eicosanoids are a novel mechanism for immune evasion by Cryptococcus neoformans.
  • * Activation of PPAR-gamma by fungal eicosanoids modulates macrophage inflammatory responses.
  • * This study opens new avenues for therapeutic strategies targeting fungal manipulation of host immunity.
Keywords:
15-keto-PGE2Cryptococcus neoformansPPAR-gammaeicosanoidsfungal infectionhost pathogen interactionsmacrophageszebrafish

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