Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Promotes CD146 Expression in Alveolar Epithelial Cells and Cryptococcus neoformans Pulmonary Infection

  • Front Microbiol. 2021 Jan 18:11:525976. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.525976.
Zhixiao Sun  1 ,  Ningfei Ji  1 ,  Jingxian Jiang  1 ,  Yuan Tao  2 ,  Enrui Zhang  2 ,  Xiaofan Yang  3 ,  Zhengxia Wang  1 ,  Zhongqi Chen  1 ,  Mao Huang  1 ,  Mingshun Zhang  2
Affiliations
  • 1. Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
  • 2. NHC Key Laboratory of Antibody Technique, Department of Immunology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
  • 3. Laboratory Center for Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
PMID: 33537006 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.525976
Abstract

Air pollution is a leading cause of increasing infectious lung diseases. Pulmonary cryptococcosis is a fatal Fungal pneumonia in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients. In some cases, the pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans also develops dormant nodules in immunocompetent individuals. In the present study, we demonstrated that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) increased CD146 expression in alveolar epithelial cells and promoted C. neoformans pulmonary Infection. Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) signaling was required for increased expression of CD146 in epithelial cells treated with PM2.5. In a murine model of pulmonary Infection, PM2.5 promoted fungal Infection, and CD146 deficiency decreased the fugal burden of C. neoformans. Our study may highlight the importance of air pollution to lung mycosis and CD146 as a target for preventing infectious lung diseases.

Keywords
CD146; Cryptococcus neoformans; PM2.5; aryl hydrocarbon receptor; lung.
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