An Investigation on Adherence of Cryptococcus neoformans Serotypes (A, B, C and D) in Rat Lung Cell Culture

Cryptococcus neoformans causes an opportunistic infection known as cryptococcosis principally in immunocompromised individuals. It is not clearly known whether the serotype of the infecting strain of Cryptococcus neoformans has its own properties related to its adherence to host tissues in disease process. Here, the adherence of each serotype (A, B, C, and D) was investigated using primary rat lung cell culture in a timedependent manner. After the confluent monolayer of primary rat lung cell culture was obtained, the adherence assay was performed. The mean binding index (Bl) value of serotype D was statistically significant(p0.05). These findings suggest that the adherence of each serotype may not be increased in a timedependent manner, but the adherence of ser-otype D seems to be significantly increased at early time period (at second vs. fourth hour).