Cryptococcus neoformans resides in an acidic phagolysosome of human macrophages.
AuthorsLevitz SM, Nong SH, Seetoo KF, Harrison TS, Speizer RA, Simons ER
JournalInfect Immun
PubMed ID9916104
'Recently, we demonstrated that human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) treated with chloroquine or ammonium chloride had markedly increased antifungal activity against the AIDS-related pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. Both of these agents raise the lysosomal pH, which suggested that the increased antifungal activity was a function of alkalinizing the phagolysosome. Moreover, there was ... More
Enterocyte TLR4 mediates phagocytosis and translocation of bacteria across the intestinal barrier.
AuthorsNeal MD, Leaphart C, Levy R, Prince J, Billiar TR, Watkins S, Li J, Cetin S, Ford H, Schreiber A, Hackam DJ,
JournalJ Immunol
PubMed ID16493066
Translocation of bacteria across the intestinal barrier is important in the pathogenesis of systemic sepsis, although the mechanisms by which bacterial translocation occurs remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that bacterial translocation across the intact barrier occurs after internalization of the bacteria by enterocytes in a process resembling phagocytosis and that ... More