AUTHOR=Sun Zhixiao , Ji Ningfei , Jiang Jingxian , Tao Yuan , Zhang Enrui , Yang Xiaofan , Wang Zhengxia , Chen Zhongqi , Huang Mao , Zhang Mingshun 

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

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2020.525976

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2020.525976

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>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 <italic>Cryptococcus neoformans</italic> also develops dormant nodules in immunocompetent individuals. In the present study, we demonstrated that fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2</sub>.<sub>5</sub>) increased CD146 expression in alveolar epithelial cells and promoted <italic>C. neoformans</italic> pulmonary infection. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling was required for increased expression of CD146 in epithelial cells treated with PM<sub>2</sub>.<sub>5</sub>. In a murine model of pulmonary infection, PM<sub>2</sub>.<sub>5</sub> promoted fungal infection, and CD146 deficiency decreased the fugal burden of <italic>C. neoformans</italic>. Our study may highlight the importance of air pollution to lung mycosis and CD146 as a target for preventing infectious lung diseases.</p>