MyD88 and TLR2, but not TLR4, are required for host defense against Cryptococcus neoformans

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Abstract
We investigated here the potential role of Toll‐like receptors (TLR) and the adaptor protein MyD88 in innate immunity responses to Cryptococcus neoformans, a pathogenic encapsulated yeast. Peritoneal macrophages from MyD88–/– or TLR2–/– mice released significantly less TNF‐α, compared with wild‐type controls, after in vitro stimulation with whole yeasts. In contrast, no differences in TNF‐α release were noted between macrophages from C3H/HeJ mice, which have a loss of function mutation in TLR4, relative to C3H/HeN controls. When MyD88‐ or TLR2‐deficient mice were infected with low doses of the H99 serotype A strain, all of the control animals, but none of MyD88–/– and only 38% of the TLR2–/– animals survived, in association with higher fungal burden in the mutant mice. Both MyD88–/– and TLR2–/– animals showed decreased TNF‐α, IL‐12p40 and/or IFN‐γ expression in various organs during infection. No difference in susceptibility to experimental cryptococcosis was found between C3H/HeJ mice and C3H/HeN controls. In conclusion, our data indicate that TLR2 and MyD88, but not TLR4, critically contribute to anti‐cryptococcal defenses through the induction of increased TNF‐α, IL‐12 and IFN‐γ expression.