ENHANCEMENT OF HIV-1 INFECTION BY THE CAPSULAR POLYSACCHARIDE OF CRYPTOCOCCUS-NEOFORMANS

Patients with AIDS who become infected with Cryptococcus neoformans have a poor prognosis. We speculated that the presence of cryptococcal capsular polysaccharide may enhance HIV-1 infection. In an in-vitro study, the presence of cryptococcal polysaccharide significantly increased (p < 0.05) production of p24 antigen after infection of H9 cells with HIV-1 -infected H9 cells. We also found similar results when lymphocytes from an HIV-1 -infected patient were co-cultured with mononuclear cells from an uninfected individual. Our findings suggest a new pathogenic role for the capsular polysaccharide-namely, the capacity to enhance HIV-1 infectivity.