Cryptococcus demonstrates predilection for invasion of the brain, but the mechanism by which Cryptococcus crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to cause brain invasion is largely unknown. In order for Cryptococcus to cross the BBB, there must be a way to either cross human brain microvascular endothelial cells, which are the main constitute of the BBB, or go in between tight junctions. Recent evidence of human brain microvascular endothelial cell responses to transcellular brain invasions includes membrane rearrangements, intracellular signaling pathways and cytoskeletal activations. Several Cryptococcal genes related to the traversal of BBB have been identified, including CPS1, ITR1a, ITR3c, PLB1, MPR1, FNX1 and RUB1. In addition, Cryptococcus neoformans-derived microvesicles may contribute to cryptococcal brain invasion. Paracellularly, Cryptococcus may traverse across BBB using either routes utilizing plasmin, ammonia or macrophages in a Trojan horse mechanism.
Keywords: Cryptococcus; blood–brain barrier; brain microvascular endothelial cell; microvesicle.