Susceptibilities of Cryptococcus neoformans strains to platelet binding invivo and to the fungicidal activity of thrombin-induced platelet microbicidal proteins in vitro

In this study we investigated the interactions between capsular and acapsul ar strains of Cryptococcus neoformans and blood platelets. In vivo microsco pic observation of blood samples from mice inoculated with C. neoformans ye ast cells demonstrated that encapsulated and nonencapsulated yeast cells di sappeared quickly from the bloodstream and that platelets were attached sol ely to yeast cells of the nonencapsulated strains. In vitro we observed tha t only the acapsular strains were susceptible to the fungicidal activity of thrombin-induced platelet microbicidal proteins.