Scavenger receptor A modulates the immune response to pulmonary Cryptococcus neoformans infection.

Scavenger receptors represent an important class of pattern recognition receptors shown to mediate both beneficial and detrimental roles in host defense against microbial pathogens. The role of the major macrophage scavenger receptor, scavenger receptor A (SRA), in the immune response against the pathogenic fungus, Cryptococcus neoformans, is unknown. To evaluate the role of SRA in anticryptococcal host defenses, SRA(+/+) mice and SRA(-/-) mice were infected intratracheally with C.