Figure 5. Differences in the host cytokine response to wild type and Evo strains in vivo and in vitro.

A. Selected cytokines and MPO levels were measured in murine organs at day 2 after infection with wild type or Evo strain. Significantly higher cytokine levels were found specifically in the brain of mice infected with the Evo strain, reflecting the transient high fungal burden in this organ. B. Release of the same cytokines by murine RAW246.7 macrophages was tested for the different strains. Only strains bearing the point mutation in the CHS2 gene (Evo and CHS^Evo) elicited an increased release of TNFα.