{
  "abstract": "Infection with the encapsulated fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans causes substantial global disease burden in persons with compromised T cell function. Previously, we demonstrated that vaccines containing adjuvanted recombinant cryptococcal proteins protected mice against lethal infection by mechanisms dependent on CD4+ T cells. For the present study, we hypothesized that vaccines containing protein antigens naturally located on the surface of the cryptococcal capsule would contribute protective B cell responses. We found that B cell-deficient mice exhibited reduced survival following vaccination with any of four capsule-associated antigens: Blp4, Cpd1, Lhc1, or Krp1. To further elucidate the role of antibodies in protection, we tested serum from mice vaccinated with a live-attenuated strain (cda123) and then challenged with a virulent C. neoformans strain for IgG responses to a panel of 26 cryptococcal recombinant proteins. Strong reactivity was detected against Blp4, which we focused on because it is capsule-associated and protects mice when administered in adjuvanted subunit vaccines, by mechanisms partly dependent on B cells. Blp4 antibodies were consistently present in surviving mice, including those vaccinated with unrelated proteins or those challenged with diverse clinical isolates. Additionally, serum from Blp4-vaccinated mice promoted macrophage opsonophagocytosis of C. neoformans. Finally, IgG antibodies against Blp4 were detected in 20 of 21 serum samples from patients who survived cryptococcosis, compared with only 4 of 14 samples from healthy controls. Together, these data identify Blp4 as an antigen that elicits protective B cell responses and is a strong candidate for inclusion in subunit cryptococcal vaccines.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 11,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "M. M. Hester"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Carlson"
    },
    {
      "name": "L. V. N. Oliveira"
    },
    {
      "name": "Z. Hastings"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Sahu"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Hargarten"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Anjum"
    },
    {
      "name": "G. R. Ostroff"
    },
    {
      "name": "P. R. Williamson"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. A. Specht"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "S. M. Levitz"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/c0ybk6rekfm1m.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.28.762512",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.28.762512v1.full",
  "id": "c0ybk6rekfm1m",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.28.762512v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "immunology"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.28.762512v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-28",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/c0ybk6rekfm1m.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-04T00:21:35Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.28.762512",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.28.762512v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:immunology",
      "subfield": "immunology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Identification of Cryptococcus neoformans capsule-associated protein antigens that mediate B cell-dependent vaccine protection in mice and elicit antibody responses in humans with cryptococcosis",
  "title_text": "Identification of Cryptococcus neoformans capsule-associated protein antigens that mediate B cell-dependent vaccine protection in mice and elicit antibody responses in humans with cryptococcosis",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-05T00:21:01Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/c0ybk6rekfm1m",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}