Adaptive Immunity to Fungi

Abstract

Only a handful of the more than 100,000 fungal species on our planet cause disease in humans, yet the number of life-threatening fungal infections in patients has recently skyrocketed as a result of advances in medical care that often suppress immunity intensely. This emerging crisis has created pressing needs to clarify immune defense mechanisms against fungi, with the ultimate goal of therapeutic applications. Herein, we describe recent insights in understanding the mammalian immune defenses deployed against pathogenic fungi. The review focuses on adaptive immune responses to the major medically important fungi and emphasizes how dendritic cells and subsets in various anatomic compartments respond to fungi, recognize their molecular patterns, and signal responses that nurture and shape the differentiation of T cell subsets and B cells. Also emphasized is how the latter deploy effector and regulatory mechanisms that eliminate these nasty invaders while also constraining collateral damage to vital tissue.

Dendritic cell interactions withHistoplasmaandParacoccidioides

“…1,9,10 Their role is diverse, dynamic, and as unique at each stage in the immune response to an infection as the infection itself. DCs are the important link between innate and adaptive immunity and are vital determinants of the immune response to an infecting pathogen.…”

The protective role of immunoglobulins in fungal infections and inflammation

“…Structural analysis revealed that internal antigenic determinants dominate recognition of β-(Man) 3 by IgG3 MAb [73]. β-mannan-specific IgM MAb could also reduce the dose of amphotericin B when used in combination in experimental candidiasis [74].…”

“…Approximately, 1-10 fungal spores are ingested in each breath, making it a natural route of infection for most filamentous fungal pathogens. Medically important fungi include Aspergillus, Blastomyces, Candida, Coccidioides, Coccidioides, Cryptococcus, Histoplasma, Malassezia, Paracoccidioides and Pneumocystis [1][2][3].…”

Problems of Vaccinal Prevention of Deep Mycoses

“…У иммунизированных HKY мышей были также от-мечены высокие титры антител к глюкану и ман-нану S. cerevisiae. Хотя основная роль Т-клеток в адекватном иммунном ответе при КМ не подлежит сомнению [1,23], механизмы возможного влияния гуморальных антител на протективность при этом микозе остаются неизученными [39].…”

“…Кроме того, начиная с 11 дня после заражения рез-кое увеличение поступления эозинофилов к легким отмечено лишь у невакцинированных мышей. Из-вестно, что наличие легочных эозинофильных ми-кроабсцессов у больных КМ людей коррелирует с диссеминированной формой болезни и плохим прогнозом [39].…”