Antibody-Mediated Protection through Cross-Reactivity Introduces a Fungal Heresy into Immunological Dogma

Studies on galactofuranose-containing glycostructures of the pathogenic mold Aspergillus fumigatus

“…In the light of the severe immunological deficiencies of the affected patients, vaccination as a mean to prevent infection appeared to be less attractive. In recent years, however, we experienced a renaissance of the interest in antifungal vaccination (Casadevall and Pirofski, 2007). Milestones were the findings that mabs can provide protection against Cryptococcus neoformans (Dromer et al, 1987) and especially that immunization with ␤-1,3-glucan conjugated to a proteinous carrier proved to be protective against C. albicans and A. fumigatus infections in rodents (Torosantucci et al, 2005).…”

The Monoclonal Antibody against the Major Diagnostic Antigen ofParacoccidioides brasiliensisMediates Immune Protection in Infected BALB/c Mice Challenged Intratracheally with the Fungus

“…In another study, a human recombinant MAb to heat shock protein 90 was used in the treatment of patients with invasive candidiasis (32). A consensus has now emerged that the inabil- ity of immune sera to mediate protection against fungi reflects inadequate amounts of protective antibody and/or the simultaneous presence of protective and nonprotective antibodies rather than a fundamental inability of antibody to protect against fungal pathogens (11). The first evidence of an antibody-mediating protection against P. brasiliensis was described by de Mattos Grosso et al (17).…”

Vaccine and Monoclonal Antibody That Enhance Mouse Resistance to Candidiasis

“…This issue is complex, because antibodies against Candida may exert their protection by a variety of different actions. Classical mechanisms of antibody action against infectious diseases in general include direct effects, such as toxin and viral neutralization, and indirect effects mediated by effector cells, such as enhancement of phagocytosis by opsonization and complement fixation and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (9). Recently, additional mechanisms of antibody-mediated immunity against fungi have been revealed, including the inhibition of adherence (17,19,51), growth inhibition (17,19), the inhibition of germination (5,50,51), and direct antifungal effects (50).…”