Innate defense against fungal pathogens

RA Drummond, SL Gaffen… - Cold Spring …, 2015 - perspectivesinmedicine.cshlp.org
Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in medicine, 2015perspectivesinmedicine.cshlp.org
Human fungal infections have been on the rise in recent years and proved increasingly
difficult to treat as a result of the lack of diagnostics, effective antifungal therapies, and
vaccines. Most pathogenic fungi do not cause disease unless there is a disturbance in
immune homeostasis, which can be caused by modern medical interventions, disease-
induced immunosuppression, and naturally occurring human mutations. The innate immune
system is well equipped to recognize and destroy pathogenic fungi through specialized cells …
Human fungal infections have been on the rise in recent years and proved increasingly difficult to treat as a result of the lack of diagnostics, effective antifungal therapies, and vaccines. Most pathogenic fungi do not cause disease unless there is a disturbance in immune homeostasis, which can be caused by modern medical interventions, disease-induced immunosuppression, and naturally occurring human mutations. The innate immune system is well equipped to recognize and destroy pathogenic fungi through specialized cells expressing a broad range of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). This review will outline the cells and PRRs required for effective antifungal immunity, with a special focus on the major antifungal cytokine IL-17 and recently characterized antifungal inflammasomes.
perspectivesinmedicine.cshlp.org