Abstract
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.
Copyright © 2015 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Review
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Cell Adhesion Molecules / immunology
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Dendritic Cells / immunology
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Disease Models, Animal
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Epithelial Cells / immunology
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Fungi / immunology*
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Gastrointestinal Tract / immunology
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Humans
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Immunity, Innate / immunology*
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Inflammasomes / immunology
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Interleukin-17 / immunology
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Lectins, C-Type / immunology
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Leukocytes / immunology
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Macrophages / immunology
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Mannose Receptor
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Mannose-Binding Lectins / immunology
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Mice
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Mycoses / immunology*
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Receptors, Cell Surface / immunology
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Receptors, Complement / immunology
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Respiratory System / immunology
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Skin / immunology
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Urogenital System / immunology
Substances
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Cell Adhesion Molecules
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DC-specific ICAM-3 grabbing nonintegrin
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Inflammasomes
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Interleukin-17
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Lectins, C-Type
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Mannose Receptor
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Mannose-Binding Lectins
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Receptors, Cell Surface
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Receptors, Complement