Fungal strategies for overcoming host innate immune response

Med Mycol. 2009 May;47(3):227-36. doi: 10.1080/13693780802209082. Epub 2008 Jul 24.

Abstract

A successful pathogen is one that is able to effectively survive and evade detection by the host innate immune defense. Fungal pathogens have adopted strategies which evade host defense and eventually cause disease in at-risk patients. Shielding of stimulatory surface recognition molecules, shedding of decoy components, induction of anti-inflammatory signals, complement evasion and resilient survival capacity are successful evasion mechanisms employed by fungal pathogens. Understanding these complex pathways of immune evasion can potentially contribute to development of novel therapeutic strategies against fungal infections.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Fungi / immunology*
  • Fungi / physiology
  • Host-Parasite Interactions
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate*
  • Mycoses / immunology*
  • Mycoses / microbiology