Reinforcing the Immunocompromised Host Defense against Fungi: Progress beyond the Current State of the Art

Despite the availability of a variety of antifungal drugs, opportunistic fungal infections still remain life-threatening for immunocompromised patients, such as those undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation or solid organ transplantation. Suboptimal efficacy, toxicity, development o...

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Main Authors: Georgios Karavalakis, Evangelia Yannaki, Anastasia Papadopoulou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
Series:Journal of Fungi
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/7/6/451
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author Georgios Karavalakis
Evangelia Yannaki
Anastasia Papadopoulou
author_facet Georgios Karavalakis
Evangelia Yannaki
Anastasia Papadopoulou
author_sort Georgios Karavalakis
collection DOAJ
description Despite the availability of a variety of antifungal drugs, opportunistic fungal infections still remain life-threatening for immunocompromised patients, such as those undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation or solid organ transplantation. Suboptimal efficacy, toxicity, development of resistant variants and recurrent episodes are limitations associated with current antifungal drug therapy. Adjunctive immunotherapies reinforcing the host defense against fungi and aiding in clearance of opportunistic pathogens are continuously gaining ground in this battle. Here, we review alternative approaches for the management of fungal infections going beyond the state of the art and placing an emphasis on fungus-specific T cell immunotherapy. Harnessing the power of T cells in the form of adoptive immunotherapy represents the strenuous protagonist of the current immunotherapeutic approaches towards combating invasive fungal infections. The progress that has been made over the last years in this field and remaining challenges as well, will be discussed.
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spelling doaj.art-7e3b476d4a2f43d7a570021dd866f3d22023-11-21T22:58:56ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2021-06-017645110.3390/jof7060451Reinforcing the Immunocompromised Host Defense against Fungi: Progress beyond the Current State of the ArtGeorgios Karavalakis0Evangelia Yannaki1Anastasia Papadopoulou2Hematology Department-Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Gene and Cell Therapy Center, “George Papanikolaou” Hospital, 57010 Thessaloniki, GreeceHematology Department-Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Gene and Cell Therapy Center, “George Papanikolaou” Hospital, 57010 Thessaloniki, GreeceHematology Department-Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Gene and Cell Therapy Center, “George Papanikolaou” Hospital, 57010 Thessaloniki, GreeceDespite the availability of a variety of antifungal drugs, opportunistic fungal infections still remain life-threatening for immunocompromised patients, such as those undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation or solid organ transplantation. Suboptimal efficacy, toxicity, development of resistant variants and recurrent episodes are limitations associated with current antifungal drug therapy. Adjunctive immunotherapies reinforcing the host defense against fungi and aiding in clearance of opportunistic pathogens are continuously gaining ground in this battle. Here, we review alternative approaches for the management of fungal infections going beyond the state of the art and placing an emphasis on fungus-specific T cell immunotherapy. Harnessing the power of T cells in the form of adoptive immunotherapy represents the strenuous protagonist of the current immunotherapeutic approaches towards combating invasive fungal infections. The progress that has been made over the last years in this field and remaining challenges as well, will be discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/7/6/451fungal infectionsfungus-specific T cellsT cell immunotherapy
spellingShingle Georgios Karavalakis
Evangelia Yannaki
Anastasia Papadopoulou
Reinforcing the Immunocompromised Host Defense against Fungi: Progress beyond the Current State of the Art
Journal of Fungi
fungal infections
fungus-specific T cells
T cell immunotherapy
title Reinforcing the Immunocompromised Host Defense against Fungi: Progress beyond the Current State of the Art
title_full Reinforcing the Immunocompromised Host Defense against Fungi: Progress beyond the Current State of the Art
title_fullStr Reinforcing the Immunocompromised Host Defense against Fungi: Progress beyond the Current State of the Art
title_full_unstemmed Reinforcing the Immunocompromised Host Defense against Fungi: Progress beyond the Current State of the Art
title_short Reinforcing the Immunocompromised Host Defense against Fungi: Progress beyond the Current State of the Art
title_sort reinforcing the immunocompromised host defense against fungi progress beyond the current state of the art
topic fungal infections
fungus-specific T cells
T cell immunotherapy
url https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/7/6/451
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