Opportunistic fungi and fungal infections: the challenge of a single, general antifungal vaccine. Expert review of vaccines [Expert Rev Vaccines] Journal article | | Title | Opportunistic fungi and fungal infections: the challenge of a single, general antifungal vaccine. | | Author(s) | Cassone A, Torosantucci A | | Institution | Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immuno-mediated Diseases, Viale Regina Elena, Rome, Italy. cassone@iss.it | | Source | Expert Rev Vaccines 2006 Dec; 5(6):859-67. | | Abstract | A vaccine made up by an algal beta-glucan (laminarin), conjugated with a protein component, protects against infections by different fungi and induces antibodies capable of inhibiting fungal growth. Although taking a premium on a common molecular theme, this remains a sort of 'cross-kingdom' vaccine because the immunizing antigen and the vaccination target belong to organisms from two different kingdoms and this is certainly the first case in the field of human vaccines. Thus, it is possible to convey in a single immunological tool the potential to protect against multiple infections, in theory all those caused by beta-glucan-expressing fungi. The generation of antibodies with the potential to directly inhibit the growth of, or kill the fungal cells also opens an exciting perspective for both active and passive vaccination in immunocompromised subjects. | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
| | PubMed ID | 17184223 |
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