Antibody and/or cell-mediated immunity, protective mechanisms in fungal disease: an ongoing dilemma or an unnecessary dispute?
Historically there has been controversy on the relative importance of antibody- and cell-mediated immune responses in the protection against fungal pathogens. The controversy was fuelled by the difficulties encountered in obtaining consistent results with polyclonal antibody experiments and I inducing long-lasting immune protection by vaccinations with induce stron cell-mediated responses. Recent studies indicate that both antibody- and cell-mediated immune responses can contribute to host protection against Candida albicans and C. neoformans. At the present time the major issue is not the relative importance of antibody- and cell-mediated immune responses but rather, the mechanisms by which the two arms of the immune system function and cooperate.
Casadevall
A
A
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
Cassone
A
A
Bistoni
F
F
Cutler
J E
JE
Magliani
W
W
Murphy
J W
JW
Polonelli
L
L
Romani
L
L
D000818:Animals; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000276:immunology*; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000276:immunology*; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D051379:Mice