Simple assays for measuring innate interactions with fungi.
In recent decades, there has been a steady rise in immunocompromised populations and consequently a dramatic increase in the clinical relevance of normally non-pathogenic and commensal fungi such as Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans. Understanding how these fungi interact with the host immune system is important for the development of immunotherapeutic approaches. Here, we describe a number of methods which have been developed to investigate the interactions of fungi with host leukocytes in vitro, including measuring fungal binding and induction of cytokines, phagocytosis, the respiratory burst, and fungal killing.
Section of Immunology and Infection, Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Ann M
AM
Kerrigan
Maria da Glória Teixeira
Mda G
de Sousa
Gordon D
GD
Brown
D000818:Animals; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000276:immunology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D050296:Microbial Viability; D010587:Phagocytosis; D016897:Respiratory Burst