Linear Epitopes ofParacoccidioides brasiliensisand Other Fungal Agents of Human Systemic Mycoses As Vaccine Candidates.
Dimorphic fungi are agents of systemic mycoses associated with significant morbidity and frequent lethality in the Americas. Among the pathogenic species areParacoccidioides brasiliensisandParacoccidioides lutzii, which predominate in South America;Histoplasma capsulatum, Coccidioides posadasii, andCoccidioides immitis, and theSporothrixspp. complex are other important pathogens. Associated with dimorphic fungi other important infections are caused by yeast such asCandidaspp. andCryptococcusspp. or mold such asAspergillusspp., which are also fungal agents of deadly infections. Nowadays, the actual tendency of therapy is the development of a pan-fungal vaccine. This is, however, not easy because of the complexity of eukaryotic cells and the particularities of different species and isolates. Albeit there are several experimental vaccines being studied, we will focus mainly on peptide vaccines or epitopes of T-cell receptors inducing protective fungal responses. These peptides can be carried by antibody inducing β-(1,3)-glucan oligo or polysaccharides, or be mixed with them for administration. The present review discusses the efficacy of linear peptide epitopes in the context of antifungal immunization and vaccine proposition.
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of São Paulo , São Paulo , Brazil.
Luiz R
LR
Travassos
Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Medical Mycology IMTSP/LIM53/HCFMUSP, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Carlos P
CP
Taborda
Paracoccidioides; antibody; fungi; peptide; vaccine