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The impact of antifungals on toll-like receptors

Mircea R Mihu1, Rodney Pattabhi1, Joshua D Nosanchuk2

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center Bronx, NY, USA.

Frontiers in Microbiology
|March 28, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Fungal infections are rising in immunocompromised patients, prompting research into new treatments. This study explores how antifungal drugs interact with the innate immune system, focusing on toll-like receptors.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Immunology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Fungal infections pose a significant threat to immunocompromised individuals.
  • Rising antifungal resistance necessitates novel therapeutic strategies.
  • Common invasive fungi include Candida, Aspergillus, and Cryptococcus species.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on the interactions between broad-spectrum antifungal agents and the innate immune response.
  • To specifically investigate the role of toll-like receptors in these interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of antifungal pharmacotherapy.
  • Analysis of studies investigating antifungal drug interactions with innate immunity.
  • Focus on toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathways.

Main Results:

  • Amphotericin B (AmB) remains a primary treatment but has significant side effects.
  • Echinocandins offer an alternative to AmB with better tolerability.
  • Azoles, like fluconazole and voriconazole, are widely used due to oral availability.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding antifungal-innate immune interactions is crucial for developing improved therapies.
  • Toll-like receptors are key mediators in the host's response to fungal pathogens and antifungal drugs.
  • Combined approaches stimulating the immune response alongside pharmacotherapy show promise.
Keywords:
amphotericin Bantifungalscaspofunginechinocandinstoll-like receptorsvoriconazole

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