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Copper at the Fungal Pathogen-Host Axis

Sarela García-Santamarina1, Dennis J Thiele2

  • 1From the Departments of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology and.

The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|June 10, 2015
PubMed

Insights

This review explores how the body uses copper to fight fungal infections and how fungi adapt. It also discusses new antifungal drug development strategies targeting copper.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Immunology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Fungal infections cause millions of deaths yearly.
  • Copper is essential but toxic, impacting host-pathogen interactions.
  • Understanding copper's role is key to combating fungal diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review host strategies for using copper against fungal infections.
  • To explore fungal mechanisms for copper homeostasis.
  • To discuss novel antifungal drug development targeting copper.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of host-pathogen interactions.
  • Analysis of copper toxicity and homeostasis mechanisms.
  • Examination of therapeutic strategies involving copper manipulation.

Main Results:

  • Hosts utilize copper compartmentalization and sequestration to combat fungi.
  • Fungal pathogens employ sophisticated copper homeostasis machinery.
  • Copper-dependent processes offer promising targets for antifungal therapies.

Conclusions:

  • Copper is a critical element in antifungal immunity.
  • Targeting copper homeostasis presents a viable strategy for new antifungal drugs.
  • Further research into host-pathogen copper dynamics is warranted.
Keywords:
coppercopper homeostasisfungal pathogenesisfungihost-pathogen interactioninnate immunitymetal homeostasismicrobial pathogenesisnutritional immunity

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