Editorial: Recent Advances in the Study of the Host-Fungus Interaction

Fungal infections are worldwide distributed and are associated with high morbidity rates, and in immunocompromised populations, are usually life-threatening conditions. The host-fungus interaction is critical for tissue adhesion, colonization and damage. Here, we provide a series of comprehensive review and original papers dealing with both aspects of this interaction: the role of virulence factors and cell wall components during contact with host cells, and the recent advances in the study of the antifungal immune response. The fungal cell wall, along with the capsule and secreted components, is a relevant organelle during interaction with the host, and is the source of most of the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) recognized by immune cells. Melanin is one of its components found in many human pathogens, and plays a significant role in protecting the fungal cell against extracellular insults, including damage by immune cells. Here, Nosanchuk et al., provide an updated view of melanin synthesis and interaction with other wall components, with emphasis in the information derived from new analytical approaches. Dermatophytes are the most frequent fungal pathogens causing human infections. Although most of them are related to superficial and not harmful infections, they can cause chronic dermatophytosis in immunocompromised population. Here, de Sousa et al., explore the mechanism underlying this infection, but in immunocompetent patients. Their results indicate that macrophages and neutrophils from patients with the chronic disease showed bias to generate a strong anti-inflammatory response. Since this observation was not found in patients with superficial skin infections, these data stress a differential host-dermatophyte interaction in both superficial and deep tissues. Paracoccidioides spp. is the etiological agent of paracoccidioidiomycosis, a relevant systemic fungal infection in South America. The disease is mostly associated to rural workers, malnutrition, poor hygiene and chronic alcohol consumption and smoking. Here, de Oliveira et al. summarize the most important finding regarding cell surface adhesins, highlighting their role in virulence. Furthermore, authors explore the importance of the morphological switching during host colonization and tissue damage, as the filament to yeast transition is accompanied with changes in the cell wall and surface molecules that have a direct impact on the host-fungus interaction. As a new therapeutic and prophylactic approach to control paracoccidioidiomycosis, Bueno et al., describe the use of polyclonal antibodies against acidic glycosphingolipids to opsonize P. brasiliensis yeast cells. This strategy successfully increased fungal phagocytosis and had a positive impact in the murine model of intratracheal infection, with lower fungal …