Protective immunity against Aspergillus depends on a highly coordinated interaction between the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system. Fungal recognition via pattern recognition receptors, such as pentraxin 3, dectin-1, and Toll-like receptors, leads to complement activation, phagocytosis, and killing of ingested fungi. Aspergillus-specific T-helper 1 and 17 cells produce cytokines such as interferon γ and interleukin 17, which facilitate macrophage activation and neutrophil recruitment, respectively. Genetic (or drug-induced) defects in components of these networks of antifungal immunity result in increased risk of invasive aspergillosis after chemotherapy or transplantation. We review the most important genetic, immunological, and pharmacological factors that influence human susceptibility to Aspergillus and discuss the potential role of immune biomarkers in risk stratification strategies that facilitate individualized antifungal therapy/prophylaxis in immunocompromised hosts.
Keywords: PTX3; Th17; biomarker; human susceptibility; immune response to Aspergillus.
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