New immunotherapeutic strategies to control vaginal candidiasis

Trends Mol Med. 2002 Mar;8(3):121-6. doi: 10.1016/s1471-4914(01)02268-7.

Abstract

The widespread occurrence of mucosal infections caused by Candida, in particular recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis among fertile-age women, together with the paucity of safe candidacidal antimycotics, have prompted a great number of investigations into the immunotherapy of candidal vaginitis. This article will discuss three different experimental approaches demonstrated to be potentially transferable to human disease: (1) the use of antibodies against well-defined cell-surface adhesins or enzymes; (2) the generation of yeast killer-toxin-like candidacidal anti-idiotypic antibodies and their engineered molecular derivatives (e.g. single chains, peptides); and (3) the generation of therapeutic vaccines and immunomodulators.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Fungal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Fungal / therapeutic use
  • Candida / immunology
  • Candida / metabolism
  • Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / immunology*
  • Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / prevention & control
  • Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / therapy*
  • Female
  • Fungal Vaccines / immunology
  • Fungal Vaccines / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular / immunology
  • Immunity, Mucosal / immunology
  • Immunodominant Epitopes / immunology
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Immunotherapy / trends

Substances

  • Antibodies, Fungal
  • Fungal Vaccines
  • Immunodominant Epitopes