AUTHOR=Ordonez Soledad R. , Veldhuizen Edwin J. A. , van Eijk Martin , Haagsman Henk P. TITLE=Role of Soluble Innate Effector Molecules in Pulmonary Defense against Fungal Pathogens JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology VOLUME=8 YEAR=2017 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2017.02098 DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2017.02098 ISSN=1664-302X ABSTRACT=
Fungal infections of the lung are life-threatening but rarely occur in healthy, immunocompetent individuals, indicating efficient clearance by pulmonary defense mechanisms. Upon inhalation, fungi will first encounter the airway surface liquid which contains several soluble effector molecules that form the first barrier of defense against fungal infections. These include host defense peptides, like LL-37 and defensins that can neutralize fungi by direct killing of the pathogen, and collectins, such as surfactant protein A and D, that can aggregate fungi and stimulate phagocytosis. In addition, these molecules have immunomodulatory activities which can aid in fungal clearance from the lung. However, existing observations are based on