Natural killer (NK) cells are important innate immune effector cells with broad applications in killing the tumor cells and pathogens due to its cytotoxicity without prior immune sensitization. Unfortunately, in humans, the activity of NK cells against fungi is poorly characterized. Insight progress in the fields of NK cells activating, pattern recognition receptors, signal modulating and correlated cell factors (IFN-γ, GM-CSF, IL-10 and so on) has revolutionized understanding of the selective killing fungi by NK cells. Different morphotypes also can affect the immune status of NK cells. This article reviews the mechanism of fungi immune reaction, and the interaction between NK cells and fungi, and provides some new ideas for further study on pathogenesis of fungus and other infectious diseases and NK cell adoptively transferred immunotherapy.
Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; Fungi ; immunology ; Host-Pathogen Interactions ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology

This is a case report of mediastinal fungal granuloma in an immunocompetent host. The definite diagnosis was made by pathological biopsy via video-assisted thoracoscopy and silver methenamine staining showed aspergillus hyphae and spores in the epithelioid granuloma. In conclusion, opportunistic pathogenic fungi can cause granulomatous inflammation in mediastinal lymph nodes in an immunocompetent host, as it can do in an immunocompromised host. More attention should be paid on tissue biopsy and pathological examination to ensure a correct diagnosis for these kinds of cases.
Adolescent ; Fungi ; immunology ; pathogenicity ; Granuloma ; diagnostic imaging ; immunology ; microbiology ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; immunology ; Lymph Nodes ; diagnostic imaging ; immunology ; microbiology ; Male ; Mediastinum ; diagnostic imaging ; Radiography

Intradermal tests were performed on 58 dogs diagnosed with atopic dermatitis from 2004~2008 at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital of Konkuk University, Korea. To compare the allergen distribution observed in the present investigation to the results from other studies conducted in Korea and elsewhere, the allergens were grouped according to their kinds. There was no significant difference in gender distribution among the dogs. The most common breeds among the 58 dogs were Maltese (n = 11) and Shih-tzu (n = 11). The average age was 4.8 years. The most frequently produced a positive reaction on the intradermal tests was mold (67.3%) followed by house dust (54.5%) and house dust mites (49.1%). The present study found a low distribution of dogs allergic to various outdoor allergens compared to studies performed in other countries; this may reflect differences in living conditions for dogs living in Korea.
Allergens/classification/*immunology ; Animals ; Dermatitis, Atopic/epidemiology/immunology/*veterinary ; Dog Diseases/epidemiology/*immunology ; Dogs ; Dust/*immunology ; Female ; Fungi/*immunology ; Intradermal Tests/veterinary ; Male ; Pedigree ; Prevalence ; Pyroglyphidae/*immunology ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the allergen distribution of subjects suffered from the allergic rhinitis in Changji district. METHOD: Skin prick test was employed on all the 1 564 sufferers by 17 sorts of allergic stock solution, with the physiological saline to be the negative control and the histamine to be the positive control. RESULT: The positive rate of allergen citanest was 85.17%. Furthermore, Chenopodium and Lupulus, as the main allergen substances, were found out to be the highest positive rate among 1332 subjects who were detected to be positive, with pollen of trees following. Whereas, the positive rate of allergic rhinitis caused by dust mite, fungus and canine epidermis was relatively low. CONCLUSION The main allergens of the allergic rhinitis in Changji district are Chenopodium and Lupulus, similar as the dust mite. The allergen prick test, which is characterized as accuracy, sensitiveness and fastness, is an essential way to seek and screen those allergens. Thus, it can provide scientific instruction to the prevention of the allergic rhinitis in Changji district.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Allergens ; immunology ; Animals ; Asthma ; etiology ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Fungi ; immunology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mites ; immunology ; Pollen ; immunology ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; epidemiology ; immunology ; Skin Tests ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the prevalent species and the seasonal drift law of airborne fungi and respiratory allergic disease in the city of Wuhan. METHOD: Airborne fungi was investigated by exposed sides from 2007 to 2008, and 1674 patients with respiratory allergic disease that were used to do allergens skin test simultaneously, in order to analyze the simultaneous. RESULT: Airborne fungi could be detected in air all over the year. In 2007, the exposed films collected 26 734 fungi spores, and 686 other fungi (hypha and not well known fungi), to the sum of 27420. Otherwise, in 2008, the exposed films collected 26 531 fungi spores, and 730 other fungi, to the sum of 27 261. In the survey, 17 types of species of the collected fungi spores were identified, and the predominant species were alternaria sp, ustilaginales, deightoniella sp, uredinales, and the quantity of Fungi alternaria was most of all . And the peak period mainly concentrated from April to June, and from September to October. Otherwise, the positive rate of fungi skin test in patients with respiratory allergic disease was 10.48% in 2007, but 10.07% in 2008. The main period of onset of respiratory allergic disease was from April to June, and from September to October, similar as the seasonal drift law of airborne fungi. CONCLUSION The period of onset of respiratory allergic disease was consistent with the seasonal drift law of airborne fungi.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Air Microbiology ; Allergens ; immunology ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Cities ; Colony Count, Microbial ; Female ; Fungi ; immunology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mycoses ; epidemiology ; Respiratory Hypersensitivity ; epidemiology ; immunology ; microbiology ; Young Adult

Recently, the relevance of fungal infection has increased enormously, because of the increasing incidence of HIV infection, organ transplantation, and neoplastic disorders. A variety of underlying conditions, including impaired immune status, is believed to account for the susceptibility to fungal infections and to determine both the severity and the characteristics of the associated pathology. A thorough understanding of how the normal host resists fungal infection and of the specific immune defects present in patients with mycoses is fundamental for diagnosis and therapy of these infections. The immune response varies with respect to the fungal species and morphology encountered. The cell-mediated immune response and non specific cellular immunity (macrophage, NK cell, and neutrophils) are generally believed to provide the main defenses against fungi. The role of humoral immunity in fungal infections is controversial. This article reviews the current understanding of innate and adaptive immunity to common fungal pathogens.
Adaptive Immunity ; Allergy and Immunology* ; Arthrodermataceae ; Candida ; Diagnosis ; Fungi ; HIV Infections ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunity, Humoral ; Incidence ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Malassezia ; Mycoses* ; Organ Transplantation ; Pathology ; Transplants

Phosphatases play a key role not only in cell physiological functions of an organism, but also in host-pathogen interactions. Many studies demonstrated that some Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria could evade host immunity and promote pathogenicity by injecting phosphatases into host cells through type III secretion system. However, there were few reports about pathogenic fungi evading the immunity of hosts. Our researches indicated that the entomogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae could dephosphorylate the signal transduction substance of locust humoral immunity specifically in vitro by secreting extracellular protein tyrosine phosphatase, which implied that the fungus might interfere with the immune defense of locust. To provide reference for further studies of the functions of phosphatases, we reviewed the types of phosphatases and their roles in pathogen infection.
Animals ; Fungal Proteins ; metabolism ; Fungi ; enzymology ; physiology ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; enzymology ; physiology ; Grasshoppers ; immunology ; microbiology ; Host-Pathogen Interactions ; Metarhizium ; enzymology ; Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases ; classification ; physiology ; secretion

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of wheeze using nation-wide cross-sectional study in Korean children. Total 50,200 children from 427 elementary schools were randomly selected according to residential areas (metropolitan, provincial, rural, and industrial areas) by the cluster sampling method. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaires were used to measure the prevalence of wheeze. Among 31,026 respondents, 25,322 were analyzed. BMI was classified into quartiles based on BMI-for-age percentile. In all residential areas, pets at home and visible mold or moisture were associated with an increased prevalence of wheeze in both genders. However, other living environment factors were not consistently associated among residential areas and gender. Among girls, lowest BMI was negatively associated with prevalence of wheeze and highest BMI was positively associated in all residential areas. In multilevel logistic regression analysis, environmental tobacco smoking exposure, pets at home, visible mold or moisture, and being in the lowest and highest BMI quartile were significantly associated with the prevalence of wheeze in both genders. BMI has become an important risk factor for asthma symptoms among Korean children.
Allergens ; Asthma/*epidemiology ; Body Composition ; *Body Mass Index ; Child ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; *Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Fungi/immunology ; Humans ; Male ; Pets/immunology ; Questionnaires ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; *Residence Characteristics ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; Water

OBJECTIVETo characterize clinicopathological features of allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS).

METHODSThirty-six cases of AFS were retrieved from the department archival files of Beijing Tongren Hospital from 2002 to 2006. AB-PAS, GMS and MUC5B stain were performed using paraffin-embedded tissues of the cases. Ten cases with available fresh diagnostic tissue were investigated by electron microscopy.

RESULTSPatients included 21 males and 15 females. The age of patients ranged from 11 to 53 years. Atopy was very common in these patients. On plain CT scans, the affected nasal sinuses were filled with soft tissue shadow with patchy hyperdensity. The bony sinus wall showed areas of pressure erosion. Skin antigen tests showed fungal positivity in 31 of 36 cases. Serum levels of the total IgE and/or the specific fungal IgE were elevated in 20 cases. The eosinophil quantity was elevated in 23 cases. Fungal culture was positive in 10 cases. Gross examination showed thick putty secretions within the lesions. Light microscopy showed typical "eosinophilic mucin". Fungal elements were seen with AB-PAS, GMS and MUC5B stains. Electron microscopy demonstrated degranulation by the eosinophils.

CONCLUSIONS"Eosinophilic mucin" is the typical histopathological feature of AFS. AB-PAS, GMS and MUC5B staining methods can used to detect fungal species in mucin. Accurate diagnosis of AFS requires correlations among clinical findings, radiologic examinations, laboratory tests and histopathologic features. However, the ultimate diagnosis requires a histopathologic confirmation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Eosinophils ; microbiology ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Fungi ; isolation & purification ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; blood ; immunology ; pathology ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paranasal Sinuses ; diagnostic imaging ; microbiology ; pathology ; Radiography ; Sinusitis ; blood ; immunology ; microbiology ; pathology ; Young Adult