The mycobiota: interactions between commensal fungi and the host immune system

Key Points The fungal microbiota, or 'mycobiota', is an understudied component of the microflora that is found on all mucosal surfaces and on the skin. Like other microorganisms, fungi interact with the immune system at these surfaces in ways that are important both for host defence and fo...

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Veröffentlicht in:Nature reviews. Immunology 2014-06, Vol.14 (6), p.405-416
Hauptverfasser: Underhill, David M., Iliev, Iliyan D.
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:Key Points The fungal microbiota, or 'mycobiota', is an understudied component of the microflora that is found on all mucosal surfaces and on the skin. Like other microorganisms, fungi interact with the immune system at these surfaces in ways that are important both for host defence and for regulating the immune system. Investigators who study the mycobiota face both biological and bioinformatic challenges. The study of human genetic disorders and genetic polymorphisms teaches us about the mechanisms by which commensal and pathogenic fungi interact with the immune system. Research into the role of commensal microorganisms in influencing the immune system has mainly focused on bacterial communities. Here, the authors review recent studies that highlight the importance of commensal fungi and how the immune system interacts with these communities at different body sites. The body is host to a wide variety of microbial communities from which the immune system protects us and that are important for the normal development of the immune system and for the maintenance of healthy tissues and physiological processes. Investigators have mostly focused on the bacterial members of these communities, but fungi are increasingly being recognized to have a role in defining these communities and to interact with immune cells. In this Review, we discuss what is currently known about the makeup of fungal communities in the body and the features of the immune system that are particularly important for interacting with fungi at these sites.
ISSN:1474-1733
1474-1741
DOI:10.1038/nri3684