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Activation of the neutrophil NADPH oxidase by Aspergillus fumigatus
Author(s) -
Boyle Keith B.,
Stephens Len R.,
Hawkins Phillip T.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06821.x
Subject(s) - nadph oxidase , aspergillus fumigatus , microbiology and biotechnology , respiratory burst , aspergillus , immune system , syk , reactive oxygen species , oxidase test , allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis , aspergillosis , immunology , biology , enzyme , chemistry , signal transduction , biochemistry , immunoglobulin e , antibody , tyrosine kinase
Upon infection of the respiratory system with the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus various leukoctytes, in particular neutrophils, are recruited to the lung to mount an immune response. Neutrophils respond by both phagocytosing conidia and mediating extracellular killing of germinated, invasive hyphae. Of paramount importance to an appropriate immune response is the neutrophil NADPH oxidase enzyme, which mediates the production of various reactive oxygen species (ROS). This is evidenced by the acute sensitivity of both oxidase‐deficient humans and mice to invasive aspergillosis. Herein we briefly review the mechanisms and functions of oxidase activation and discuss our recent work identifying at least some of the important players in hyphal‐induced oxidase activation and neutrophil function. Among these we define the phosphoinositide 3‐kinase enzyme and the regulatory protein Vav to be of critical importance and allude to a kinase‐independent role for Syk.