Cryptococcus neoformansas a Model for Radioimmunotherapy of Infections

[摘要] There is an obvious and urgent need for novel approaches to treat infectious diseases. The use of monoclonal antibodiesin therapy of infectious diseases is now experiencing renewed interest. During the last 5 years radioimmunotherapy (RIT), a modality previously developed only for cancer treatment, has been successfully adapted for the treatment of experimental fungal, bacterial, and viral infections. As our model organism for studying the efficacy, mechanisms, potential toxicity, and radioresistance to RIT, as well as for comparison of RIT with the existing antimicrobial therapies we have chosenthe encapsulated yeastCryptococcus neoformans(CN). The success of RIT approach in laboratory studies provides encouragement for feasibility of therapeutically targeting microbes with labeled antibodies. In addition, the creation of “panantibodies” for RIT which would recognize antigens shared by the whole class of pathogens such asfungi, for example, would facilitate the introduction of RIT into the clinic.

[学科分类] 传染病学