Further perspectives

Therapeutics

Our peptides can also be attached to an antimycotic or opsonizing moiety and act as a therapeutic tool. Again, if the specificity of the peptides is high enough at the species level, it can help to reduce the toxicity issues related to broad-spectrum antimycotics. Regarding opsonizing moieties (such as immune tags or complement ligands), they may help the weakened immune system to attack the fungal cells. An interesting option to explore would be to attach the constant region of human IgG3 immunoglobulins, which can elicit the response of macrophages and neutophils antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and complement-mediated cytotoxicity.

It's important to mention that because most patients suffering from invasive mycoses are immunocompromised patients, the eventual application of peptides as therapeutic tools has to be concomitant with immunostimulant therapy, involving the use of molecules that can modulate the immune system called cytokines which can be used to selectively stimulate branches of the same.