Vaccination with Live or Heat-Killed Aspergillus fumigatus Δ <i>sglA</i> Conidia Fully Protects Immunocompromised Mice from Invasive Aspergillosis
Caroline Mota Fernandes, Tyler G. Normile, João Henrique Tadini Marilhano Fabri, Verônica S. Brauer, Glauber Ribeiro de Sousa Araújo, Susana Frasés, Leonardo Nimrichter, Iran Malavazi, Maurizio Del Poeta
Abstract
Infections by Aspergillus fumigatus occur by the inhalation of environmental fungal spores called conidia. We found that live mutant conidia accumulating glycolipids named sterylglucosides are not able to cause disease when injected into the lung. Interestingly, these animals are now protected against a secondary challenge with live wild-type conidia. Remarkably, protection against a secondary challenge persists even with vaccination with heat-killed mutant conidia. These results will significantly advance the field of the research and development of a safe fungal vaccine for protection against the environmental fungus A. fumigatus.