Publications by authors named "Ann-Kristin Kaune"

Microbial species capable of co-existing with healthy individuals, such as the commensal fungus exploit multifarious strategies to evade our immune defenses. These strategies include the masking of immunoinflammatory pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) at their cell surface. We reported previously that actively reduces the exposure of the proinflammatory PAMP, β-1,3-glucan, at its cell surface in response to host-related signals such as lactate and hypoxia.

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The opportunistic pathogen Candida glabrata is the second most frequent causative agent of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), a disease that affects 70-75% of women at least once during their life. However, C. glabrata is almost avirulent in mice and normally incapable of inflicting damage to vaginal epithelial cells in vitro.

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Candida albicans is a major fungal pathogen of humans. It exists as a commensal in the oral cavity, gut or genital tract of most individuals, constrained by the local microbiota, epithelial barriers and immune defences. Their perturbation can lead to fungal outgrowth and the development of mucosal infections such as oropharyngeal or vulvovaginal candidiasis, and patients with compromised immunity are susceptible to life-threatening systemic infections.

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