The increasing incidence in systemic fungal infections in humans has increased focus for the development of fungal vaccines and use of monoclonal antibodies. Invasive mycoses are generally difficult to treat, as most occur in vulnerable individuals, with compromised innate and adaptive immune responses. Mortality rates in the setting of our current antifungal drugs remain excessively high. Moreover, systemic mycoses require prolonged durations of antifungal treatment and side effects frequently occur, particularly drug-induced liver and/or kidney injury. The use of monoclonal antibodies with or without concomitant administration of antifungal drugs emerges as a potentially efficient treatment modality to improve outcomes and reduce chemotherapy toxicities. In this review, we focus on the use of monoclonal antibodies with experimental evidence on the reduction of fungal burden and prolongation of survival in in vivo disease models. Presently, there are no licensed monoclonal antibodies for use in the treatment of systemic mycoses, although the potential of such a vaccine is very high as indicated by the substantial promising results from several experimental models.

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is one of the most frequent systemic mycoses in Latin America. It affects mainly male rural workers in impoverished regions, and the therapy can last up to two years or use drugs that are very toxic. Given the need for novel safe and effective approaches to treat PCM, we have been developing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that could be used not only to block specific fungal targets, but also modulate the host’s antifungal immunity. In this work we show the generation of and promising results with an mAb against Heat Shock Protein (HSP)90, a molecular chaperone that is an important virulence factor in fungi. Using recombinant Paracoccidioides lutzii (Pb01) and P. brasiliensis (Pb18) HSP90 proteins produced in E. coli, we immunized mice and generated polyclonal antibodies and an IgG1 hybridoma mAb. The proteins were very immunogenic and both the polyclonal serum and mAb were used in immunofluorescence experiments, which showed binding of antibodies to the yeast cell surface. The mAb successfully opsonized P. lutzii and P. brasiliensis cells in co-incubations with J774.16 macrophage-like cells. Our results suggest that this mAb could serve as the basis for new immunotherapy regimens for PCM.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the role of sacrifice in sustainable consumer behavior, synthesizing existing literature on the topic and exploring how sacrifice can be perceived as either a barrier or a catalyst in the adoption of sustainable practices. Methodology: The research was conducted through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), using the SPAR-4-SLR protocol. A total of 23 peer-reviewed articles published between 2011 and 2023 were analyzed, selected from highly relevant scientific databases, with the application of rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria. Originality: The study addresses a relevant theoretical gap by consolidating and deepening the understanding of sacrifice in the context of sustainable consumption, distinguishing between reduction-based and behavioral sacrifices, and expanding the comprehension of their meanings and implications for consumer behavior. Key findings: The analysis reveals that sacrifice is often associated with individual values, sense of belonging, subjective well-being, and the perception of co-benefits. When sacrifice aligns with personal values or is presented as generating additional benefits (such as well-being, health, or purpose), it can increase engagement in sustainable practices. Theoretical contributions: The study proposes a conceptual typology of sacrifice types, identifies consumer profiles more likely to sacrifice, and suggests theoretical propositions and research questions for future investigations.Keywords: Consumer Behavior; Sacrifice; Sustainable Consumption; Pro-Environmental Behavior; Consumer Sacrifice.

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is one of the most frequent systemic mycoses in Latin America. It affects mainly male rural workers in impoverished regions, and the therapy can last up to two years or use drugs that are very toxic. Given the need for novel safe and effective approaches to treat PCM, we have been developing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that could be used not only to block specific fungal targets, but also modulate the host’s antifungal immunity. In this work we show the generation of and promising results with a mAb against HSP90, a molecular chaperone that is an important virulence factor in fungi. Using recombinant Paracoccidioides lutzii (Pb01) and P. brasiliensis (Pb18) HSP90 proteins produced in E. coli , we immunized mice and generated polyclonal antibodies and an IgG1 hybridoma mAb. The proteins were very immunogenic and both the polyclonal serum and mAb were used in immunofluorescence experiments, which showed binding of antibodies to the yeast cell surface. The mAb successfully opsonized P. lutzii and P. brasiliensis cells in co-incubations with J774.16 macrophage-like cells. Our results suggest that this mAb could serve as the basis for new immunotherapy regimens for PCM. Author summary: Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a severe disease caused by fungi, common in Latin America. It is treatable, but some of the drugs that are available are very toxic or not very effective, and the treatment can take as long as two years to clear the infection. To address the need for improved therapeutic alternatives, we have been developing drug candidates based on antibody technologies against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and P. lutzii , which cause PCM. In this work, we produced monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that bind to the fungal protein HSP90, which is essential for fungal cells to survive. One mAb, 4D11, recognized the HSP90 target on the surface of fungal cells. These antibody-covered cells were ingested more efficiently by immune cells called macrophages, suggesting they could improve the host resistance to infection by Paracoccidioides . Future improvements on these antibodies could thus lead to more effective and safer PCM treatments.