Fungal cell wall chitin and chitosan polymers

Fungal cell wall chitin and chitosan are essential structural polysaccharides composed of N-acetylglucosamine and glucosamine units, respectively. They provide mechanical strength and integrity to the fungal cell wall, making them vital for survival and pathogenicity. Because these polymers are absent in human cells, they represent highly specific targets for antifungal therapy. Drugs targeting these components typically inhibit the enzymes responsible for their synthesis, such as chitin synthases, or utilize chitin-degrading enzymes like chitinases to disrupt the cell wall. Furthermore, chitin and chitosan are recognized by the host immune system as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) through receptors like TLR2 and Dectin-1, triggering inflammatory responses. Understanding their role is crucial for developing treatments against invasive fungal infections and managing allergic conditions like asthma.

Other names

ChitinChitosanPoly-N-acetylglucosaminePoly-D-glucosamineBeta-(1,4)-poly-N-acetyl-D-glucosamineFungal cell wall polysaccharides

Inhibition of chitin synthase enzymes; enzymatic degradation of the polymer; direct disruption of cell wall and membrane integrity; immune recognition via pattern recognition receptors (PRRs).