New Antifungal Therapeutic Alternatives Targeting the Fungal Cell Wall

New antifungal therapeutic alternatives are of great importance worldwide, mainly due to the significant increase in fungal diseases, mortality, and resistance to the few antifungals available in clinical practice. The improper use and disposal of medications, environmental changes, and population growth are among the main factors related to the alarming emergence of new fungal pathogens. As a result of these factors, coupled with the difficulty of diagnosis and limited therapy, the number of patients who lose their lives due to fungal disease is increasing. Therefore, expanding the antifungal arsenal is a global necessity to reduce the number of cases of the disease, especially in developing countries. The fungal cell wall, composed of various conserved proteins that play an important role in maintaining cellular architecture, fungal pathogenesis, and virulence, presents a compelling target for therapeutic intervention. Many of these proteins are involved in essential processes such as fungal adhesion to surfaces, nutrient acquisition, tissue infiltration, and infection, making them attractive candidates for drug discovery. Much research has been conducted on new molecules that target cell wall elements in order to combat the pathogen by affecting its entire morphological structure. However, despite significant advances, there remains a pressing need for innovative strategies that can reliably disrupt these functions to mitigate disease burden and address the global threat posed by fungal infections.The objective of this Research Topic is to gather advanced studies on antifungal therapies that target the fungal cell wall, directly or indirectly. This includes, but is not limited to, the investigation of new synthetic or semi-synthetic molecules, nanomaterials (which may contain antifungal agents), potential vaccines, and other alternative therapies.To gather further insights into innovative approaches and limitations in antifungal therapy, we welcome contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Potential vaccines against fungal cell wall targets;• Monoclonal, polyclonal, or humanized antibodies against cell wall targets;• Nanovaccines or nanoparticles functionalized with peptides or antibodies against components of the fungal cell wall surface;• Nanomedicine and its entire arsenal of nanoparticles for better targeting of drugs (or other molecules) or interaction with the cell wall for drug delivery;• New molecules with potential action on the fungal cell wall (synthetic or semi-synthetic products, natural products, and others);• Integrated in silico discovery of antifungal targets and compounds targeting the fungal cell wall, paired with experimental validation;• Studies related to the investigation of fungal cell wall components in their action on pathogenesis or virulence and assisting in the investigation of possible antifungal potentials. Topic editors: Gabriel Davi Marena, Carlos Pelleschi Taborda Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77443/new-antifungal-therapeutic-alternatives-targeting-the-fungal-cell-wall