Alarmin(g) the innate immune system to invasive fungal infections

•IL-1α and IL-1β have non-redundant role immunity against invasive fungal infections.•Pathogens that induce greater tissue damage tend to drive IL-1α release.•Fungal effectors driving tissue pathology and damage largely remain unidentified.•Manipulation of the host immune response may be a potential avenue to treat invasive fungal infections.

Fungi encounter numerous stresses in a mammalian host, including the immune system, which they must adapt to in order to grow and cause disease. The host immune system tunes its response to the threat level posed by the invading pathogen. We discuss recent findings on how interleukin (IL)-1 signaling is central to tuning the immune response to the virulence potential of invasive fungi, as well as other pathogens. Moreover, we discuss fungal factors that may drive tissue invasion and destruction that regulate IL-1 cytokine release. Moving forward understanding the mechanisms of fungal adaption to the host, together with understanding how the host innate immune system recognizes invading fungal pathogens will increase our therapeutic options for treatment of invasive fungal infections.