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Li M, Chen X, Su X, Gao W. The Preparation and Evaluation of a Hydrochloride Hydrogel Patch with an Iontophoresis-Assisted Release of Terbinafine for Transdermal Delivery. Gels 2024; 10:456. [PMID: 39057479 PMCID: PMC11275388 DOI: 10.3390/gels10070456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Terbinafine hydrochloride (TEB) is a broad-spectrum antifungal medication commonly used to treat fungal infections of the skin. This study designed a hydrogel patch assisted by an iontophoresis system to enhance the transdermal permeability of TEB, enabling deeper penetration into the skin layers. Methods: The influences of current intensity, pH levels, and drug concentration on the TEB hydrogel patch's permeability were explored using an adaptive ion electroosmosis system. The pharmacokinetic profile, facilitated by iontophoresis for transdermal permeation, was analyzed through the application of microdialysis technology. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were employed to assess the impact of ion electroosmotic systems on skin integrity. Results: The cumulative drug accumulation within 8 h of the TEB hydrogel patches, assisted by iontophoresis, was 2.9 and 7.9 times higher than without iontophoresis assistance and TEB cream in the control group, respectively. TEB hydrogel patches assisted by iontophoresis can significantly increase the permeability of TEB, and the AUC(0-8 h) was 3.4 and 5.4 times higher, while the Cmax was 4.2 and 7.3 times higher than the TEB hydrogel patches without iontophoresis, respectively. This system has no significant impact on deep-layer cells. Conclusions: This system may offer a safe and effective clinical strategy for the local treatment of deep antifungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Wenyan Gao
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310013, China; (M.L.)
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Grayton QE, Conlon IL, Broberg CA, Schoenfisch MH. Impact of Nitric Oxide-Release Kinetics on Antifungal Activity. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:308. [PMID: 38786663 PMCID: PMC11121837 DOI: 10.3390/jof10050308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic fungi are an increasing health threat due to the rise in drug resistance. The limited number of antifungals currently available and growing incidence of multi-drug-resistant fungi has caused rising healthcare costs and a decreased quality of life for patients with fungal infections. Nitric oxide (NO) has previously been shown to act as an antimicrobial agent, albeit with a limited understanding of the effects of the NO-release kinetics against pathogenic fungi. Herein, the antifungal effects of four nitric oxide-releasing small molecules were studied against the pathogenic fungi Candida albicans, Candida auris, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Aspergillus fumigatus, to demonstrate the broad-spectrum antifungal activity of NO. A bolus dose of NO was found to eradicate fungi after 24 h, where nitric oxide donors with shorter half-lives achieved antifungal activity at lower concentrations and thus had wider selectivity indexes. Each NO donor was found to cause a severe surface destruction of fungi, and all NO donors exhibited compatibility with currently prescribed antifungals against several different fungi species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quincy E. Grayton
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (Q.E.G.); (C.A.B.)
| | - Ivie L. Conlon
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (Q.E.G.); (C.A.B.)
| | - Christopher A. Broberg
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (Q.E.G.); (C.A.B.)
| | - Mark H. Schoenfisch
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (Q.E.G.); (C.A.B.)
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Hubert B, Marchi M, Ly Vu J, Tranchant C, Tarkowski ŁP, Leprince O, Buitink J. A method to determine antifungal activity in seed exudates by nephelometry. PLANT METHODS 2024; 20:16. [PMID: 38287427 PMCID: PMC10826049 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-024-01144-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the levers towards alternative solutions to pesticides is to improve seed defenses against pathogens, but a better understanding is needed on the type and regulation of existing pathways during germination. Dormant seeds are able to defend themselves against microorganisms during cycles of rehydration and dehydration in the soil. During imbibition, seeds leak copious amounts of exudates. Here, we developed a nephelometry method to assay antimicrobial activity (AA) in tomato seed exudates as a proxy to assess level of defenses. RESULTS A protocol is described to determine the level of AA against the nonhost filamentous fungus Alternaria brassicicola in the exudates of tomato seeds and seedlings. The fungal and exudate concentrations can be adjusted to modulate the assay sensitivity, thereby providing a large window of AA detection. We established that AA in dormant seeds depends on the genotype. It ranged from very strong AA to complete absence of AA, even after prolonged imbibition. AA depends also on the stages of germination and seedling emergence. Exudates from germinated seeds and seedlings showed very strong AA, while those from dormant seeds exhibited less activity for the same imbibition time. The exudate AA did not impact the growth of a pathogenic fungus host of tomato, Alternaria alternata, illustrating the adaptation of this fungus to its host. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that our nephelometry method is a simple yet powerful bioassay to quantify AA in seed exudates. Different developmental stages from dormant seed to seedlings show different levels of AA in the exudate that vary between genotypes, highlighting a genetic diversity x developmental stage interaction in defense. These findings will be important to identify molecules in the exudates conferring antifungal properties and obtain a better understanding of the regulatory and biosynthetic pathways through the lifecycle of seeds, from dormant seeds until seedling emergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Hubert
- Univ Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, F-49000, Angers, France
| | - Muriel Marchi
- Univ Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, F-49000, Angers, France
| | - Joseph Ly Vu
- Univ Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, F-49000, Angers, France
| | - Camille Tranchant
- Univ Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, F-49000, Angers, France
| | - Łukasz P Tarkowski
- Univ Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, F-49000, Angers, France
- INRAE, Université de Strasbourg, UMR SVQV, Colmar, France
| | - Olivier Leprince
- Univ Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, F-49000, Angers, France
| | - Julia Buitink
- Univ Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, F-49000, Angers, France.
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Winter P, Burmester A, Tittelbach J, Wiegand C. A New Genotype of Trichophyton quinckeanum with Point Mutations in Erg11A Encoding Sterol 14-α Demethylase Exhibits Increased Itraconazole Resistance. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:1006. [PMID: 37888261 PMCID: PMC10607888 DOI: 10.3390/jof9101006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Trichophyton quinckeanum, the causative agent of mouse favus, has been responsible for several infections of animal owners in recent years and showed an infection peak around 2020 in Jena, Thuringia. The isolated T. quinckeanum strains from Thuringia differ in some positions of the ITS region compared to strains from the IHEM collection as well as to Trichophyton schoenleinii. All T. quinckeanum strains of the new genotype show up to a 100-fold increased itraconazole resistance as measured by microplate laser nephelometry (MLN) assays. Analysis of genes involved in Trichophyton indotineae azole resistance, such as Erg1, which encodes squalene epoxidase, and Erg11B, one of two copies of the sterol 14-α demethylase gene, show a 100% identity between the two T. quinckeanum genotypes. In contrast, Erg11A fragments differ in 15-nucleotide positions between both T. quinckeanum genotypes, resulting in the unique amino acid substitution Ala256Ser in resistant strains. The new T. quinckeanum genotype may have evolved through interspecies mating. Mating type analysis showed a nearly 100% identity of the minus type MAT1-1-1 fragment for all T. quinckeanum isolates. The closely related Trichophyton schoenleinii belongs to the plus mating type and has 100% identical fragments of Erg1 and Erg11B. Erg11A protein sequences of T. schoenleinii and T. quinckeanum showed increased diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Winter
- Department of Dermatology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, D-07747 Jena, Germany
| | - Anke Burmester
- Department of Dermatology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, D-07747 Jena, Germany
| | - Jörg Tittelbach
- Department of Dermatology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, D-07747 Jena, Germany
| | - Cornelia Wiegand
- Department of Dermatology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, D-07747 Jena, Germany
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Fink S, Fischer M, Spange S, Beier O, Horn K, Tittelbach J, Wiegand C. Cold Atmospheric Plasma Exerts Antimicrobial Effects in a 3D Skin Model of Cutaneous Candidiasis. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12050933. [PMID: 37237836 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12050933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous candidiasis is characterized by an overgrowth of Candida leading to skin inflammation and infection. Similar to bacteria, Candida can develop tolerance to common antifungal drugs. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), with its proven antimicrobial properties, offers a promising alternative to the prevailing methods. Because of plasma heterogeneity each new device must be tested individually for its effectiveness. Antimicrobial activity is usually studied using planktonic microorganisms or animal models, making it difficult to extrapolate the results to the human system. Therefore, a 3D skin model of cutaneous candidiasis for the antimicrobial testing of CAP was established. First, the reaction of the 3D-skin model to Candida infection was examined using various histological and molecular-biological methods. Infection with C. albicans resulted in increased expression and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and augmented expression of antimicrobial peptides. Within 48 h, hyphal growth spread throughout the model and caused tissue damage. Second, the CAP treatment was employed. It was shown that CAP significantly reduced the spread of the yeast in the infected skin models as well as decreased the expression and secretion of the infection markers. The plasma device exhibited a high antifungal activity by completely inhibiting hyphal growth and reducing inflammation at the highest treatment duration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Fink
- Department of Dermatology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, 07747 Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Fischer
- Institute of Micro- and Nanotechnologies, Ilmenau University of Technology, 98639 Ilmenau, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Jörg Tittelbach
- Department of Dermatology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, 07747 Jena, Germany
| | - Cornelia Wiegand
- Department of Dermatology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, 07747 Jena, Germany
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Holzknecht J, Dubrac S, Hedtrich S, Galgóczy L, Marx F. Small, Cationic Antifungal Proteins from Filamentous Fungi Inhibit Candida albicans Growth in 3D Skin Infection Models. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0029922. [PMID: 35499318 PMCID: PMC9241769 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00299-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The emerging resistance of human-pathogenic fungi to antifungal drugs urges the development of alternative therapeutic strategies. The small, cationic antifungal proteins (AFPs) from filamentous ascomycetes represent promising candidates for next-generation antifungals. These bio-molecules need to be tested for tolerance in the host and efficacy against fungal pathogens before they can be safely applied in humans. Testing of the efficacy and possible adverse effects of new drug candidates in three-dimensional (3D) human-cell based models represents an advantageous alternative to animal experiments. In, this study, as a proof-of-principle, we demonstrate the usefulness of 3D skin infection models for screening new antifungal drug candidates for topical application. We established a cutaneous infection with the opportunistic human-pathogenic yeast Candida albicans in a commercially available 3D full-thickness (FT) skin model to test the curative potential of distinct AFPs from Penicillium chrysogenum (PAFopt, PAFB, and PAFC) and Neosartorya (Aspergillus) fischeri (NFAP2) in vitro. All tested AFPs were comparably well tolerated by the skin models. The infected 3D models exhibited reduced epidermal permeability barriers, allowing C. albicans to colonize the epidermal and dermal layers, and showed increased secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and the chemokine IL-8. AFP treatment diminished the fungal burden and penetration depth of C. albicans in the infected models. The epidermal permeability barrier was restored and the secretion of IL-8 was decreased following AFP treatment. In summary, our study proves that the tested AFPs exhibit antifungal potential against cutaneous C. albicans infection in a 3D FT skin model. IMPORTANCE Candida albicans represents one of the most prevalent opportunistic fungal pathogens, causing superficial skin and mucosal infections in humans with certain predisposing health conditions and life-threatening systemic infections in immunosuppressed patients. The emerging drug resistance of this human-pathogenic yeast and the limited number of antifungal drugs for prevention and treatment of infections urgently demands the identification of new antifungal compounds with novel mechanisms of action. Small, cationic antifungal proteins (AFPs) from filamentous fungi represent promising candidates for next-generation antifungals for topical application. These bio-molecules need to be tested for tolerance by the host and efficacy in pathogen clearance prior to being involved in clinical trials. In a proof-of-principle study, we provide evidence for the suitability of 3D human-cell based models as advantageous alternatives to animal experiments. We document the tolerance of specific AFPs and their curative efficacy against cutaneous C. albicans infection in a 3D skin model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanett Holzknecht
- Biocenter, Institute of Molecular Biology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sandrine Dubrac
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sarah Hedtrich
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - László Galgóczy
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Florentine Marx
- Biocenter, Institute of Molecular Biology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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