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Hoenigl M, Arastehfar A, Arendrup MC, Brüggemann R, Carvalho A, Chiller T, Chen S, Egger M, Feys S, Gangneux JP, Gold JAW, Groll AH, Heylen J, Jenks JD, Krause R, Lagrou K, Lamoth F, Prattes J, Sedik S, Wauters J, Wiederhold NP, Thompson GR. Novel antifungals and treatment approaches to tackle resistance and improve outcomes of invasive fungal disease. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024; 37:e0007423. [PMID: 38602408 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00074-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYFungal infections are on the rise, driven by a growing population at risk and climate change. Currently available antifungals include only five classes, and their utility and efficacy in antifungal treatment are limited by one or more of innate or acquired resistance in some fungi, poor penetration into "sequestered" sites, and agent-specific side effect which require frequent patient reassessment and monitoring. Agents with novel mechanisms, favorable pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles including good oral bioavailability, and fungicidal mechanism(s) are urgently needed. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of novel antifungal agents, with both improved known mechanisms of actions and new antifungal classes, currently in clinical development for treating invasive yeast, mold (filamentous fungi), Pneumocystis jirovecii infections, and dimorphic fungi (endemic mycoses). We further focus on inhaled antifungals and the role of immunotherapy in tackling fungal infections, and the specific PK/pharmacodynamic profiles, tissue distributions as well as drug-drug interactions of novel antifungals. Finally, we review antifungal resistance mechanisms, the role of use of antifungal pesticides in agriculture as drivers of drug resistance, and detail detection methods for antifungal resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Hoenigl
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, ECMM Excellence Center for Medical Mycology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BiotechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Amir Arastehfar
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Maiken Cavling Arendrup
- Unit of Mycology, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Roger Brüggemann
- Department of Pharmacy and Radboudumc Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Radboudumc-CWZ Center of Expertise in Mycology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Agostinho Carvalho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Tom Chiller
- Mycotic Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sharon Chen
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, NSW South Wales Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Australia
- The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Matthias Egger
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, ECMM Excellence Center for Medical Mycology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Simon Feys
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean-Pierre Gangneux
- Centre National de Référence des Mycoses et Antifongiques LA-AspC Aspergilloses chroniques, European Excellence Center for Medical Mycology (ECMM EC), Centre hospitalier Universitaire de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Univ Rennes, CHU Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) UMR_S 1085, Rennes, France
| | - Jeremy A W Gold
- Mycotic Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Andreas H Groll
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Infectious Disease Research Program, Center for Bone Marrow Transplantation, University Children's Hospital, Muenster, Germany
| | - Jannes Heylen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jeffrey D Jenks
- Department of Public Health, Durham County, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Robert Krause
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, ECMM Excellence Center for Medical Mycology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BiotechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Katrien Lagrou
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and National Reference Center for Mycosis, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Frédéric Lamoth
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Service, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Juergen Prattes
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, ECMM Excellence Center for Medical Mycology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BiotechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Sarah Sedik
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, ECMM Excellence Center for Medical Mycology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Joost Wauters
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nathan P Wiederhold
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - George R Thompson
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases University of California-Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
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Kane A, Rothwell JG, Guttentag A, Hainsworth S, Carter D. Bisphosphonates synergistically enhance the antifungal activity of azoles in dermatophytes and other pathogenic molds. mSphere 2024:e0024824. [PMID: 38837382 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00248-24] [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: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Superficial infections of the skin, hair, and nails by fungal dermatophytes are the most prevalent of human mycoses, and many infections are refractory to treatment. As current treatment options are limited, recent research has explored drug synergy with azoles for dermatophytoses. Bisphosphonates, which are approved to treat osteoporosis, can synergistically enhance the activity of azoles in diverse yeast pathogens but their activity has not been explored in dermatophytes or other molds. Market bisphosphonates risedronate, alendronate, and zoledronate (ZOL) were evaluated for antifungal efficacy and synergy with three azole antifungals: fluconazole (FLC), itraconazole (ITR), and ketoconazole (KET). ZOL was the most active bisphosphonate tested, displaying moderate activity against nine dermatophyte species (MIC range 64-256 µg/mL), and was synergistic with KET in eight of these species. ZOL was also able to synergistically improve the anti-biofilm activity of KET and combining KET and ZOL prevented the development of antifungal resistance. Rescue assays in Trichophyton rubrum revealed that the inhibitory effects of ZOL alone and in combination with KET were due to the inhibition of squalene synthesis. Fluorescence microscopy using membrane- and ROS-sensitive probes demonstrated that ZOL and KET:ZOL compromised membrane structure and induced oxidative stress. Antifungal activity and synergy between bisphosphonates and azoles were also observed in other clinically relevant molds, including species of Aspergillus and Mucor. These findings indicate that repurposing bisphosphonates as antifungals is a promising strategy for revitalising certain azoles as topical antifungals, and that this combination could be fast-tracked for investigation in clinical trials. IMPORTANCE Fungal infections of the skin, hair, and nails, generally grouped together as "tineas" are the most prevalent infectious diseases globally. These infections, caused by fungal species known as dermatophytes, are generally superficial, but can in some cases become aggressive. They are also notoriously difficult to resolve, with few effective treatments and rising levels of drug resistance. Here, we report a potential new treatment that combines azole antifungals with bisphosphonates. Bisphosphonates are approved for the treatment of low bone density diseases, and in fungi they inhibit the biosynthesis of the cell membrane, which is also the target of azoles. Combinations were synergistic across the dermatophyte species and prevented the development of resistance. We extended the study to molds that cause invasive disease, finding synergy in some problematic species. We suggest bisphosphonates could be repurposed as synergents for tinea treatment, and that this combination could be fast-tracked for use in clinical therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan Kane
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Joanna G Rothwell
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Annabel Guttentag
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Steven Hainsworth
- School of Science, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dee Carter
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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3
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Washington EJ, Zhou Y, Hsu AL, Petrovich M, Tenor JL, Toffaletti DL, Guan Z, Perfect JR, Borgnia MJ, Bartesaghi A, Brennan RG. Structures of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase, Tps1, from the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans : a target for novel antifungals. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.03.14.530545. [PMID: 36993618 PMCID: PMC10054996 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.14.530545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Invasive fungal diseases are a major threat to human health, resulting in more than 1.5 million annual deaths worldwide. The arsenal of antifungal therapeutics remains limited and is in dire need of novel drugs that target additional biosynthetic pathways that are absent from humans. One such pathway involves the biosynthesis of trehalose. Trehalose is a disaccharide that is required for pathogenic fungi to survive in their human hosts. In the first step of trehalose biosynthesis, trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (Tps1) converts UDP-glucose and glucose-6-phosphate to trehalose-6-phosphate. Here, we report the structures of full-length Cryptococcus neoformans Tps1 (CnTps1) in unliganded form and in complex with uridine diphosphate and glucose-6-phosphate. Comparison of these two structures reveals significant movement towards the catalytic pocket by the N-terminus upon ligand binding and identifies residues required for substrate-binding, as well as residues that stabilize the tetramer. Intriguingly, an intrinsically disordered domain (IDD), which is conserved amongst Cryptococcal species and closely related Basidiomycetes, extends from each subunit of the tetramer into the "solvent" but is not visible in density maps. We determined that the IDD is not required for C. neoformans Tps1-dependent thermotolerance and osmotic stress survival. Studies with UDP-galactose highlight the exquisite substrate specificity of CnTps1. In toto , these studies expand our knowledge of trehalose biosynthesis in Cryptococcus and highlight the potential of developing antifungal therapeutics that disrupt the synthesis of this disaccharide or the formation of a functional tetramer and the use of cryo-EM in the structural characterization of CnTps1-ligand/drug complexes. Significance Statement Fungal infections are responsible for over a million deaths worldwide each year. Biosynthesis of a disaccharide, trehalose, is required for multiple pathogenic fungi to transition from the environment to the human host. Enzymes in the trehalose biosynthesis pathway are absent in humans and, therefore, are potentially significant targets for novel antifungal therapeutics. One enzyme in the trehalose biosynthesis is trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (Tps1). Here, we describe the cryo-electron microscopy structures of the CnTps1 homo-tetramer in the unliganded form and in complex with a substrate and a product. These structures and subsequent biochemical analysis reveal key details of substrate-binding residues and substrate specificity. These structures should facilitate structure-guided design of inhibitors against CnTps1.
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Kane A, Dinh H, Campbell L, Cain AK, Hibbs D, Carter D. Spectrum of activity and mechanisms of azole-bisphosphonate synergy in pathogenic Candida. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0012124. [PMID: 38695556 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00121-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Candidiasis places a significant burden on human health and can range from common superficial vulvovaginal and oral infections to invasive diseases with high mortality. The most common Candida species implicated in human disease is Candida albicans, but other species like Candida glabrata are emerging. The use of azole antifungals for treatment is limited by increasing rates of resistance. This study explores repositioning bisphosphonates, which are traditionally used for osteoporosis, as antifungal synergists that can improve and revitalize the use of azoles. Risedronate, alendronate, and zoledronate (ZOL) were tested against isolates from six different species of Candida, and ZOL produced moderate antifungal activity and strong synergy with azoles like fluconazole (FLC), particularly in C. glabrata. FLC:ZOL combinations had increased fungicidal and antibiofilm activity compared to either drug alone, and the combination prevented the development of antifungal resistance. Mechanistic investigations demonstrated that the synergy was mediated by the depletion of squalene, resulting in the inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis and a compromised membrane structure. In C. glabrata, synergy compromised the function of membrane-bound multidrug transporters and caused an accumulation of reactive oxygen species, which may account for its acute sensitivity to FLC:ZOL. The efficacy of FLC:ZOL in vivo was confirmed in a Galleria mellonella infection model, where combinations improved the survival of larvae infected with C. albicans and C. glabrata to a greater extent than monotherapy with FLC or ZOL, and at reduced dosages. These findings demonstrate that bisphosphonates and azoles are a promising new combination therapy for the treatment of topical candidiasis. IMPORTANCE Candida is a common and often very serious opportunistic fungal pathogen. Invasive candidiasis is a prevalent cause of nosocomial infections with a high mortality rate, and mucocutaneous infections significantly impact the quality of life of millions of patients a year. These infections pose substantial clinical challenges, particularly as the currently available antifungal treatment options are limited in efficacy and often toxic. Azoles are a mainstay of antifungal therapy and work by targeting the biosynthesis of ergosterol. However, there are rising rates of acquired azole resistance in various Candida species, and some species are considered intrinsically resistant to most azoles. Our research demonstrates the promising therapeutic potential of synergistically enhancing azoles with non-toxic, FDA-approved bisphosphonates. Repurposing bisphosphonates as antifungal synergists can bypass much of the drug development pipeline and accelerate the translation of azole-bisphosphonate combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan Kane
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Hue Dinh
- School of Natural Sciences, ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Leona Campbell
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Amy K Cain
- School of Natural Sciences, ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David Hibbs
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Dee Carter
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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5
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Guo D, Shi C, Suo L, Ji X, Yue H, Yuan D, Luo J. "Click" amphotericin B in prodrug nanoformulations for enhanced systemic fungemia treatment. J Control Release 2024; 370:626-642. [PMID: 38734314 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Severe nephrotoxicity and infusion-related side effects pose significant obstacles to the clinical application of Amphotericin B (AmB) in life-threatening systemic fungal infections. In pursuit of a cost-effective and safe formulation, we have introduced multiple phenylboronic acid (PBA) moieties onto a linear dendritic telodendrimer (TD) scaffold, enabling effective AmB conjugation via boronate chemistry through a rapid, high yield, catalysis-free and dialysis-free "Click" drug loading process. Optimized AmB-TD prodrugs self-assemble into monodispersed micelles characterized by small particle sizes and neutral surface charges. AmB prodrugs sustain drug release in circulation, which is accelerated in response to the acidic pH and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in the infection and inflammation. Prodrugs mitigate the AmB aggregation status, reduce cytotoxicity and hemolytic activity compared to Fungizone®, and demonstrate superior antifungal activity to AmBisome®. AmB-PEG5kBA4 has a comparable maximum tolerated dose (MTD) to AmBisome®, while over 20-fold increase than Fungizone®. A single dose of AmB-PEG5kBA4 demonstrates superior efficacy to Fungizone® and AmBisome® in treating systemic fungal infections in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Guo
- Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Changying Shi
- Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Liye Suo
- Department of Pathology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Xiaotian Ji
- Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Hao Yue
- Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Dekai Yuan
- Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Juntao Luo
- Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA; Department of Surgery, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA; Upstate Cancer Center, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA; Sepsis Interdisciplinary Research Center (SIRC), State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA.
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6
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Shahabudin S, Azmi NS, Lani MN, Mukhtar M, Hossain MS. Candida albicans skin infection in diabetic patients: An updated review of pathogenesis and management. Mycoses 2024; 67:e13753. [PMID: 38877612 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Candida species, commensal residents of human skin, are recognized as the cause of cutaneous candidiasis across various body surfaces. Individuals with weakened immune systems, particularly those with immunosuppressive conditions, are significantly more susceptible to this infection. Diabetes mellitus, a major metabolic disorder, has emerged as a critical factor inducing immunosuppression, thereby facilitating Candida colonization and subsequent skin infections. This comprehensive review examines the prevalence of different types of Candida albicans-induced cutaneous candidiasis in diabetic patients. It explores the underlying mechanisms of pathogenicity and offers insights into recommended preventive measures and treatment strategies. Diabetes notably increases vulnerability to oral and oesophageal candidiasis. Additionally, it can precipitate vulvovaginal candidiasis in females, Candida balanitis in males, and diaper candidiasis in young children with diabetes. Diabetic individuals may also experience candidal infections on their nails, hands and feet. Notably, diabetes appears to be a risk factor for intertrigo syndrome in obese individuals and periodontal disorders in denture wearers. In conclusion, the intricate relationship between diabetes and cutaneous candidiasis necessitates a comprehensive understanding to strategize effective management planning. Further investigation and interdisciplinary collaborative efforts are crucial to address this multifaceted challenge and uncover novel approaches for the treatment, management and prevention of both health conditions, including the development of safer and more effective antifungal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakina Shahabudin
- Faculty of Industrial Sciences and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Nina Suhaity Azmi
- Faculty of Industrial Sciences and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Nizam Lani
- Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | | | - Md Sanower Hossain
- Centre for Sustainability of Mineral and Resource Recovery Technology (Pusat SMaRRT), Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
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7
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Ramos MLM, Almeida-Silva F, de Souza Rabello VB, Nahal J, Figueiredo-Carvalho MHG, Bernardes-Engemann AR, Poester VR, Xavier MO, Meyer W, Zancopé-Oliveira RM, Frases S, Almeida-Paes R. In vitro activity of the anthelmintic drug niclosamide against Sporothrix spp. strains with distinct genetic and antifungal susceptibility backgrounds. Braz J Microbiol 2024; 55:1359-1368. [PMID: 38466550 PMCID: PMC11153390 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-024-01301-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The drugs available to treat sporotrichosis, an important yet neglected fungal infection, are limited. Some Sporothrix spp. strains present reduced susceptibility to these antifungals. Furthermore, some patients may not be indicated to use these drugs, while others may not respond to the therapy. The anthelmintic drug niclosamide is fungicidal against the Sporothrix brasiliensis type strain. This study aimed to evaluate whether niclosamide also has antifungal activity against Sporothrix globosa, Sporothrix schenckii and other S. brasiliensis strains with distinct genotypes and antifungal susceptibility status. Minimal inhibitory and fungicidal concentrations (MIC and MFC, respectively) were determined using the microdilution method according to the CLSI protocol. The checkerboard method was employed to evaluate niclosamide synergism with drugs used in sporotrichosis treatment. Metabolic activity of the strains under niclosamide treatment was evaluated using the resazurin dye. Niclosamide was active against all S. brasiliensis strains (n = 17), but it was ineffective (MIC > 20 µM) for some strains (n = 4) of other pathogenic Sporothrix species. Niclosamide MIC values for Sporothrix spp. were similar for mycelial and yeast-like forms of the strains (P = 0.6604). Niclosamide was fungicidal (MFC/MIC ratio ≤ 2) for most strains studied (89%). Niclosamide activity against S. brasiliensis is independent of the fungal genotype or non-wild-type phenotypes for amphotericin B, itraconazole, or terbinafine. These antifungal drugs presented indifferent interactions with niclosamide. Niclosamide has demonstrated potential for repurposing as a treatment for sporotrichosis, particularly in S. brasiliensis cases, instigating in vivo studies to validate the in vitro findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Lucy Mesquita Ramos
- Laboratório de Biofísica de Fungos, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Fernando Almeida-Silva
- Laboratório de Micologia, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Brito de Souza Rabello
- Laboratório de Micologia, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Juliana Nahal
- Laboratório de Micologia, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Andrea Reis Bernardes-Engemann
- Laboratório de Micologia, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Vanice Rodrigues Poester
- Laboratório de Micologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - Melissa Orzechowski Xavier
- Laboratório de Micologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - Wieland Meyer
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute of the KNAW, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rosely Maria Zancopé-Oliveira
- Laboratório de Micologia, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Susana Frases
- Laboratório de Biofísica de Fungos, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
- Rede Micologia - FAPERJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Rodrigo Almeida-Paes
- Laboratório de Micologia, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
- Rede Micologia - FAPERJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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8
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Yiu B, Robbins N, Cowen LE. Interdisciplinary approaches for the discovery of novel antifungals. Trends Mol Med 2024:S1471-4914(24)00121-7. [PMID: 38777733 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2024.04.018] [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: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Pathogenic fungi are an increasing public health concern. The emergence of antifungal resistance coupled with the scarce antifungal arsenal highlights the need for novel therapeutics. Fortunately, the past few years have witnessed breakthroughs in antifungal development. Here, we discuss pivotal interdisciplinary approaches for the discovery of novel compounds with efficacy against diverse fungal pathogens. We highlight breakthroughs in improving current antifungal scaffolds, as well as the utility of compound combinations to extend the lifespan of antifungals. Finally, we describe efforts to refine candidate chemical scaffolds by leveraging structure-guided approaches, and the use of functional genomics to expand our knowledge of druggable antifungal targets. Overall, we emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary collaborations in the endeavor to develop innovative antifungal strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie Yiu
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Nicole Robbins
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Leah E Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1M1, Canada.
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9
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Santra HK, Dutta R, Banerjee D. Antifungal activity of bio-active cell-free culture extracts and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) synthesised by endophytic fungal isolates of Garden Nasturtium. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11228. [PMID: 38755187 PMCID: PMC11099177 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60948-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance in fungal pathogens (both human and plant) is increasing alarmingly, leading to massive economic crises. The existing anti-fungal agents are becoming ineffective, and the situation worsens on a logarithmic scale. Novel antifungals from unique natural sources are highly sought to cope sustainably with the situation. Metabolites from endophytic microbes are the best-fitted alternatives in this case. Endophytes are the untapped sources of 'plants' internal microbial population' and are promising sources of effective bio-therapeutic agents. Fungal endophytes were isolated from Tropaeolum majus and checked for antifungal activity against selected plant and human pathogens. Bioactive metabolites were identified through chromatographic techniques. The mode of action of those metabolites was evaluated through various spectroscopic techniques. The production of antifungal metabolite was optimized also. In particular VOCs (volatile organic compounds) of TML9 were tested in vitro for their anti-phytopathogenic activity. Ethyl acetate (EA) extract of cell-free culture components of Colletotrichum aenigma TML3 exhibited broad-spectrum antifungal activity against four species of Candida and the major constituents reported were 6-pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one, 2-Nonanone, 1 propanol 2-amino. The volatile metabolites, trans-ocimene, geraniol, and 4-terpinyl acetate, produced from Curvularia lunata TML9, inhibited the growth of some selected phyto pathogens. EA extract hampered the biofilm formation, minimised the haemolytic effect, and blocked the transformation of Candida albicans (MTCC 4748) from yeast to hyphal form with a Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) of 200-600 µg mL-1. Central carbohydrate metabolism, ergosterol synthesis, and membrane permeability were adversely affected and caused the lethal leakage of necessary macromolecules of C. albicans. Volatile metabolites inhibited the growth of phytopathogens i.e., Rhizoctonia solani, Alternaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea, Cercospora beticola, Penicillium digitatum, Aspergillus fumigatus, Ceratocystis ulmi, Pythium ultimum up to 89% with an IC50 value of 21.3-69.6 µL 50 mL-1 and caused leakage of soluble proteins and other intracellular molecules. Citrusy sweet odor volatiles of TML9 cultured in wheat-husk minimised the infections of Penicillium digitatum (green mold), in VOC-exposed sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis). Volatile and non-volatile antifungal metabolites of these two T. majus endophytes hold agricultural and pharmaceutical interests. Metabolites of TML3 have strong anti-Candida activity and require further assessment for therapeutic applications. Also, volatile metabolites of TML9 can be further studied as a source of antifungals. The present investigational outcomes bio-prospects the efficacy of fungal endophytes of Garden Nasturtium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiran Kanti Santra
- Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Botany and Forestry, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal, 721102, India
| | - Riya Dutta
- Center for Life Sciences, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal, 721102, India
| | - Debdulal Banerjee
- Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Botany and Forestry, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal, 721102, India.
- Center for Life Sciences, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal, 721102, India.
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10
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Akbar S, Zou Q, Raza A, Alarfaj FK. iAFPs-Mv-BiTCN: Predicting antifungal peptides using self-attention transformer embedding and transform evolutionary based multi-view features with bidirectional temporal convolutional networks. Artif Intell Med 2024; 151:102860. [PMID: 38552379 DOI: 10.1016/j.artmed.2024.102860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Globally, fungal infections have become a major health concern in humans. Fungal diseases generally occur due to the invading fungus appearing on a specific portion of the body and becoming hard for the human immune system to resist. The recent emergence of COVID-19 has intensely increased different nosocomial fungal infections. The existing wet-laboratory-based medications are expensive, time-consuming, and may have adverse side effects on normal cells. In the last decade, peptide therapeutics have gained significant attention due to their high specificity in targeting affected cells without affecting healthy cells. Motivated by the significance of peptide-based therapies, we developed a highly discriminative prediction scheme called iAFPs-Mv-BiTCN to predict antifungal peptides correctly. The training peptides are encoded using word embedding methods such as skip-gram and attention mechanism-based bidirectional encoder representation using transformer. Additionally, transform-based evolutionary features are generated using the Pseduo position-specific scoring matrix using discrete wavelet transform (PsePSSM-DWT). The fused vector of word embedding and evolutionary descriptors is formed to compensate for the limitations of single encoding methods. A Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) based global interpolation approach is applied to reduce training costs by choosing the optimal feature set. The selected feature set is trained using a bi-directional temporal convolutional network (BiTCN). The proposed iAFPs-Mv-BiTCN model achieved a predictive accuracy of 98.15 % and an AUC of 0.99 using training samples. In the case of the independent samples, our model obtained an accuracy of 94.11 % and an AUC of 0.98. Our iAFPs-Mv-BiTCN model outperformed existing models with a ~4 % and ~5 % higher accuracy using training and independent samples, respectively. The reliability and efficacy of the proposed iAFPs-Mv-BiTCN model make it a valuable tool for scientists and may perform a beneficial role in pharmaceutical design and research academia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Akbar
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China; Department of Computer Science, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, KP 23200, Pakistan
| | - Quan Zou
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China; Yangtze Delta Region Institute (Quzhou), University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Quzhou 324000, PR China.
| | - Ali Raza
- Department of Physical and Numerical Sciences, Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar, KP 25124, Pakistan
| | - Fawaz Khaled Alarfaj
- Department of Management Information Systems (MIS), School of Business, King Faisal University (KFU), Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
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11
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Schaefer S, Melodia D, Corrigan N, Lenardon MD, Boyer C. Effect of Star Topology Versus Linear Polymers on Antifungal Activity and Mammalian Cell Toxicity. Macromol Biosci 2024; 24:e2300452. [PMID: 38009827 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202300452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The global increase in invasive fungal infections and the emergence of drug-resistant strains demand the urgent development of novel antifungal drugs. In this context, synthetic polymers with diverse compositions, mimicking natural antimicrobial peptides, have shown promising potential for combating fungal infections. This study investigates how altering polymer end-groups and topology from linear to branched star-like structures affects their efficacy against Candida spp., including clinical isolates. Additionally, the polymers' biocompatibility is accessed with murine embryonic fibroblasts and red blood cells in vitro. Notably, a low-molecular weight star polymer outperforms both its linear polymeric counterparts and amphotericin B (AmpB) in terms of an improved therapeutic index and reduced haemolytic activity, despite a higher minimum inhibitory concentration against Candida albicans (C. albicans) SC5314 (16-32 µg mL-1 vs 1 µg mL-1 for AmpB). These findings demonstrate the potential of synthetic polymers with diverse topologies as promising candidates for antifungal applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Schaefer
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Daniele Melodia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Nathaniel Corrigan
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Megan Denise Lenardon
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Cyrille Boyer
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
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12
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Hang S, Lu H, Jiang Y. Marine-Derived Metabolites Act as Promising Antifungal Agents. Mar Drugs 2024; 22:180. [PMID: 38667797 PMCID: PMC11051449 DOI: 10.3390/md22040180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The incidence of invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) is on the rise globally, particularly among immunocompromised patients, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Current clinical antifungal agents, such as polyenes, azoles, and echinocandins, face increasing resistance from pathogenic fungi. Therefore, there is a pressing need for the development of novel antifungal drugs. Marine-derived secondary metabolites represent valuable resources that are characterized by varied chemical structures and pharmacological activities. While numerous compounds exhibiting promising antifungal activity have been identified, a comprehensive review elucidating their specific underlying mechanisms remains lacking. In this review, we have compiled a summary of antifungal compounds derived from marine organisms, highlighting their diverse mechanisms of action targeting various fungal cellular components, including the cell wall, cell membrane, mitochondria, chromosomes, drug efflux pumps, and several biological processes, including vesicular trafficking and the growth of hyphae and biofilms. This review is helpful for the subsequent development of antifungal drugs due to its summary of the antifungal mechanisms of secondary metabolites from marine organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hui Lu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200092 Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanying Jiang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 200092 Shanghai, China
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13
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Liu T, Pyle AM. Highly Reactive Group I Introns Ubiquitous in Pathogenic Fungi. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168513. [PMID: 38447889 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Systemic fungal infections are a growing public health threat, and yet viable antifungal drug targets are limited as fungi share a similar proteome with humans. However, features of RNA metabolism and the noncoding transcriptomes in fungi are distinctive. For example, fungi harbor highly structured RNA elements that humans lack, such as self-splicing introns within key housekeeping genes in the mitochondria. However, the location and function of these mitochondrial riboregulatory elements has largely eluded characterization. Here we used an RNA-structure-based bioinformatics pipeline to identify the group I introns interrupting key mitochondrial genes in medically relevant fungi, revealing their fixation within a handful of genetic hotspots and their ubiquitous presence across divergent phylogenies of fungi, including all highest priority pathogens such as Candida albicans, Candida auris, Aspergillus fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans. We then biochemically characterized two representative introns from C. albicans and C. auris, demonstrating their exceptionally efficient splicing catalysis relative to previously-characterized group I introns. Indeed, the C. albicans mitochondrial intron displays extremely rapid catalytic turnover, even at ambient temperatures and physiological magnesium ion concentrations. Our results unmask a significant new set of players in the RNA metabolism of pathogenic fungi, suggesting a promising new type of antifungal drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianshuo Liu
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Anna Marie Pyle
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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14
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Kane DL, Burke B, Diaz M, Wolf C, Fonzi WA. Lethal metabolism of Candida albicans respiratory mutants. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300630. [PMID: 38578754 PMCID: PMC10997084 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The destructive impact of fungi in agriculture and animal and human health, coincident with increases in antifungal resistance, underscores the need for new and alternative drug targets to counteract these trends. Cellular metabolism relies on many intermediates with intrinsic toxicity and promiscuous enzymatic activity generates others. Fuller knowledge of these toxic entities and their generation may offer opportunities of antifungal development. From this perspective our observation of media-conditional lethal metabolism in respiratory mutants of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans was of interest. C. albicans mutants defective in NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (Complex I of the electron transport chain) exhibit normal growth in synthetic complete medium. In YPD medium, however, the mutants grow normally until early stationary phase whereupon a dramatic loss of viability occurs. Upwards of 90% of cells die over the subsequent four to six hours with a loss of membrane integrity. The extent of cell death was proportional to the amount of BactoPeptone, and to a lesser extent, the amount of yeast extract. YPD medium conditioned by growth of the mutant was toxic to wild-type cells indicating mutant metabolism established a toxic milieu in the media. Conditioned media contained a volatile component that contributed to toxicity, but only in the presence of a component of BactoPeptone. Fractionation experiments revealed purine nucleosides or bases as the synergistic component. GC-mass spectrometry analysis revealed acetal (1,1-diethoxyethane) as the active volatile. This previously unreported and lethal synergistic interaction of acetal and purines suggests a hitherto unrecognized toxic metabolism potentially exploitable in the search for antifungal targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Lucas Kane
- Department of Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry Shared Resource, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Brendan Burke
- Department of Microbiology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Monica Diaz
- Department of Microbiology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Christian Wolf
- Department of Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry Shared Resource, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - William A. Fonzi
- Department of Microbiology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States of America
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15
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Israr J, Alam S, Kumar A. System biology approaches for drug repurposing. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2024; 205:221-245. [PMID: 38789180 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2024.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Drug repurposing, or drug repositioning, refers to the identification of alternative therapeutic applications for established medications that go beyond their initial indications. This strategy has becoming increasingly popular since it has the potential to significantly reduce the overall costs of drug development by around $300 million. System biology methodologies have been employed to facilitate medication repurposing, encompassing computational techniques such as signature matching and network-based strategies. These techniques utilize pre-existing drug-related data types and databases to find prospective repurposed medications that have minimal or acceptable harmful effects on patients. The primary benefit of medication repurposing in comparison to drug development lies in the fact that approved pharmaceuticals have already undergone multiple phases of clinical studies, thereby possessing well-established safety and pharmacokinetic properties. Utilizing system biology methodologies in medication repurposing offers the capacity to expedite the discovery of viable candidates for drug repurposing and offer novel perspectives for structure-based drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juveriya Israr
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Shri Ramswaroop Memorial University, Lucknow-Deva Road, Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, India; Department of Biotechnology Era University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Shabroz Alam
- Department of Biotechnology Era University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Ajay Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Rama University, Mandhana, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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16
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Billerbeck S, Walker RSK, Pretorius IS. Killer yeasts: expanding frontiers in the age of synthetic biology. Trends Biotechnol 2024:S0167-7799(24)00067-2. [PMID: 38575438 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.03.003] [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: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Killer yeasts secrete protein toxins that are selectively lethal to other yeast and filamentous fungi. These exhibit exceptional genetic and functional diversity, and have several biotechnological applications. However, despite decades of research, several limitations hinder their widespread adoption. In this perspective we contend that technical advances in synthetic biology present an unprecedented opportunity to unlock the full potential of yeast killer systems across a spectrum of applications. By leveraging these new technologies, engineered killer toxins may emerge as a pivotal new tool to address antifungal resistance and food security. Finally, we speculate on the biotechnological potential of re-engineering host double-stranded (ds) RNA mycoviruses, from which many toxins derive, as a safe and noninfectious system to produce designer RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Billerbeck
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology institute, University of Groningen, Groningen 9747, AG, The Netherlands
| | - Roy S K Walker
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Isak S Pretorius
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia.
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17
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Konkel Neabore L. Wake-up Call: Rapid Increase in Human Fungal Diseases under Climate Change. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:42001. [PMID: 38648197 PMCID: PMC11034633 DOI: 10.1289/ehp14722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Rising temperatures and extreme weather are setting the stage for increases in fungal diseases. As new pathogenic fungi emerge and known threats spread and evolve, scientists and decision makers are responding.
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18
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Kumar V, Huang J, Dong Y, Hao GF. Targeting Fks1 proteins for novel antifungal drug discovery. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2024; 45:366-384. [PMID: 38493014 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2024.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Fungal infections are a major threat to human health. The limited availability of antifungal drugs, the emergence of drug resistance, and a growing susceptible population highlight the critical need for novel antifungal agents. The enzymes involved in fungal cell wall synthesis offer potential targets for antifungal drug development. Recent studies have enhanced our focus on the enzyme Fks1, which synthesizes β-1,3-glucan, a critical component of the cell wall. These studies provide a deeper understanding of Fks1's function in cell wall biosynthesis, pathogenicity, structural biology, evolutionary conservation across fungi, and interaction with current antifungal drugs. Here, we discuss the role of Fks1 in the survival and adaptation of fungi, guided by insights from evolutionary and structural analyses. Furthermore, we delve into the dynamics of Fks1 modulation with novel antifungal strategies and assess its potential as an antifungal drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinit Kumar
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for Research and Development of Fine Chemicals, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, PR China; BMLT, Markham College of Commerce, Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribagh, Jharkhand 825301, India
| | - Juan Huang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, PR China
| | - Yawen Dong
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, PR China.
| | - Ge-Fei Hao
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for Research and Development of Fine Chemicals, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, PR China; National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China.
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19
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Vélez N, Argel A, Kissmann AK, Alpízar-Pedraza D, Escandón P, Rosenau F, Ständker L, Firacative C. Pore-forming peptide C14R exhibits potent antifungal activity against clinical isolates of Candida albicans and Candida auris. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1389020. [PMID: 38601736 PMCID: PMC11004338 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1389020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Invasive candidiasis is a global public health problem as it poses a significant threat in hospital-settings. The aim of this study was to evaluate C14R, an analog derived from peptide BP100, as a potential antimicrobial peptide against the prevalent opportunistic yeast Candida albicans and the emergent multidrug-resistant yeast Candida auris. Methods Antifungal susceptibility testing of C14R against 99 C. albicans and 105 C. auris clinical isolates from Colombia, was determined by broth microdilution. Fluconazole was used as a control antifungal. The synergy between C14R and fluconazole was assessed in resistant isolates. Assays against fungal biofilm and growth curves were also carried out. Morphological alterations of yeast cell surface were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. A permeability assay verified the pore-forming ability of C14R. Results C. albicans and C. auris isolates had a geometric mean MIC against C14R of 4.42 µg/ml and 5.34 µg/ml, respectively. Notably, none of the isolates of any species exhibited growth at the highest evaluated peptide concentration (200 µg/ml). Synergistic effects were observed when combining the peptide and fluconazole. C14R affects biofilm and growth of C. albicans and C. auris. Cell membrane disruptions were observed in both species after treatment with the peptide. It was confirmed that C14R form pores in C. albicans' membrane. Discussion C14R has a potent antifungal activity against a large set of clinical isolates of both C. albicans and C. auris, showing its capacity to disrupt Candida membranes. This antifungal activity remains consistent across isolates regardless of their clinical source. Furthermore, the absence of correlation between MICs to C14R and resistance to fluconazole indicates the peptide's potential effectiveness against fluconazole-resistant strains. Our results suggest the potential of C14R, a pore-forming peptide, as a treatment option for fungal infections, such as invasive candidiasis, including fluconazole and amphotericin B -resistant strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norida Vélez
- Studies in Translational Microbiology and Emerging Diseases (MICROS) Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Andreys Argel
- Studies in Translational Microbiology and Emerging Diseases (MICROS) Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia
| | | | - Daniel Alpízar-Pedraza
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Center for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba
| | | | - Frank Rosenau
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Ludger Ständker
- Core Facility for Functional Peptidomics, Faculty of Medicine, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Carolina Firacative
- Studies in Translational Microbiology and Emerging Diseases (MICROS) Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia
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20
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Campbell R, Buchbinder NW, Szwetkowski C, Zhu Y, Piedl K, Truong M, Matson JB, Santos WL, Mevers E. Design, Synthesis, and Antifungal Activity of 3-Substituted-2( 5H)-Oxaboroles. ACS Med Chem Lett 2024; 15:349-354. [PMID: 38505851 PMCID: PMC10945556 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Next generation antimicrobial therapeutics are desperately needed as new pathogens with multiple resistance mechanisms continually emerge. Two oxaboroles, tavaborole and crisaborole, were recently approved as topical treatments for onychomycosis and atopic dermatitis, respectively, warranting further studies into this privileged structural class. Herein, we report the antimicrobial properties of 3-substituted-2(5H)-oxaboroles, an unstudied family of medicinally relevant oxaboroles. Our results revealed minimum inhibitory concentrations as low as 6.25 and 5.20 μg/mL against fungal (e.g., Penicillium chrysogenum) and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) pathogens, respectively. These oxaboroles were nonhemolytic and nontoxic to rat myoblast cells (H9c2). Structure-activity relationship studies suggest that planarity is important for antimicrobial activity, possibly due to the effects of extended conjugation between the oxaborole and benzene rings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose Campbell
- Department
of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | | | - Connor Szwetkowski
- Department
of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Yumeng Zhu
- Department
of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Karla Piedl
- Department
of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Mindy Truong
- Department
of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - John B. Matson
- Department
of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Webster L. Santos
- Department
of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Emily Mevers
- Department
of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
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21
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Puumala E, Fallah S, Robbins N, Cowen LE. Advancements and challenges in antifungal therapeutic development. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024; 37:e0014223. [PMID: 38294218 PMCID: PMC10938895 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00142-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Over recent decades, the global burden of fungal disease has expanded dramatically. It is estimated that fungal disease kills approximately 1.5 million individuals annually; however, the true worldwide burden of fungal infection is thought to be higher due to existing gaps in diagnostics and clinical understanding of mycotic disease. The development of resistance to antifungals across diverse pathogenic fungal genera is an increasingly common and devastating phenomenon due to the dearth of available antifungal classes. These factors necessitate a coordinated response by researchers, clinicians, public health agencies, and the pharmaceutical industry to develop new antifungal strategies, as the burden of fungal disease continues to grow. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the new antifungal therapeutics currently in clinical trials, highlighting their spectra of activity and progress toward clinical implementation. We also profile up-and-coming intracellular proteins and pathways primed for the development of novel antifungals targeting their activity. Ultimately, we aim to emphasize the importance of increased investment into antifungal therapeutics in the current continually evolving landscape of infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Puumala
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sara Fallah
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nicole Robbins
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Leah E. Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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22
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Oh MJ, Yoon S, Babeer A, Liu Y, Ren Z, Xiang Z, Miao Y, Cormode DP, Chen C, Steager E, Koo H. Nanozyme-Based Robotics Approach for Targeting Fungal Infection. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2300320. [PMID: 37141008 PMCID: PMC10624647 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202300320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Fungal pathogens have been designated by the World Health Organization as microbial threats of the highest priority for global health. It remains a major challenge to improve antifungal efficacy at the site of infection while avoiding off-target effects, fungal spreading, and drug tolerance. Here, a nanozyme-based microrobotic platform is developed that directs localized catalysis to the infection site with microscale precision to achieve targeted and rapid fungal killing. Using electromagnetic field frequency modulation and fine-scale spatiotemporal control, structured iron oxide nanozyme assemblies are formed that display tunable dynamic shape transformation and catalysis activation. The catalytic activity varies depending on the motion, velocity, and shape providing controllable reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Unexpectedly, nanozyme assemblies bind avidly to fungal (Candida albicans) surfaces to enable concentrated accumulation and targeted ROS-mediated killing in situ. By exploiting these tunable properties and selective binding to fungi, localized antifungal activity is achieved using in vivo-like cell spheroid and animal tissue infection models. Structured nanozyme assemblies are directed to Candida-infected sites using programmable algorithms to perform precisely guided spatial targeting and on-site catalysis resulting in fungal eradication within 10 min. This nanozyme-based microrobotics approach provides a uniquely effective and targeted therapeutic modality for pathogen elimination at the infection site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Jun Oh
- Biofilm Research Laboratories, Levy Center for Oral Health, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Seokyoung Yoon
- Biofilm Research Laboratories, Levy Center for Oral Health, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Alaa Babeer
- Biofilm Research Laboratories, Levy Center for Oral Health, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Endodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Oral Biology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, KSA
| | - Yuan Liu
- Biofilm Research Laboratories, Levy Center for Oral Health, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Preventive & Restorative Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Zhi Ren
- Biofilm Research Laboratories, Levy Center for Oral Health, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine and School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Zhenting Xiang
- Biofilm Research Laboratories, Levy Center for Oral Health, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yilan Miao
- Biofilm Research Laboratories, Levy Center for Oral Health, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - David P. Cormode
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Chider Chen
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Pharmacology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Edward Steager
- Biofilm Research Laboratories, Levy Center for Oral Health, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine and School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- GRASP Laboratory, School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Hyun Koo
- Biofilm Research Laboratories, Levy Center for Oral Health, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine and School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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23
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Gao Z, Zhang J, Li K, Sun Y, Wu X, Zhang G, Liu R, Liu R, Zhao D, Cheng M. Design, synthesis and evaluation of 2-phenylpyrimidine derivatives as novel antifungal agents targeting CYP51. RSC Med Chem 2024; 15:492-505. [PMID: 38389880 PMCID: PMC10880905 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00589e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections, with high morbidity and mortality, have become one of the most serious threats to human health. There are a few kinds of clinical antifungal drugs but large amounts of them are used, so there is an urgent need for a new structural type of antifungal drug. In this study, we carried out three rounds of structural optimisation and modification of the compound YW-01, which was obtained from the preliminary screening of the group, by using the strategy of scaffold hopping. A series of novel phenylpyrimidine CYP51 inhibitors were designed and synthesised. In vitro antifungal testing showed that target compound C6 exhibited good efficacy against seven common clinically susceptible strains, which was significantly superior to the clinical first-line drug fluconazole. Subsequently in vitro tests on metabolic stability and cytotoxicity revealed that C6 was safe and stable for hepatic microsomal function. Finally, C6 warranted further exploration as a possible novel structural type of CYP51 inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixuan Gao
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District 110016 Shenyang China
| | - Jiachen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District 110016 Shenyang China
| | - Kejian Li
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District 110016 Shenyang China
| | - Yixiang Sun
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District 110016 Shenyang China
| | - Xudong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District 110016 Shenyang China
| | - Guoqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District 110016 Shenyang China
| | - Rongrong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District 110016 Shenyang China
| | - Rui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District 110016 Shenyang China
| | - Dongmei Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District 110016 Shenyang China
| | - Maosheng Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District 110016 Shenyang China
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24
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Rząd K, Gabriel I, Paluszkiewicz E, Kuplińska A, Olszewski M, Chylewska A, Dąbrowska AM, Kozłowska-Tylingo K. Targeting yeast topoisomerase II by imidazo and triazoloacridinone derivatives resulting in their antifungal activity. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3594. [PMID: 38351313 PMCID: PMC10864382 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54252-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Fungal pathogens are considered as serious factors for deadly diseases and are a case of medical concern. Invasive fungal infections also complicate the clinical course of COVID-19, leading to a significant increase in mortality. Furthermore, fungal strains' multidrug resistance has increased the demand for antifungals with a different mechanism of action. The present study aimed to identify antifungal compounds targeting yeast topoisomerase II (yTOPOII) derived from well-known human topoisomerase II (hTOPOII) poisons C-1305 and C-1311. Two sets of derivatives: triazoloacridinones (IKE1-8) and imidazoacridinones (IKE9-14) were synthetized and evaluated with a specific emphasis on the molecular mechanism of action. Our results indicated that their effectiveness as enzyme inhibitors was not solely due to intercalation ability but also as a result of influence on catalytic activity by the formation of covalent complexes between plasmid DNA and yTOPOII. Lysine conjunction increased the strength of the compound's interaction with DNA and improved penetration into the fungal cells. Triazoloacridinone derivatives in contrast to starting compound C-1305 exhibited moderate antifungal activity and at least twice lower cytotoxicity. Importantly, compounds (IKE5-8) were not substrates for multidrug ABC transporters whereas a derivative conjugated with lysine (IKE7), showed the ability to overcome C. glabrata fluconazole-resistance (MIC 32-64 µg mL-1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Rząd
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and BioTechMed Center, Gdansk University of Technology, 11/12 Narutowicza Str., 80-233, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Iwona Gabriel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and BioTechMed Center, Gdansk University of Technology, 11/12 Narutowicza Str., 80-233, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Ewa Paluszkiewicz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and BioTechMed Center, Gdansk University of Technology, 11/12 Narutowicza Str., 80-233, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Kuplińska
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and BioTechMed Center, Gdansk University of Technology, 11/12 Narutowicza Str., 80-233, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Mateusz Olszewski
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and BioTechMed Center, Gdansk University of Technology, 11/12 Narutowicza Str., 80-233, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Chylewska
- Department of Bioinorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Aleksandra M Dąbrowska
- Department of Bioinorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Kozłowska-Tylingo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and BioTechMed Center, Gdansk University of Technology, 11/12 Narutowicza Str., 80-233, Gdansk, Poland
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25
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Qi GF, Cui X, Gong XF, Cui X, Xu HG, Liang QL, Zhang K, Sha XL, Li L, Wang GY, Liang HW, Wang L. A self-assembling peptide inhibits the growth and function of fungi via a wrapping strategy. Biomater Sci 2024; 12:990-1003. [PMID: 38193333 DOI: 10.1039/d3bm01845h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Fungal infections contribute substantially to human morbidity and mortality. A particular concern is the high rate of mortality associated with invasive fungal infections, which often exceeds 50.0% despite the availability of several antifungal drugs. Herein, we show a self-assembling antifungal peptide (AFP), which is able to bind to chitin on the fungal cell wall and in situ form AFP nanofibers, wrapping fungi. As a result, AFP limits the proliferation of fungi, slows down the morphological transformation of biphasic fungi, and inhibits the adhesion of fungi to host cells and the formation of biofilms. Compared to the broad-spectrum antifungal fluconazole, AFP achieved a comparable inhibitory effect (MIC50 = 3.5 μM) on fungal proliferation. In addition, AFP significantly inhibited the formation of fungal biofilms with the inhibition rate of 69.6% at 1 μM, better than fluconazole (17.2% at 1 μM). In a skin infection model of mice, it was demonstrated that AFP showed significantly superior efficacy to fluconazole. In the systemic candidiasis mouse model, AFP showed similar efficacy to first-line antifungal amphotericin B (AmpB) and anidulafungin (AFG). This study provides a promising wrapping strategy for anti-fungal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gao-Feng Qi
- Department of Graduate, Hebei North University, No.11 Diamond South Road, High-tech Zone, Zhangjiakou 075000, Hebei Province, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, China.
- Department of Orthopaedics, The 4th Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Jia No.17 Heishanhu road, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Xin Cui
- Department of Graduate, Hebei North University, No.11 Diamond South Road, High-tech Zone, Zhangjiakou 075000, Hebei Province, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, China.
- Department of Orthopaedics, The 4th Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Jia No.17 Heishanhu road, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Xue-Feng Gong
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Xu Cui
- Department of Graduate, Hebei North University, No.11 Diamond South Road, High-tech Zone, Zhangjiakou 075000, Hebei Province, China
- Department of Orthopaedics, The 4th Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Jia No.17 Heishanhu road, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Huan-Ge Xu
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Qi-Lin Liang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Kuo Zhang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Xiao-Ling Sha
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Litao Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, The 4th Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Jia No.17 Heishanhu road, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Gui-Yuan Wang
- Department of Graduate, Hebei North University, No.11 Diamond South Road, High-tech Zone, Zhangjiakou 075000, Hebei Province, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Hong-Wen Liang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Lei Wang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, China.
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26
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Schaefer S, Melodia D, Pracey C, Corrigan N, Lenardon MD, Boyer C. Mimicking Charged Host-Defense Peptides to Tune the Antifungal Activity and Biocompatibility of Amphiphilic Polymers. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:871-889. [PMID: 38165721 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c01038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections impose a substantial global health burden. They cause more than 1.5 million deaths annually and are insufficiently met by the currently approved antifungal drugs. Antifungal peptides are a promising alternative to existing antifungal drugs; however, they can be challenging to synthesize, and are often susceptible to proteases in vivo. Synthetic polymers which mimic the properties of natural antifungal peptides can circumvent these limitations. In this study, we developed a library of 29 amphiphilic polyacrylamides with different charged units, namely, amines, guanidinium, imidazole, and carboxylic acid groups, representative of the natural amino acids lysine, arginine, histidine, and glutamic acid. Ternary polymers incorporating primary ammonium (lysine-like) or imidazole (histidine-like) groups demonstrated superior activity against Candida albicans and biocompatibility with mammalian cells compared to the polymers containing the other charged groups. Furthermore, a combination of primary ammonium, imidazole, and guanidinium (arginine-like) within the same polymer outperformed the antifungal drug amphotericin B in terms of therapeutic index and exhibited fast C. albicans-killing activity. The most promising polymer compositions showed synergistic effects in combination with caspofungin and fluconazole against C. albicans and additionally demonstrated activity against other clinically relevant fungi. Collectively, these results indicate the strong potential of these easily producible polymers to be used as antifungals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Schaefer
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Daniele Melodia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Christopher Pracey
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Nathaniel Corrigan
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Megan D Lenardon
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Cyrille Boyer
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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27
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Adejor J, Tumukunde E, Li G, Lin H, Xie R, Wang S. Impact of Lysine Succinylation on the Biology of Fungi. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:1020-1046. [PMID: 38392183 PMCID: PMC10888112 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46020065] [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: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) play a crucial role in protein functionality and the control of various cellular processes and secondary metabolites (SMs) in fungi. Lysine succinylation (Ksuc) is an emerging protein PTM characterized by the addition of a succinyl group to a lysine residue, which induces substantial alteration in the chemical and structural properties of the affected protein. This chemical alteration is reversible, dynamic in nature, and evolutionarily conserved. Recent investigations of numerous proteins that undergo significant succinylation have underscored the potential significance of Ksuc in various biological processes, encompassing normal physiological functions and the development of certain pathological processes and metabolites. This review aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying Ksuc and its diverse functions in fungi. Both conventional investigation techniques and predictive tools for identifying Ksuc sites were also considered. A more profound comprehension of Ksuc and its impact on the biology of fungi have the potential to unveil new insights into post-translational modification and may pave the way for innovative approaches that can be applied across various clinical contexts in the management of mycotoxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Adejor
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Elisabeth Tumukunde
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Guoqi Li
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Hong Lin
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Rui Xie
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Shihua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Fungi and Mycotoxins of Fujian Province, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Education Ministry, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
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28
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Ramesh S, Roy U, Roy S, Rudramurthy SM. A promising antifungal lipopeptide from Bacillus subtilis: its characterization and insight into the mode of action. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:161. [PMID: 38252130 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12976-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Emerging resistance of fungal pathogens and challenges faced in drug development have prompted renewed investigations into novel antifungal lipopeptides. The antifungal lipopeptide AF3 reported here is a natural lipopeptide isolated and purified from Bacillus subtilis. The AF3 lipopeptide's secondary structure, functional groups, and the presence of amino acid residues typical of lipopeptides were determined by circular dichroism, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The lipopeptide's low minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 4-8 mg/L against several fungal strains demonstrate its strong antifungal activity. Biocompatibility assays showed that ~ 80% of mammalian cells remained viable at a 2 × MIC concentration of AF3. The treated Candida albicans cells examined by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy clearly showed ultrastructural alterations such as the loss of the cell shape and cell membrane integrity. The antifungal effect of AF3 resulted in membrane permeabilization facilitating the uptake of the fluorescent dyes-acridine orange (AO)/propidium iodide (PI) and FUN-1. Using 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and 4-(2-[6-(dioctylamino)-2-naphthalenyl] ethenyl)-1-(3-sulfopropyl) pyridinium inner salt (di-8-ANEPPS), we observed that the binding of AF3 to the membrane bilayer results in membrane disruption and depolarization. Flow cytometry analyses revealed a direct correlation between lipopeptide activity, membrane permeabilization (~ 75% PI uptake), and reduced cell viability. An increase in 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) fluorescence demonstrates endogenous reactive oxygen species production. Lipopeptide treatment appears to induce late-stage apoptosis and alterations to nuclear morphology, suggesting that AF3-induced membrane damage may lead to a cellular stress response. Taken together, this study illustrates antifungal lipopeptide's potential as an antifungal drug candidate. KEY POINTS: • The studied lipopeptide variant AF3 displayed potent antifungal activity against C. albicans • Its biological activity was stable to proteolysis • Analytical studies demonstrated that the lipopeptide is essentially membranotropic and able to cause membrane dysfunction, elevated ROS levels, apoptosis, and DNA damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swetha Ramesh
- Department of Biological Sciences, BITS Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus, NH 17B Bypass Road, Sancoale, Goa, 403726, India
| | - Utpal Roy
- Department of Biological Sciences, BITS Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus, NH 17B Bypass Road, Sancoale, Goa, 403726, India.
| | - Subhasish Roy
- Department of Chemistry, BITS Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus, NH 17B Bypass Road, Sancoale, Goa, 403726, India
| | - Shivaprakash M Rudramurthy
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India
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29
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Conn BN, Lieberman JA, Chatman P, Cotton K, Essandoh MA, Ebqa’ai M, Nelson TL, Wozniak KL. Antifungal activity of eumelanin-inspired indoylenepheyleneethynylene against Cryptococcus neoformans. Front Microbiol 2024; 14:1339303. [PMID: 38293553 PMCID: PMC10826398 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1339303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes meningitis in >152,000 immunocompromised individuals annually, leading to 112,000 yearly deaths. The four classes of existing antifungal agents target plasma membrane sterols (ergosterol), nucleic acid synthesis, and cell wall synthesis. Existing drugs are not highly effective against Cryptococcus, and antifungal drug resistance is an increasing problem. A novel antimicrobial compound, a eumelanin-inspired indoylenepheyleneethynylene, EIPE-1, was synthesized and has antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSRA), but not towards Gram-negative organisms. Based on EIPE-1's antibacterial activity, we hypothesized that EIPE-1 could have antifungal activity. For these studies, we tested EIPE-1 against C. neoformans strain H99 and 6 additional cryptococcal clinical isolates. We examined antifungal activity, cytotoxicity, effects on fungal gene expression, and mechanism of action of EIPE-1. Results showed that EIPE-1 has fungicidal effects on seven cryptococcal strains with MICs ranging from 1.56 to 3.125 μg/mL depending on the strain, and it is non-toxic to mammalian cells. We conducted scanning and transmission electron microscopy on the exposed cells to examine structural changes to the organism following EIPE-1 treatment. Cells exposed displayed structural changes to their cell wall and membranes, with internal contents leaking out of the cells. To understand the effect of EIPE-1 on fungal gene expression, RNA sequencing was conducted. Results showed that EIPE-1 affects several processes involved stress response, ergosterol biosynthesis, capsule biosynthesis, and cell wall attachment and remodeling. Therefore, our studies demonstrate that EIPE-1 has antifungal activity against C. neoformans, which affects both cellular structure and gene expression of multiple fungal pathways involved in cell membrane stability and viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittney N. Conn
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Jacob A. Lieberman
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Priscilla Chatman
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Kaitlyn Cotton
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Martha A. Essandoh
- Department of Chemistry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Mohammad Ebqa’ai
- Department of Chemistry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Toby L. Nelson
- Department of Chemistry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Karen L. Wozniak
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
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Janeczko M, Kochanowicz E. Biochanin A Inhibits the Growth and Biofilm of Candida Species. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:89. [PMID: 38256922 PMCID: PMC10818846 DOI: 10.3390/ph17010089] [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: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the antifungal activity of biochanin A (BCA) against planktonic growth and biofilms of six Candida species, including C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. auris, and C. krusei. We applied various assays that determined (a) the antimicrobial effect on growth of Candida species, (b) the effect on formation of hyphae and biofilm, (c) the effect on the expression of genes related to hyphal growth and biofilm formation, (d) the influence on cell wall structure, and (e) the effect on cell membrane integrity and permeability. Moreover, disk diffusion tests were used to investigate the effect of a combination of BCA with fluconazole to assess their possible synergistic effect on drug-resistant C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. auris. Our results showed that the BCA MIC50 values against Candida species ranged between 125 µg/mL and 500 µg/mL, and the MIC90 values were in a concentration range from 250 µg/mL to 1000 µg/mL. The treatment with BCA inhibited adhesion of cells, cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), and biofilm formation and reduced hyphal growth in all the analyzed Candida species. Real-time qRT-PCR revealed that BCA down-regulated the expression of biofilm-specific genes in C. albicans. Furthermore, physical destruction of C. albicans cell membranes and cell walls as a result of the treatment with BCA was observed. The combination of BCA and fluconazole did not exert synergistic effects against fluconazole-resistant Candida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Janeczko
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1i, 20-708 Lublin, Poland;
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Shankarnarayan SA, Charlebois DA. Machine learning to identify clinically relevant Candida yeast species. Med Mycol 2024; 62:myad134. [PMID: 38130236 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myad134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections, especially due to Candida species, are on the rise. Multi-drug resistant organisms such as Candida auris are difficult and time consuming to identify accurately. Machine learning is increasingly being used in health care, especially in medical imaging. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of six convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to identify four clinically important Candida species. Wet-mounted images were captured using bright field live-cell microscopy followed by separating single-cells, budding-cells, and cell-group images which were then subjected to different machine learning algorithms (custom CNN, VGG16, ResNet50, InceptionV3, EfficientNetB0, and EfficientNetB7) to learn and predict Candida species. Among the six algorithms tested, the InceptionV3 model performed best in predicting Candida species from microscopy images. All models performed poorly on raw images obtained directly from the microscope. The performance of all models increased when trained on single and budding cell images. The InceptionV3 model identified budding cells of C. albicans, C. auris, C. glabrata (Nakaseomyces glabrata), and C. haemulonii in 97.0%, 74.0%, 68.0%, and 66.0% cases, respectively. For single cells of C. albicans, C. auris, C. glabrata, and C. haemulonii InceptionV3 identified 97.0%, 73.0%, 69.0%, and 73.0% cases, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of InceptionV3 were 77.1% and 92.4%, respectively. Overall, this study provides proof of the concept that microscopy images from wet-mounted slides can be used to identify Candida yeast species using machine learning quickly and accurately.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel A Charlebois
- Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G-2E1, Canada
- Department of Physics, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G-2E9, Canada
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Valderrama V, Sánchez P, Delso M, Díaz-Dosque M, Escobar A, Budini M, Catalán M, Vivar R, López-Muñoz R, Jara JA, Molina-Berríos A. Gallic acid triphenylphosphonium derivatives TPP+-C10 and TPP+-C12 inhibit mitochondrial function in Candida albicans exerting antifungal and antibiofilm effects. J Appl Microbiol 2024; 135:lxad316. [PMID: 38148145 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxad316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
AIMS To evaluate the antifungal and antibiofilm activity of gallic acid derivatives TPP+-C10 and TPP+-C12 and their effects on mitochondrial function on two Candida albicans reference strains (ATCC 90029 and ATCC 10231). METHODS AND RESULTS First, we determined minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) using a microdilution assay. Both compounds exerted antifungal effects, and their MICs ranged from 3.9 to 13 µM, with no statistically significant differences between them (P > 0.05, t-test). These concentrations served as references for following assays. Subsequently, we measured oxygen consumption with a Clark electrode. Our observations revealed that both drugs inhibited oxygen consumption in both strains with TPP+-C12 exerting a more pronounced inhibitory effect. We then employed flow cytometry with TMRE as a probe to assess mitochondrial membrane potential. For each strain assayed, the compounds induced a decay in transmembrane potential by 75%-90% compared to the control condition (P < 0.05, ANOVA). Then, we measured ATP levels using a commercial kit. TPP+-C12 showed a 50% decrease of ATP content (P < 0.05 ANOVA), while TPP+-C10 exhibited a less pronounced effect. Finally, we assessed the antibiofilm effect using the MTT reduction assay. Both compounds were effective, but TPP+-C12 displayed a greater potency, requiring a lower concentration to inhibit 50% of biofilms viability (P < 0.05, t-test). CONCLUSIONS Derivatives of gallic acid linked to a TPP+ group exert antifungal and antibiofilm activity through impairment of mitochondrial function in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Valderrama
- Laboratory of Applied Pharmacology for the Development of Anticancer and Antifungal Drugs, Institute for Research in Dental Sciences (ICOD), Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, 8380544, Chile
| | - Paula Sánchez
- Laboratory of Applied Pharmacology for the Development of Anticancer and Antifungal Drugs, Institute for Research in Dental Sciences (ICOD), Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, 8380544, Chile
| | - Macarena Delso
- Laboratory of Applied Pharmacology for the Development of Anticancer and Antifungal Drugs, Institute for Research in Dental Sciences (ICOD), Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, 8380544, Chile
| | - Mario Díaz-Dosque
- Laboratory of Applied Pharmacology for the Development of Anticancer and Antifungal Drugs, Institute for Research in Dental Sciences (ICOD), Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, 8380544, Chile
- Laboratory of Nanobiomaterials, Institute for Research in Dental Sciences (ICOD), Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, 8380544, Chile
| | - Alejandro Escobar
- Laboratory of Cellular Biology, Institute for Research in Dental Sciences (ICOD), Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, 8380544, Chile
| | - Mauricio Budini
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Institute for Research in Dental Sciences (ICOD), Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, 8380544, Chile
| | - Mabel Catalán
- Clinical and Molecular Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, 8380453, Chile
| | - Raúl Vivar
- Clinical and Molecular Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, 8380453, Chile
| | - Rodrigo López-Muñoz
- Instituto de Farmacología y Morfofisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, 5110566, Chile
| | - José A Jara
- Laboratory of Applied Pharmacology for the Development of Anticancer and Antifungal Drugs, Institute for Research in Dental Sciences (ICOD), Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, 8380544, Chile
| | - Alfredo Molina-Berríos
- Laboratory of Applied Pharmacology for the Development of Anticancer and Antifungal Drugs, Institute for Research in Dental Sciences (ICOD), Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, 8380544, Chile
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Lima WG, Brito JCM, Verly RM, de Lima ME. Jelleine, a Family of Peptides Isolated from the Royal Jelly of the Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera), as a Promising Prototype for New Medicines: A Narrative Review. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:24. [PMID: 38251241 PMCID: PMC10819630 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16010024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The jelleine family is a group of four peptides (jelleines I-IV) originally isolated from the royal jelly of honey bee (Apis mellifera), but later detected in some honey samples. These oligopeptides are composed of 8-9 amino acid residues, positively charged (+2 to +3 at pH 7.2), including 38-50% of hydrophobic residues and a carboxamide C-terminus. Jelleines, generated by processing of the C-terminal region of major royal jelly proteins 1 (MRJP-1), play an important biological role in royal jelly conservation as well as in protecting bee larvae from potential pathogens. Therefore, these molecules present numerous benefits for human health, including therapeutic purposes as shown in preclinical studies. In this review, we aimed to evaluate the biological effects of jelleines in addition to characterising their toxicities and stabilities. Jelleines I-III have promising antimicrobial activity and low toxicity (LD50 > 1000 mg/Kg). However, jelleine-IV has not shown relevant biological potential. Jelleine-I, but not the other analogues, also has antiparasitic, healing, and pro-coagulant activities in addition to indirectly modulating tumor cell growth and controlling the inflammatory process. Although it is sensitive to hydrolysis by proteases, the addition of halogens increases the chemical stability of these molecules. Thus, these results suggest that jelleines, especially jelleine-I, are a potential target for the development of new, effective and safe therapeutic molecules for clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Gustavo Lima
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Stricto Sensu em Medicina e Biomedicina, Faculdade de Saúde da Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte, Avenida dos Andradas, 2688, Santa Efigênia, Belo Horizonte 30110-005, MG, Brazil;
| | - Julio Cesar Moreira Brito
- Fundação Ezequiel Dias (FUNED), Rua Conde Pereira Carneiro, 8, Gameleira, Belo Horizonte 30510-010, MG, Brazil;
| | - Rodrigo Moreira Verly
- Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Rodovia MGT 367, 5000, Auto da Jacuba, Diamantina 39100-000, MG, Brazil;
| | - Maria Elena de Lima
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Stricto Sensu em Medicina e Biomedicina, Faculdade de Saúde da Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte, Avenida dos Andradas, 2688, Santa Efigênia, Belo Horizonte 30110-005, MG, Brazil;
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Vishwakarma M, Haider T, Soni V. Update on fungal lipid biosynthesis inhibitors as antifungal agents. Microbiol Res 2024; 278:127517. [PMID: 37863019 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2023.127517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Fungal diseases today represent a world-wide problem. Poor hygiene and decreased immunity are the main reasons behind the manifestation of this disease. After COVID-19, an increase in the rate of fungal infection has been observed in different countries. Different classes of antifungal agents, such as polyenes, azoles, echinocandins, and anti-metabolites, as well as their combinations, are currently employed to treat fungal diseases; these drugs are effective but can cause some side effects and toxicities. Therefore, the identification and development of newer antifungal agents is a current need. The fungal cell comprises many lipids, such as ergosterol, phospholipids, and sphingolipids. Ergosterol is a sterol lipid that is only found in fungal cells. Various pathways synthesize all these lipids, and the activities of multiple enzymes govern these pathways. Inhibiting these enzymes will ultimately impede the lipid synthesis pathway, and this phenomenon could be a potential antifungal therapy. This review will discuss various lipid synthesis pathways and multiple antifungal agents identified as having fungal lipid synthesis inhibition activity. This review will identify novel compounds that can inhibit fungal lipid synthesis, permitting researchers to direct further deep pharmacological investigation and help develop drug delivery systems for such compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Vishwakarma
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar, M.P., India
| | - Tanweer Haider
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar, M.P., India; Amity Institute of Pharmacy, Amity University, Gwalior, M.P., India
| | - Vandana Soni
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar, M.P., India.
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Malallah OS, Coleman L, Nasereddin SM, Lockhat M, Chen T, Jones SA. Systematic review and QSPR analysis of chemical penetration through the nail to inform onychomycosis candidate selection. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:103844. [PMID: 38000719 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Recalcitrant nail plate infections can be life-long problems because localizing antifungal agents into infected tissues is problematic. In this systematic review, guided by the SPIDER method, we extracted chemical nail permeation data for 38 compounds from 16 articles, and analyzed the data using quantitative structure-property relationships (QSPRs). Our analysis demonstrated that low-molecular weight was essential for effective nail penetration, with <120 g/mol being preferred. Interestingly, chemical polarity had little effect on nail penetration; therefore, small polar molecules, which effectively penetrate the nail, but not the skin, should be set as the most desirable target chemical property in new post-screen onychomycosis candidate selections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osamah S Malallah
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, Franklin-Wilkins Building, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Lucy Coleman
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Sara M Nasereddin
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, Franklin-Wilkins Building, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, UK; College of Pharmacy, Amman Arab University, Mubis, Amman 11953, Jordan
| | - Mohammad Lockhat
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, Franklin-Wilkins Building, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Tao Chen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Stuart A Jones
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, Franklin-Wilkins Building, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, UK; Centre for Pharmaceutical Medicine Research, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College, SE1 9NH, UK.
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Cellini B, Pampalone G, Camaioni E, Pariano M, Catalano F, Zelante T, Dindo M, Macchioni L, Di Veroli A, Galarini R, Paoletti F, Davidescu M, Stincardini C, Vascelli G, Bellet MM, Saba J, Giovagnoli S, Giardina G, Romani L, Costantini C. Dual species sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase inhibitors to combine antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities in cystic fibrosis: a feasibility study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22692. [PMID: 38123809 PMCID: PMC10733307 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50121-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by respiratory failure due to a vicious cycle of defective Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane conductance Regulator (CFTR) function, chronic inflammation and recurrent bacterial and fungal infections. Although the recent introduction of CFTR correctors/potentiators has revolutionized the clinical management of CF patients, resurgence of inflammation and persistence of pathogens still posit a major concern and should be targeted contextually. On the background of a network-based selectivity that allows to target the same enzyme in the host and microbes with different outcomes, we focused on sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) lyase (SPL) of the sphingolipid metabolism as a potential candidate to uniquely induce anti-inflammatory and antifungal activities in CF. As a feasibility study, herein we show that interfering with S1P metabolism improved the immune response in a murine model of CF with aspergillosis while preventing germination of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia. In addition, in an early drug discovery process, we purified human and A. fumigatus SPL, characterized their biochemical and structural properties, and performed an in silico screening to identify potential dual species SPL inhibitors. We identified two hits behaving as competitive inhibitors of pathogen and host SPL, thus paving the way for hit-to-lead and translational studies for the development of drug candidates capable of restraining fungal growth and increasing antifungal resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Cellini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy.
| | - Gioena Pampalone
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Emidio Camaioni
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Marilena Pariano
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Flavia Catalano
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Teresa Zelante
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Mirco Dindo
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Lara Macchioni
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Di Veroli
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Roberta Galarini
- Centro Sviluppo e Validazione Metodi, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche "Togo Rosati", Perugia, Italy
| | - Fabiola Paoletti
- Centro Sviluppo e Validazione Metodi, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche "Togo Rosati", Perugia, Italy
| | - Magdalena Davidescu
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Claudia Stincardini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Gianluca Vascelli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Marina Maria Bellet
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Julie Saba
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stefano Giovagnoli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giardina
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigina Romani
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Claudio Costantini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le Lucio Severi 1, 06132, Perugia, Italy.
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Gow NA, Casadevall A, Fang W. Top five unanswered questions in fungal cell surface research. Cell Surf 2023; 10:100114. [PMID: 38024560 PMCID: PMC10654581 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcsw.2023.100114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Neil A.R. Gow
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins, Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Wenxia Fang
- Institute of Biological Sciences and Technology, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, China
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Elalouf A, Elalouf H, Rosenfeld A. Modulatory immune responses in fungal infection associated with organ transplant - advancements, management, and challenges. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1292625. [PMID: 38143753 PMCID: PMC10748506 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1292625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Organ transplantation stands as a pivotal achievement in modern medicine, offering hope to individuals with end-stage organ diseases. Advancements in immunology led to improved organ transplant survival through the development of immunosuppressants, but this heightened susceptibility to fungal infections with nonspecific symptoms in recipients. This review aims to establish an intricate balance between immune responses and fungal infections in organ transplant recipients. It explores the fundamental immune mechanisms, recent advances in immune response dynamics, and strategies for immune modulation, encompassing responses to fungal infections, immunomodulatory approaches, diagnostics, treatment challenges, and management. Early diagnosis of fungal infections in transplant patients is emphasized with the understanding that innate immune responses could potentially reduce immunosuppression and promise efficient and safe immuno-modulating treatments. Advances in fungal research and genetic influences on immune-fungal interactions are underscored, as well as the potential of single-cell technologies integrated with machine learning for biomarker discovery. This review provides a snapshot of the complex interplay between immune responses and fungal infections in organ transplantation and underscores key research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Elalouf
- Department of Management, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Hadas Elalouf
- Information Science Department, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ariel Rosenfeld
- Information Science Department, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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Ajetunmobi OH, Badali H, Romo JA, Ramage G, Lopez-Ribot JL. Antifungal therapy of Candida biofilms: Past, present and future. Biofilm 2023; 5:100126. [PMID: 37193227 PMCID: PMC10182175 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2023.100126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Virtually all Candida species linked to clinical candidiasis are capable of forming highly resistant biofilms on different types of surfaces, which poses an additional significant threat and further complicates therapy of these infections. There is a scarcity of antifungal agents, and their effectiveness, particularly against biofilms, is limited. Here we provide a historical perspective on antifungal agents and therapy of Candida biofilms. As we reflect upon the past, consider the present, and look towards the future of antifungal therapy of Candida biofilms, we believe that there are reasons to remain optimistic, and that the major challenges of Candida biofilm therapy can be conquered within a reasonable timeframe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olabayo H. Ajetunmobi
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Hamid Badali
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Jesus A. Romo
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Gordon Ramage
- Glasgow Biofilm Research Network, School of Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK
| | - Jose L. Lopez-Ribot
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Corresponding author. Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA.
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Wu M, Xu X, Hu R, Chen Q, Chen L, Yuan Y, Li J, Zhou L, Feng S, Wang L, Chen S, Gu M. A Membrane-Targeted Photosensitizer Prevents Drug Resistance and Induces Immune Response in Treating Candidiasis. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2207736. [PMID: 37875397 PMCID: PMC10724446 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202207736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Candida albicans (C. albicans), a ubiquitous polymorphic fungus in humans, causes different types of candidiasis, including oral candidiasis (OC) and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), which are physically and mentally concerning and financially costly. Thus, developing alternative antifungals that prevent drug resistance and induce immunity to eliminate Candida biofilms is crucial. Herein, a novel membrane-targeted aggregation-induced emission (AIE) photosensitizer (PS), TBTCP-QY, is developed for highly efficient photodynamic therapy (PDT) of candidiasis. TBTCP-QY has a high molar absorption coefficient and an excellent ability to generate 1 O2 and •OH, entering the interior of biofilms due to its high permeability. Furthermore, TBTCP-QY can efficiently inhibit biofilm formation by suppressing the expression of genes related to the adhesion (ALS3, EAP1, and HWP1), invasion (SAP1 and SAP2), and drug resistance (MDR1) of C. albicans, which is also advantageous for eliminating potential fungal resistance to treat clinical infectious diseases. TBTCP-QY-mediated PDT efficiently targets OC and VVC in vivo in a mouse model, induces immune response, relieves inflammation, and accelerates the healing of mucosal defects to combat infections caused by clinically isolated fluconazole-resistant strains. Moreover, TBTCP-QY demonstrates excellent biocompatibility, suggesting its potential applications in the clinical treatment of OC and VVC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming‐Yu Wu
- Department of GastroenterologyMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug DiscoveryTaiKang Center for Life and Medical SciencesZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430071China
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural DrugsSchool of Life Science and EngineeringSouthwest Jiaotong UniversityChengduSichuan610031China
| | - Xiaoyu Xu
- Department of GastroenterologyMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug DiscoveryTaiKang Center for Life and Medical SciencesZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430071China
| | - Rui Hu
- Department of GastroenterologyMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug DiscoveryTaiKang Center for Life and Medical SciencesZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430071China
- Department of Respiratory DiseasesThe Research and Application Center of Precision MedicineThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhou450014China
| | - Qingrong Chen
- Department of GastroenterologyMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug DiscoveryTaiKang Center for Life and Medical SciencesZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430071China
| | - Luojia Chen
- Department of GastroenterologyMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug DiscoveryTaiKang Center for Life and Medical SciencesZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430071China
| | - Yuncong Yuan
- Department of GastroenterologyMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug DiscoveryTaiKang Center for Life and Medical SciencesZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430071China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Medical Intensive Care UnitMaternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei ProvinceTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei430070China
| | - Li Zhou
- Department of GastroenterologyMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug DiscoveryTaiKang Center for Life and Medical SciencesZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430071China
| | - Shun Feng
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural DrugsSchool of Life Science and EngineeringSouthwest Jiaotong UniversityChengduSichuan610031China
| | - Lianrong Wang
- Department of GastroenterologyMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug DiscoveryTaiKang Center for Life and Medical SciencesZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430071China
- Department of Respiratory DiseasesThe Research and Application Center of Precision MedicineThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhou450014China
| | - Shi Chen
- Department of GastroenterologyMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug DiscoveryTaiKang Center for Life and Medical SciencesZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430071China
| | - Meijia Gu
- Department of GastroenterologyMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug DiscoveryTaiKang Center for Life and Medical SciencesZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan UniversityWuhan430071China
- Department of Respiratory DiseasesThe Research and Application Center of Precision MedicineThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhou450014China
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41
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Freitas CG, Felipe MS. Candida albicans and Antifungal Peptides. Infect Dis Ther 2023; 12:2631-2648. [PMID: 37940816 PMCID: PMC10746669 DOI: 10.1007/s40121-023-00889-9] [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: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans, a ubiquitous opportunistic fungal pathogen, plays a pivotal role in human health and disease. As a commensal organism, it normally resides harmlessly within the human microbiota. However, under certain conditions, C. albicans can transition into a pathogenic state, leading to various infections collectively known as candidiasis. With the increasing prevalence of immunocompromised individuals and the widespread use of invasive medical procedures, candidiasis has become a significant public health concern. The emergence of drug-resistant strains further complicates treatment options, highlighting the urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies. Antifungal peptides (AFPs) have gained considerable attention as potential candidates for combating Candida spp. infections. These naturally occurring peptides possess broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, including specific efficacy against C. albicans. AFPs exhibit several advantageous properties, such as rapid killing kinetics, low propensity for resistance development, and diverse mechanisms of action, making them promising alternatives to conventional antifungal agents. In recent years, extensive research has focused on discovering and developing novel AFPs with improved efficacy and selectivity against Candida species. Advances in biotechnology and synthetic peptide design have enabled the modification and optimization of natural peptides, enhancing their stability, bioavailability, and therapeutic potential. Nevertheless, several challenges must be addressed before AFPs can be widely implemented in clinical practice. These include optimizing peptide stability, enhancing delivery methods, overcoming potential toxicity concerns, and conducting comprehensive preclinical and clinical studies. This commentary presents a short overview of candidemia and AFP; articles and reviews published in the last 10 years were searched on The National Library of Medicine (National Center for Biotechnology Information-NIH-PubMed). The terms used were C. albicans infections, antimicrobial peptides, antifungal peptides, antifungal peptides mechanisms of action, candidemia treatments and guidelines, synthetic peptides and their challenges, and antimicrobial peptides in clinical trials as the main ones. Older publications were cited if they brought some relevant concept or helped to bring a perspective into our narrative. Articles older than 20 years and those that appeared in PubMed but did not match our goal to bring updated information about using antifungal peptides as an alternative to C. albicans infections were not considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila G Freitas
- Higher Education Course in Food Technology, Instituto Federal de Brasília (IFB), Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Genomic Sciences and Biotechnology Graduate Program, Universidade Católica de Brasília (UCB), Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Maria Sueli Felipe
- Genomic Sciences and Biotechnology Graduate Program, Universidade Católica de Brasília (UCB), Brasília, DF, Brazil.
- Universidade de Brasília (UNB), Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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Bravo-Chaucanés CP, Chitiva LC, Vargas-Casanova Y, Diaz-Santoyo V, Hernández AX, Costa GM, Parra-Giraldo CM. Exploring the Potential Mechanism of Action of Piperine against Candida albicans and Targeting Its Virulence Factors. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1729. [PMID: 38136600 PMCID: PMC10742119 DOI: 10.3390/biom13121729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant-derived compounds have proven to be a source of inspiration for new drugs. In this study, piperine isolated from the fruits of Piper nigrum showed anti-Candida activity. Furthermore, the mechanisms of action of piperine and its impact on virulence factors in Candida albicans, which have not been comprehensively understood, were also assessed. Initially, piperine suppressed the hyphal transition in both liquid and solid media, hindered biofilm formation, and resulted in observable cell distortions in scanning electron microscope (SEM) samples, for both fluconazole-sensitive and fluconazole-resistant C. albicans strains. Additionally, the morphogenetic switches triggered by piperine were found to rely on the activity of mutant C. albicans strains. Secondly, piperine treatment increased cell membrane permeability and disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential, as evidenced by propidium iodine and Rhodamine 123 staining, respectively. Moreover, it induced the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species in C. albicans. Synergy was obtained between the piperine and the fluconazole against the fluconazole-sensitive strain. Interestingly, there were no hemolytic effects of piperine, and it resulted in reduced cytotoxicity on fibroblast cells at low concentrations. The results suggest that piperine could have a dual mode of action inhibiting virulence factors and modulating cellular processes, leading to cell death in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Patricia Bravo-Chaucanés
- Unidad de Proteómica y Micosis Humanas, Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, DC, Colombia; (C.P.B.-C.); (Y.V.-C.); (V.D.-S.)
| | - Luis Carlos Chitiva
- Grupo de Investigación Fitoquímica Universidad Javeriana (GIFUJ), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, DC, Colombia; (L.C.C.); (A.X.H.); (G.M.C.)
| | - Yerly Vargas-Casanova
- Unidad de Proteómica y Micosis Humanas, Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, DC, Colombia; (C.P.B.-C.); (Y.V.-C.); (V.D.-S.)
| | - Valentina Diaz-Santoyo
- Unidad de Proteómica y Micosis Humanas, Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, DC, Colombia; (C.P.B.-C.); (Y.V.-C.); (V.D.-S.)
| | - Andrea Ximena Hernández
- Grupo de Investigación Fitoquímica Universidad Javeriana (GIFUJ), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, DC, Colombia; (L.C.C.); (A.X.H.); (G.M.C.)
| | - Geison M. Costa
- Grupo de Investigación Fitoquímica Universidad Javeriana (GIFUJ), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, DC, Colombia; (L.C.C.); (A.X.H.); (G.M.C.)
| | - Claudia Marcela Parra-Giraldo
- Unidad de Proteómica y Micosis Humanas, Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, DC, Colombia; (C.P.B.-C.); (Y.V.-C.); (V.D.-S.)
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Jiang W, Zhou M, Chen S, Xie J, Chen M, Zhang H, Wu Y, Chen X, Liu R. Peptide-Mimicking Poly(2-oxazoline)s Possessing Potent Antifungal Activity and BBB Penetrating Property to Treat Invasive Infections and Meningitis. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:25753-25765. [PMID: 37966432 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c09240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections, including meningitis, cause a high mortality rate due to few available antifungal drugs and frequently associated side effects and quick emergence of drug-resistant fungi. The restrictive permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) further limits the efficacy of antifungal agents substantially in treating meningitis. Hereby, we design and synthesize guanidinium-functionalized poly(2-oxazoline)s by mimicking cell-penetrating peptides. The optimal polymer, PGMeOx10 bearing a methylene spacer arm, displays potent activities against the drug-resistant fungi and biofilm, negligible toxicity, and insusceptibility to antimicrobial resistance. Moreover, PGMeOx10 can break BBB retractions to exert promising antifungal functions in the brain. PGMeOx10 demonstrates potent in vivo antifungal therapeutic efficacy in mouse models including skin infection, systemic infections, and meningitis. PGMeOx10 effectively rescues infected mice and reduces fungal burden and inflammation in the brain. These results and the excellent biosafety of poly(2-oxazoline)s indicate the effectiveness and potential of our strategy to design promising antifungal agents in treating systemic infections and meningitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weinan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Min Zhou
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Sheng Chen
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Jiayang Xie
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Minzhang Chen
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Haodong Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yueming Wu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Runhui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Research Center for Biomedical Materials of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
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De Francesco MA. Drug-Resistant Aspergillus spp.: A Literature Review of Its Resistance Mechanisms and Its Prevalence in Europe. Pathogens 2023; 12:1305. [PMID: 38003770 PMCID: PMC10674884 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12111305] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections due to the Aspergillus species constitute an important challenge for human health. Invasive aspergillosis represents a life-threatening disease, mostly in patients with immune defects. Drugs used for fungal infections comprise amphotericin B, triazoles, and echinocandins. However, in the last decade, an increased emergence of azole-resistant Aspergillus strains has been reported, principally belonging to Aspergillus fumigatus species. Therefore, both the early diagnosis of aspergillosis and its epidemiological surveillance are very important to establish the correct antifungal therapy and to ensure a successful patient outcome. In this paper, a literature review is performed to analyze the prevalence of Aspergillus antifungal resistance in European countries. Amphotericin B resistance is observed in 2.6% and 10.8% of Aspergillus fumigatus isolates in Denmark and Greece, respectively. A prevalence of 84% of amphotericin B-resistant Aspergillus flavus isolates is reported in France, followed by 49.4%, 35.1%, 21.7%, and 20% in Spain, Portugal, Greece, and amphotericin B resistance of Aspergillus niger isolates is observed in Greece and Belgium with a prevalence of 75% and 12.8%, respectively. The prevalence of triazole resistance of Aspergillus fumigatus isolates, the most studied mold obtained from the included studies, is 0.3% in Austria, 1% in Greece, 1.2% in Switzerland, 2.1% in France, 3.9% in Portugal, 4.9% in Italy, 5.3% in Germany, 6.1% in Denmark, 7.4% in Spain, 8.3% in Belgium, 11% in the Netherlands, and 13.2% in the United Kingdom. The mechanism of resistance is mainly driven by the TR34/L98H mutation. In Europe, no in vivo resistance is reported for echinocandins. Future studies are needed to implement the knowledge on the spread of drug-resistant Aspergillus spp. with the aim of defining optimal treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Antonia De Francesco
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Institute of Microbiology, University of Brescia, ASST Spedali Civili, 25123 Brescia, Italy
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45
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Jones JT, Morelli KA, Vesely EM, Puerner CTS, Pavuluri CK, Ross BS, van Rhijn N, Bromley MJ, Cramer RA. The cystic fibrosis treatment Trikafta affects the growth, viability, and cell wall of Aspergillus fumigatus biofilms. mBio 2023; 14:e0151623. [PMID: 37830825 PMCID: PMC10653927 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01516-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE PwCF commonly test positive for pathogenic fungi, and more than 90% of the cystic fibrosis patient population is approved for the modulator treatment, Trikafta. Therefore, it is critical to understand how fungal communities, specifically A. fumigatus, respond to Trikafta exposure. Therefore, we sought to determine whether Trikafta impacted the biology of A. fumigatus biofilms. Our data demonstrate that Trikafta reduces biomass in several laboratory strains as well as clinical strains isolated from the expectorated sputum of pwCF. Furthermore, Trikafta reduces fungal viability and the capacity of biofilms to recover following treatment. Of particular importance, Trikafta affects how A. fumigatus biofilms respond to cell wall stressors, suggesting that Trikafta modulates components of the cell wall. Since the cell wall directly affects how a host immune system will respond to and effectively neutralize pathogens, our work, demonstrating that Trikafta impacts the A. fumigatus cell wall, is potentially highly relevant to fungal-induced disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane T. Jones
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Kaesi A. Morelli
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Elisa M. Vesely
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Charles T. S. Puerner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Chetan K. Pavuluri
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Brandon S. Ross
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Norman van Rhijn
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection, and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Antimicrobial Resistance Network, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Michael J. Bromley
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Division of Evolution, Infection, and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Antimicrobial Resistance Network, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Robert A. Cramer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
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46
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Wang L, Lu H, Jiang Y. Natural Polyketides Act as Promising Antifungal Agents. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1572. [PMID: 38002254 PMCID: PMC10669366 DOI: 10.3390/biom13111572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections present a significant risk to human health. The current arsenal of antifungal drugs is hindered by drug resistance, limited antifungal range, inadequate safety profiles, and low oral bioavailability. Consequently, there is an urgent imperative to develop novel antifungal medications for clinical application. This comprehensive review provides a summary of the antifungal properties and mechanisms exhibited by natural polyketides, encompassing macrolide polyethers, polyether polyketides, xanthone polyketides, linear polyketides, hybrid polyketide non-ribosomal peptides, and pyridine derivatives. Investigating natural polyketide compounds and their derivatives has demonstrated their remarkable efficacy and promising clinical application as antifungal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hui Lu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China;
| | - Yuanying Jiang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China;
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47
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Giamberardino CD, Tenor JL, Toffaletti DL, Palmucci JR, Schell W, Boua JVK, Marius C, Stott KE, Steele SL, Hope W, Cilla D, Perfect JR. Pharmacodynamics of ATI-2307 in a rabbit model of cryptococcal meningoencephalitis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0081823. [PMID: 37728934 PMCID: PMC10583688 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00818-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis (CM) is a devastating fungal disease with high morbidity and mortality. The current regimen that is standard-of-care involves a combination of three different drugs administered for up to one year. There is a critical need for new therapies due to both toxicity and inadequate fungicidal activity of the currently available antifungal drugs. ATI-2307 is a novel aryl amidine that disrupts the mitochondrial membrane potential and inhibits the respiratory chain complexes of fungi-it thus represents a new mechanism for direct antifungal action. Furthermore, ATI-2307 selectively targets fungal mitochondria via a fungal-specific transporter that is not present in mammalian cells. It has very potent in vitro anticryptococcal activity. In this study, the efficacy of ATI-2307 was tested in a rabbit model of CM. ATI-2307 demonstrated significant fungicidal activity at dosages between 1 and 2 mg/kg/d, and these results were superior to fluconazole and similar to amphotericin B treatment. When ATI-2307 was combined with fluconazole, the antifungal effect was greater than either therapy alone. While ATI-2307 has potent anticryptococcal activity in the subarachnoid space, its ability to reduce yeasts in the brain parenchyma was relatively less over the same study period. This new drug, with its unique mechanism of fungicidal action and ability to positively interact with an azole, has demonstrated sufficient anticryptococcal potential in this experimental setting to be further evaluated in clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles D. Giamberardino
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jennifer L. Tenor
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Dena L. Toffaletti
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Julia R. Palmucci
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Wiley Schell
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Choiselle Marius
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Katharine E. Stott
- Antimicrobial Pharmacodynamics and Therapeutics, Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | | | - William Hope
- Antimicrobial Pharmacodynamics and Therapeutics, Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Don Cilla
- Appili Therapeutics Inc., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - John R. Perfect
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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48
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van Niekerk A, Joseph MC, Kavanagh A, Dinh H, Swarts AJ, Mapolie SF, Zuegg J, Cain AK, Elliott AG, Blaskovich MAT, Frei A. The Antimicrobial Properties of Pd II - and Ru II -pyta Complexes. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300247. [PMID: 37593808 PMCID: PMC10947176 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Infections associated with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are poised to become the leading cause of death in the next few decades, a scenario that can be ascribed to two phenomena: antibiotic over-prescription and a lack of antibiotic drug development. The crowd-sourced initiative Community for Open Antimicrobial Drug Discovery (CO-ADD) has been testing research compounds contributed by researchers around the world to find new antimicrobials to combat AMR, and during this campaign has found that metallodrugs might be a promising, yet untapped source. To this end, we submitted 18 PdII - and RuII -pyridyl-1,2,3-triazolyl complexes that were developed as catalysts to assess their antimicrobial properties. It was found that the Pd complexes, especially Pd1, possessed potent antifungal activity with MICs between 0.06 and 0.125 μg mL-1 against Candida glabrata. The in-vitro studies were extended to in-vivo studies in Galleria mellonella larvae, where it was established that the compounds were nontoxic. Here, we effectively demonstrate the potential of PdII -pyta complexes as antifungal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annick van Niekerk
- Department of Chemistry and Polymer ScienceUniversity of StellenboschStellenbosch, Private bag X1, Matieland7602South Africa
| | - M. Cassiem Joseph
- Molecular Science Institute, School of ChemistryUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburg, PO Wits2050South Africa
| | - Angela Kavanagh
- Centre for Superbug Solutions Institute for Molecular BioscienceThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaQueensland4072Australia
| | - Hue Dinh
- School of Natural Sciences ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic BiologyMacquarie UniversitySydneyNSW2109Australia
| | - Andrew J. Swarts
- Molecular Science Institute, School of ChemistryUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburg, PO Wits2050South Africa
| | - Selwyn F. Mapolie
- Department of Chemistry and Polymer ScienceUniversity of StellenboschStellenbosch, Private bag X1, Matieland7602South Africa
| | - Johannes Zuegg
- Centre for Superbug Solutions Institute for Molecular BioscienceThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaQueensland4072Australia
| | - Amy K. Cain
- School of Natural Sciences ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic BiologyMacquarie UniversitySydneyNSW2109Australia
| | - Alysha G. Elliott
- Centre for Superbug Solutions Institute for Molecular BioscienceThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaQueensland4072Australia
| | - Mark A. T. Blaskovich
- Centre for Superbug Solutions Institute for Molecular BioscienceThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaQueensland4072Australia
| | - Angelo Frei
- Dept. of Chemistry, Biochemistry & Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of BernFreiestrasse 33012BernSwitzerland
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49
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Boniek D, Batista Dos Santos AF, de Resende Stoianoff MA. Detection of Cladosporium spinulosum on an engraving by Rembrandt and susceptibility profile to eco-friendly antifungal treatments. J Basic Microbiol 2023; 63:1085-1094. [PMID: 37551023 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.202300317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Interdisciplinary studies on cultural heritage artworks provide efficient solutions to control fungal growth and the negative effects of biodeterioration. In this study, we aimed to identify the population of filamentous fungi colonizing an engraving by the Dutch painter Rembrandt, whose conservation status was compromised and showed visible stains of biodeterioration. Microbiological techniques, such as cultivation-dependent approaches and molecular biology, have been used to identify fungal populations. In addition, the anaerobic atmosphere technique and eco-friendly antifungal agents, such as essential oils (EOs) of Curcuma longa, Thymus vulgaris, and Melaleuca alternifolia, were tested against the metabolically active fungal population Cladoposporium spinulosum. Furthermore, in vitro assays revealed that the interaction between the fungal strains and EO was positive, inhibiting the growth of these fungi, and the EOs from T. vulgaris and M. alternifolia showed low minimum inhibitory concentration values. Exposure to anaerobic conditions for 35 days was effective in the total elimination of isolated fungal strains. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the effectiveness of a nondestructive technique for artwork on engraving colonized by fungal strains and using EO as an alternative to toxic antifungals used in conventional treatments in artworks. Thus, this interdisciplinary study involving applied microbiology and botanical and preventive conservation presents a tool to control microbial growth while maintaining artwork integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Boniek
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Antônio Fernando Batista Dos Santos
- Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Education and Culture Foundation of Minas Gerais, FUMEC University, Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Yao L, Zhang Y, Li W, Chung C, Guan J, Zhang W, Chiang Y, Lee T. DeepAFP: An effective computational framework for identifying antifungal peptides based on deep learning. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4758. [PMID: 37595093 PMCID: PMC10503419 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Fungal infections have become a significant global health issue, affecting millions worldwide. Antifungal peptides (AFPs) have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional antifungal drugs due to their low toxicity and low propensity for inducing resistance. In this study, we developed a deep learning-based framework called DeepAFP to efficiently identify AFPs. DeepAFP fully leverages and mines composition information, evolutionary information, and physicochemical properties of peptides by employing combined kernels from multiple branches of convolutional neural network with bi-directional long short-term memory layers. In addition, DeepAFP integrates a transfer learning strategy to obtain efficient representations of peptides for improving model performance. DeepAFP demonstrates strong predictive ability on carefully curated datasets, yielding an accuracy of 93.29% and an F1-score of 93.45% on the DeepAFP-Main dataset. The experimental results show that DeepAFP outperforms existing AFP prediction tools, achieving state-of-the-art performance. Finally, we provide a downloadable AFP prediction tool to meet the demands of large-scale prediction and facilitate the usage of our framework by the public or other researchers. Our framework can accurately identify AFPs in a short time without requiring significant human and material resources, and hence can accelerate the development of AFPs as well as contribute to the treatment of fungal infections. Furthermore, our method can provide new perspectives for other biological sequence analysis tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lantian Yao
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of MedicineThe Chinese University of Hong KongShenzhenChina
- School of Science and EngineeringThe Chinese University of Hong KongShenzhenChina
| | - Yuntian Zhang
- School of MedicineThe Chinese University of Hong KongShenzhenChina
| | - Wenshuo Li
- School of Science and EngineeringThe Chinese University of Hong KongShenzhenChina
| | - Chia‐Ru Chung
- Department of Computer Science and Information EngineeringNational Central UniversityTaoyuanTaiwan
| | - Jiahui Guan
- School of MedicineThe Chinese University of Hong KongShenzhenChina
| | - Wenyang Zhang
- School of MedicineThe Chinese University of Hong KongShenzhenChina
| | - Ying‐Chih Chiang
- Kobilka Institute of Innovative Drug Discovery, School of MedicineThe Chinese University of Hong KongShenzhenChina
- School of MedicineThe Chinese University of Hong KongShenzhenChina
| | - Tzong‐Yi Lee
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Systems BiologyNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityHsinchuTaiwan
- Center for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio‐devices (IDS2B)National Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityHsinchuTaiwan
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