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Shaban S, Patel M, Ahmad A. Antifungal activity of human antimicrobial peptides targeting apoptosis in Candida auris. J Med Microbiol 2024; 73. [PMID: 38743468 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001835] [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: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction. Innovative antifungal therapies are of crucial importance to combat the potentially life-threatening infections linked to the multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen Candida auris. Induction of regulated cell death, apoptosis, could provide an outline for future therapeutics. Human antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), well-known antifungal compounds, have shown the ability to induce apoptosis in pathogenic fungi.Hypothesis/Gap Statement . Although it is known that AMPs possess antifungal activity against C. auris, their ability to induce apoptosis requires further investigations.Aim. This study evaluated the effects of AMPs on the induction of apoptosis in C. auris.Methods. Human neutrophil peptide-1 (HNP-1), human β-Defensins-3 (hBD-3) and human salivary histatin 5 (His 5) were assessed against two clinical C. auris isolates. Apoptosis hallmarks were examined using FITC-Annexin V/PI double labelling assay and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick-end labelling (TUNEL) to detect phosphatidylserine externalization and DNA fragmentation, respectively. Then, several intracellular triggers were studied using JC-10 staining, spectrophotometric assay and 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate staining to measure the mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome-c release and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, respectively.Results and conclusion. FITC-Annexin V/PI staining and TUNEL analysis revealed that exposure of C. auris cells to HNP-1 and hBD-3 triggered both early and late apoptosis, while His 5 caused significant necrosis. Furthermore, HNP-1 and hBD-3 induced significant mitochondrial membrane depolarization, which resulted in substantial cytochrome c release. In contrast to His 5, which showed minimal mitochondrial depolarization and no cytochrome c release. At last, all peptides significantly increased ROS production, which is related to both types of cell death. Therefore, these peptides represent promising and effective antifungal agents for treating invasive infections caused by multidrug-resistant C. auris.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siham Shaban
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa
| | - Mrudula Patel
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa
- Division of Infection Control, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Aijaz Ahmad
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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Ahmady L, Gothwal M, Mukkoli MM, Bari VK. Antifungal drug resistance in Candida: a special emphasis on amphotericin B. APMIS 2024; 132:291-316. [PMID: 38465406 DOI: 10.1111/apm.13389] [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: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections in humans caused by several Candida species, increased considerably in immunocompromised or critically ill patients, resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. Candida albicans is the most prevalent species, although the frequency of these organisms varies greatly according to geographic region. Infections with C. albicans and non-albicans Candida species have become more common, especially in the past 20 years, as a result of aging, immunosuppressive medication use, endocrine disorders, malnourishment, extended use of medical equipment, and an increase in immunogenic diseases. Despite C. albicans being the species most frequently associated with human infections, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, and C. krusei also have been identified. Several antifungal drugs with different modes of action are approved for use in clinical settings to treat fungal infections. However, due to the common eukaryotic structure of humans and fungi, only a limited number of antifungal drugs are available for therapeutic use. Furthermore, drug resistance in Candida species has emerged as a result of the growing use of currently available antifungal drugs against fungal infections. Amphotericin B (AmB), a polyene class of antifungal drugs, is mainly used for the treatment of serious systemic fungal infections. AmB interacts with fungal plasma membrane ergosterol, triggering cellular ion leakage via pore formation, or extracting the ergosterol from the plasma membrane inducing cellular death. AmB resistance is primarily caused by changes in the content or structure of ergosterol. This review summarizes the antifungal drug resistance exhibited by Candida species, with a special focus on AmB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lailema Ahmady
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India
| | - Manisha Gothwal
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India
| | | | - Vinay Kumar Bari
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India
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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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Ramesh S, Roy U, Roy S. The elucidation of the multimodal action of the investigational anti- Candida lipopeptide (AF 4) lead from Bacillus subtilis. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1248444. [PMID: 38131013 PMCID: PMC10736182 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1248444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Candida species are the main etiological agents for candidiasis, and Candida albicans are the most common infectious species. Candida species' growing resistance to conventional therapies necessitates more research into novel antifungal agents. Antifungal peptides isolated from microorganisms have potential applications as novel therapeutics. AF4 a Bacillus-derived lipopeptide demonstrating broad-spectrum antifungal activity has been investigated for its ability to cause cell death in Candida species via membrane damage and oxidative stress. Methods: Using biophysical techniques, the secondary structure of the AF4 lipopeptide was identified. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy with fluorescent dyes were performed to visualise the effect of the lipopeptide. The membrane disruption and permeabilization were assessed using the 1,6-diphenyl hexatriene (DPH) fluorescence assay and flow cytometric (FC) assessment of propidium iodide (PI) uptake, respectively. The reactive oxygen species levels were estimated using the FC assessment. The induction of apoptosis and DNA damage were studied using Annexin V-FITC/PI and DAPI. Results: Bacillus-derived antifungal variant AF4 was found to have structural features typical of lipopeptides. Microscopy imaging revealed that AF4 damages the surface of treated cells and results in membrane permeabilization, facilitating the uptake of the fluorescent dyes. A loss of membrane integrity was observed in cells treated with AF4 due to a decrease in DPH fluorescence and a dose-dependent increase in PI uptake. Cell damage was also determined from the log reduction of viable cells treated with AF4. AF4 treatment also caused elevated ROS levels, induced phosphatidylserine externalisation, late-stage apoptosis, and alterations to nuclear morphology revealed by DAPI fluorescence. Conclusion: Collectively, the mode of action studies revealed that AF4 acts primarily on the cell membrane of C. albicans and has the potential to act as an antifungal drug candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swetha Ramesh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, K.K. Birla Goa Campus, Goa, India
| | - Utpal Roy
- Department of Chemistry, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, K.K. Birla Goa Campus, Goa, India
| | - Subhashis Roy
- Department of Chemistry, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, K.K. Birla Goa Campus, Goa, India
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Jusuf S, Dong PT. Chromophore-Targeting Precision Antimicrobial Phototherapy. Cells 2023; 12:2664. [PMID: 37998399 PMCID: PMC10670386 DOI: 10.3390/cells12222664] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Phototherapy, encompassing the utilization of both natural and artificial light, has emerged as a dependable and non-invasive strategy for addressing a diverse range of illnesses, diseases, and infections. This therapeutic approach, primarily known for its efficacy in treating skin infections, such as herpes and acne lesions, involves the synergistic use of specific light wavelengths and photosensitizers, like methylene blue. Photodynamic therapy, as it is termed, relies on the generation of antimicrobial reactive oxygen species (ROS) through the interaction between light and externally applied photosensitizers. Recent research, however, has highlighted the intrinsic antimicrobial properties of light itself, marking a paradigm shift in focus from exogenous agents to the inherent photosensitivity of molecules found naturally within pathogens. Chemical analyses have identified specific organic molecular structures and systems, including protoporphyrins and conjugated C=C bonds, as pivotal components in molecular photosensitivity. Given the prevalence of these systems in organic life forms, there is an urgent need to investigate the potential impact of phototherapy on individual molecules expressed within pathogens and discern their contributions to the antimicrobial effects of light. This review delves into the recently unveiled key molecular targets of phototherapy, offering insights into their potential downstream implications and therapeutic applications. By shedding light on these fundamental molecular mechanisms, we aim to advance our understanding of phototherapy's broader therapeutic potential and contribute to the development of innovative treatments for a wide array of microbial infections and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Jusuf
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA;
| | - Pu-Ting Dong
- Department of Microbiology, The Forsyth Institute, Boston, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Ni Q, Wu X, Su T, Jiang C, Dong D, Wang D, Chen W, Cui Y, Peng Y. The regulatory subunits of CK2 complex mediate DNA damage response and virulence in Candida Glabrata. BMC Microbiol 2023; 23:317. [PMID: 37891489 PMCID: PMC10612253 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-03069-4] [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: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Candida glabrata which belongs to normal microbiota, has caused significant concern worldwide due to its high prevalence and drug resistance in recent years. C. glabrata has developed many strategies to evade the clearance of the host immune system, thereby causing persistent infection. Although coping with the induced DNA damage is widely acknowledged to be important, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. RESULTS The present study provides hitherto undocumented evidence of the importance of the regulatory subunits of CgCK2 (CgCkb1 and CgCkb2) in response to DNA damage. Deletion of CgCKB1 or CgCKB2 enhanced cellular apoptosis and DNA breaks and led to cell cycle delay. In addition, deficiencies in survival upon phagocytosis were observed in Δckb1 and Δckb2 strains. Consistently, disruption of CgCKB1 and CgCKB2 attenuated the virulence of C. glabrata in mouse models of invasive candidiasis. Furthermore, global transcriptional profiling analysis revealed that CgCkb1 and CgCkb2 participate in cell cycle resumption and genomic stability. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our findings suggest that the response to DNA damage stress is crucial for C. glabrata to survive in macrophages, leading to full virulence in vivo. The significance of this work lies in providing a better understanding of pathogenicity in C. glabrata-related candidiasis and expanding ideas for clinical therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Ni
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.197 Ruijin ER Road, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Xianwei Wu
- Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.725 South Wanping Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Tongxuan Su
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.197 Ruijin ER Road, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Cen Jiang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.197 Ruijin ER Road, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Danfeng Dong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.197 Ruijin ER Road, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Daosheng Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.197 Ruijin ER Road, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.197 Ruijin ER Road, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Yingchao Cui
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.197 Ruijin ER Road, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Yibing Peng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.197 Ruijin ER Road, Shanghai, 200025, China.
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Gonzalez-Jimenez I, Perlin DS, Shor E. Reactive oxidant species induced by antifungal drugs: identity, origins, functions, and connection to stress-induced cell death. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1276406. [PMID: 37900311 PMCID: PMC10602735 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1276406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Reactive oxidant species (ROS) are unstable, highly reactive molecules that are produced by cells either as byproducts of metabolism or synthesized by specialized enzymes. ROS can be detrimental, e.g., by damaging cellular macromolecules, or beneficial, e.g., by participating in signaling. An increasing body of evidence shows that various fungal species, including both yeasts and molds, increase ROS production upon exposure to the antifungal drugs currently used in the clinic: azoles, polyenes, and echinocandins. However, the implications of these findings are still largely unclear due to gaps in knowledge regarding the chemical nature, molecular origins, and functional consequences of these ROS. Because the detection of ROS in fungal cells has largely relied on fluorescent probes that lack specificity, the chemical nature of the ROS is not known, and it may vary depending on the specific fungus-drug combination. In several instances, the origin of antifungal drug-induced ROS has been identified as the mitochondria, but further experiments are necessary to strengthen this conclusion and to investigate other potential cellular ROS sources, such as the ER, peroxisomes, and ROS-producing enzymes. With respect to the function of the ROS, several studies have shown that they contribute to the drugs' fungicidal activities and may be part of drug-induced programmed cell death (PCD). However, whether these "pro-death" ROS are a primary consequence of the antifungal mechanism of action or a secondary consequence of drug-induced PCD remains unclear. Finally, several recent studies have raised the possibility that ROS induction can serve an adaptive role, promoting antifungal drug tolerance and the evolution of drug resistance. Filling these gaps in knowledge will reveal a new aspect of fungal biology and may identify new ways to potentiate antifungal drug activity or prevent the evolution of antifungal drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Gonzalez-Jimenez
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, United States
| | - David S. Perlin
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, United States
- Medical Sciences, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, NJ, United States
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Erika Shor
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ, United States
- Medical Sciences, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, NJ, United States
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Mahmoud GAE, Mayer P, Gaber DA, Ibrahim AB. Response to oxidative stress generation in Rhodotorula glutinis and Candida tropicalis by thallium dithiocarbamate complexes. INORG CHEM COMMUN 2023; 156:111283. [DOI: 10.1016/j.inoche.2023.111283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
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Madaan K, Bari VK. Emerging Role of Sphingolipids in Amphotericin B Drug Resistance. Microb Drug Resist 2023. [PMID: 37327022 DOI: 10.1089/mdr.2022.0353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections in humans are common in people with compromised immune systems and are difficult to treat, resulting in high mortality. Amphotericin B (AmB) is one of the main antifungal drugs available to treat these infections. AmB binds with plasma membrane ergosterol, causing leakage of cellular ions and promoting cell death. The increasing use of available antifungal drugs to combat pathogenic fungal infections has led to the development of drug resistance. AmB resistance is not very common and is usually caused by changes in the amount or type of ergosterol or changes in the cell wall. Intrinsic AmB resistance occurs in the absence of AmB exposure, whereas acquired AmB resistance can develop during treatment. However, clinical resistance arises due to treatment failure with AmB and depends on multiple factors such as the pharmacokinetics of AmB, infectious fungal species, and host immune status. Candida albicans is a common opportunistic pathogen that can cause superficial infections of the skin and mucosal surfaces, thrush, to life-threatening systemic or invasive infections. In addition, immunocompromised individuals are more susceptible to systemic infections caused by Candida, Aspergillus, and Cryptococcus. Several antifungal drugs with different modes of action are used to treat systemic to invasive fungal infections and are approved for clinical use in the treatment of fungal diseases. However, C. albicans can develop a variety of defenses against antifungal medications. In fungi, plasma membrane sphingolipid molecules could interact with ergosterol, which can lead to the alteration of drug susceptibilities such as AmB. In this review, we mainly summarize the role of sphingolipid molecules and their regulators in AmB resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kashish Madaan
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India
| | - Vinay Kumar Bari
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India
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Zhou Y, Meng X, Chen F, Xiong M, Zhang W, Wang KJ. Newly Discovered Antimicrobial Peptide Scyampcin 44-63 from Scylla paramamosain Exhibits a Multitargeted Candidacidal Mechanism In Vitro and Is Effective in a Murine Model of Vaginal Candidiasis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0002223. [PMID: 37162345 PMCID: PMC10269043 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00022-23] [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: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of azole-resistant and biofilm-forming Candida spp. contributes to the constantly increasing incidence of vulvovaginal candidiasis. It is imperative to explore new antifungal drugs or potential substituents, such as antimicrobial peptides, to alleviate the serious crisis caused by resistant fungi. In this study, a novel antimicrobial peptide named Scyampcin44-63 was identified in the mud crab Scylla paramamosain. Scyampcin44-63 exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi, was particularly effective against planktonic and biofilm cells of Candida albicans, and exhibited no cytotoxicity to mammalian cells (HaCaT and RAW264.7) or mouse erythrocytes. Transcriptomic analysis revealed four potential candidacidal modes of Scyampcin44-63, including promotion of apoptosis and autophagy and inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis and the cell cycle. Further study showed that Scyampcin44-63 caused damage to the plasma membrane and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G2/M in C. albicans. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that Scyampcin44-63-treated C. albicans cells were deformed with vacuolar expansion and destruction of organelles. In addition, C. albicans cells pretreated with the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine significantly delayed the candidacidal effect of Scyampcin44-63, suggesting that Scyampcin44-63 might contribute to autophagic cell death. In a murine model of vulvovaginal candidiasis, the fungal burden of vaginal lavage was significantly decreased after treatment with Scyampcin44-63.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xiangyu Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Fangyi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ming Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Weibin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ke-Jian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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Balasaheb Patil S, Khanderao Jadhav A, Kumar Sharma R, Tushar Basrani S, Chandsaheb Gavandi T, Ashok Chougule S, Ramappa Yankanchi S, Mohan Karuppayil S. Antifungal activity of Allyl isothiocyanate by targeting signal transduction pathway, ergosterol biosynthesis, and cell cycle in Candida albicans. Curr Med Mycol 2023; 9:29-38. [PMID: 38375521 PMCID: PMC10874482 DOI: 10.22034/cmm.2023.345081.1429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose In recent years, the inclusion of Candida albicans on the list of infections that pose a threat due to drug resistance has urged researchers to look into cutting-edge and effective antifungal medications. In this regard, the current study investigated the probable mode of action of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) against Candida albicans. Materials and Methods In this study, planktonic assay, germ tube inhibition assay, adhesion, and biofilm formation assay were performed to check the growth and virulence factors. Furthermore, ergosterol assay, reactive oxygen production analysis, cell cycle analysis, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis were performed with the aim of finding the mode of action. A biomedical model organism, like a silkworm, was used in an in vivo study to demonstrate AITC anti-infective ability against C. albicans infection. Results Allyl isothiocyanate completely inhibited ergosterol biosynthesis in C. albicans at 0.125 mg/ml. Allyl isothiocyanate produces reactive oxygen species in both planktonic and biofilm cells of C. albicans. At 0.125 mg/ml concentration, AITC arrested cells at the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, which may induce apoptosis in C. albicans. In quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis, it was found that AITC inhibited virulence factors, like germ tube formation, at 0.125 mg/ml concentration by downregulation of PDE2, CEK1, TEC1 by 2.54-, 1.91-, and 1.04-fold change, respectively, and upregulation of MIG1, NRG1, and TUP1 by 9.22-, 3.35-, and 7.80-fold change, respectively. The in vivo study showed that AITC treatment successfully protected silkworms against C. albicans infections and increased their survival rate by preventing internal colonization by C. albicans. Conclusion In vitro and in vivo studies revealed that AITC can be an alternative therapeutic option for the treatment of C. albicans infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani Balasaheb Patil
- Patil Education Society (Deemed to be University), Kolhapur-416-006, Maharashtra, India
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and Medical Biotechnology Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Maharashtra, India
| | - Ashwini Khanderao Jadhav
- Patil Education Society (Deemed to be University), Kolhapur-416-006, Maharashtra, India
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and Medical Biotechnology Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Maharashtra, India
| | - Rakesh Kumar Sharma
- Patil Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Kadamwadi-416012-, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sargun Tushar Basrani
- Patil Education Society (Deemed to be University), Kolhapur-416-006, Maharashtra, India
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and Medical Biotechnology Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Maharashtra, India
| | - Tanjila Chandsaheb Gavandi
- Patil Education Society (Deemed to be University), Kolhapur-416-006, Maharashtra, India
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and Medical Biotechnology Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sayali Ashok Chougule
- Patil Education Society (Deemed to be University), Kolhapur-416-006, Maharashtra, India
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and Medical Biotechnology Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Maharashtra, India
| | | | - Sankunny Mohan Karuppayil
- Patil Education Society (Deemed to be University), Kolhapur-416-006, Maharashtra, India
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and Medical Biotechnology Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Maharashtra, India
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Kim S, Kim SH, Kweon E, Kim J. Apoptotic Factors, CaNma111 and CaYbh3, Function in Candida albicans Filamentation by Regulating the Hyphal Suppressors, Nrg1 and Tup1. J Microbiol 2023; 61:403-409. [PMID: 36972003 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-023-00034-8] [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: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
The morphological switch from the yeast to hyphal form is a key virulence attribute of the opportunistic fungal pathogen, Candida albicans. Our recent report showed that deletion of the newly identified apoptotic factor, CaNma111 or CaYbh3, leads to hyperfilamentation and increased virulence in a mouse infection model. CaNma111 and CaYbh3 are homologs of the pro-apoptotic protease, HtrA2/Omi, and BH3-only protein, respectively. In this study, we examined the effects of CaNMA111 and CaYBH3 deletion mutations on the expression levels of the hypha-specific transcription factors, Cph1 (a hyphal activator), Nrg1 (a hyphal repressor), and Tup1 (a hyphal repressor). The protein levels of Nrg1 were decreased in Caybh3/Caybh3 cells while those of Tup1 were decreased in both Canma111/Canma111 and Caybh3/Caybh3 cells. These effects on Nrg1 and Tup1 proteins were retained during serum-induced filamentation and appear to explain the hyperfilamentation phenotypes of the CaNMA111 and CaYBH3 deletion mutants. Treatment with the apoptosis-inducing dose of farnesol decreased the Nrg1 protein levels in the wild-type strain and more evidently in Canma111/Canma111 and Caybh3/Caybh3 mutant strains. Together, our results suggest that CaNma111 and CaYbh3 are key regulators of Nrg1 and Tup1 protein levels in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suyoung Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Se Hyeon Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunjoong Kweon
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinmi Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea.
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Qin YL, Zhang SB, Ding WZ, Lv YY, Zhai HC, Wei S, Ma PA, Hu YS. The effect of volatile compounds of Syzygium aromaticum flower buds against Aspergillus flavus growth on wheat grain at postharvest stage. Food Control 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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14
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Potential Activity of Arthrospira platensis as Antioxidant, Cytotoxic and Antifungal against Some Skin Diseases: Topical Cream Application. Mar Drugs 2023; 21:md21030160. [PMID: 36976209 PMCID: PMC10058287 DOI: 10.3390/md21030160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This research evaluated the antifungal effectiveness of Arthrospira platensis ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate and acetone extracts against the tested pathogenic fungi (Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum and Malassezia furfur). Antioxidant and cytotoxicity effectiveness of A. platensis extracts against four distinct cell lines were also assessed. Methanol extract of A. platensis exhibited the highest inhibition zones against Candida albicans as measured by the well diffusion method. A transmission electron micrograph of the treated group of Candida cells with A. platensis methanolic extract showed mild lysis and vacuolation of the cytoplasmic organelles. In vivo, after induced infection of mice by C. albicans and treatment with A. platensis methanolic extract cream, the skin layer emerged with the removal of Candida spherical plastopores. The extract of A. platensis recorded the highest antioxidant activity using the DPPH (2, 2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging method (IC50 28 mg/mL). A cytotoxicity test using a MTT assay showed that the A. platensis extract had strong cytotoxic activity against the HepG2 cell line (IC50 20.56 ± 1.7 μg/mL) and moderate cytotoxic activity against MCF7 and the Hela cell (IC50 27.99 ± 2.1 μg/mL). Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy (GC/MS) results revealed that the effective activity of A. platensis extract could be linked to a synergistic impact between their prominent composition as alkaloids, phytol, fatty acids hydrocarbons, phenolics and phthalates. A. platensis extract contains active metabolites that constitute a promising source of antifungal, antioxidant and anti-proliferative compounds for the pharmaceutical drug industry.
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Liu Q, Wang H, Ge J, Li L, Luo J, He K, Yan H, Zhang X, Tahir R, Luo W, Chen S, Cheng Z, Zhao L, Yang S. Chronic hypoxia and Cu 2+ exposure induce gill remodeling of largemouth bass through endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial damage and apoptosis. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 255:106373. [PMID: 36630844 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2022.106373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Hypoxia and Cu2+ pollution often occur simultaneously in aquatic ecosystems and jointly affect physiology of fish. As the respiratory and ion exchange tissue of fish, how gill responds to the stress induced by these two abiotic environmental factors is still unclear. We have conducted a study by exposing largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) to hypoxia (2.0 mg·L-1) and/or Cu2+ (0.5 mg·L-1) for 28 days to answer this question. We subsequently studied respiratory rate, Cu2+ transport, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, mitochondrial damage, and morphology in gill tissue on day 7, 14, 21 and 28. We found that hypoxia exposure increased the respiratory rate of largemouth bass, reflecting the response of largemouth bass to cope with hypoxia. Of note, Cu2+ entered gill by specifically binding to CTR1 and its accumulation dramatically in gill disrupted the response of largemouth bass to hypoxia. Hypoxia and/or Cu2+ exposure led to ER stress and mitochondrial damage in gills of largemouth bass. ER stress and mitochondrial damage induced apoptosis by activating caspase-8 and caspase-9 signaling pathways, respectively. Apoptosis induced by hypoxia and Cu2+ exposure had a positive and synergistic effect on gill remodeling by reducing interlamellar cell masses. In addition, Cu2+ exposure induced hypoxia-like remodeling to gill morphology through mechanisms similar to hypoxia exposure. Most of gene expression changed mainly within 21 days and recovered to the control level on day 28, reflecting the acclimation of largemouth bass to hypoxia and/or Cu2+ exposure at gene expression level. Overall, our research suggests that chronic hypoxia and Cu2+ exposure could induce gill remodeling of largemouth bass through ER stress, mitochondrial damage and apoptosis. The outcomes could provide an insight for fish environmental adaptation and environmental toxicology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Hong Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Jiayu Ge
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Lisen Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Jie Luo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Kuo He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Haoxiao Yan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Rabia Tahir
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Wei Luo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Shiyi Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Zhang Cheng
- College of Environment, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Liulan Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China
| | - Song Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611130, China.
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16
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Secretions from Serratia marcescens Inhibit the Growth and Biofilm Formation of Candida spp. and Cryptococcus neoformans. J Microbiol 2023; 61:221-232. [PMID: 36809632 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-022-00007-3] [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: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Candida spp. and Cryptococcus are conditional pathogenic fungi that commonly infect immunocompromised patients. Over the past few decades, the increase in antifungal resistance has prompted the development of new antifungal agents. In this study, we explored the potential antifungal effects of secretions from Serratia marcescens on Candida spp. and Cryptococcus neoformans. We confirmed that the supernatant of S. marcescens inhibited fungal growth, suppressed hyphal and biofilm formation, and downregulated the expression of hyphae-specific genes and virulence-related genes in Candida spp. and C. neoformans. Furthermore, the S. marcescens supernatant retained biological stability after heat, pH, and protease K treatment. The chemical profile of the S. marcescens supernatant was characterized by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-linear ion trap/orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry analysis and a total of 61 compounds with an mzCloud best match of greater than 70 were identified. In vivo, treatment with the S. marcescens supernatant reduced the mortality of fungi-infected Galleria mellonella. Taken together, our results revealed that the stable antifungal substances in the supernatant of S. marcescens have promising potential applications in the development of new antifungal agents.
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Pang C, Chen J, Liu S, Cao Y, Miao H. In vitro antifungal activity of Shikonin against Candida albicans by inducing cellular apoptosis and necrosis. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:1079-1087. [PMID: 36385666 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-08093-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our previous studies showed that Shikonin (SK) had a strong anti-Candida albican (C. albicans) activity, especially against some fluconazole-resistant strains, which is probably due to the oxidative damage of SK to C. albicans. METHODS AND RESULTS In this study, we expanded the antifungal spectrum and evaluate the toxicity of SK. The results indicated that SK also exhibited potent invitro antifungal activities against other pathogenic fungi such as other Candida, Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, and Dermatophytes, but did not display apparent toxicity to the mammalian cells, suggesting that SK is safe to be a potential antifungal drug. Furtherly, we analyze the exact mechanism of SK against C. albicans. We found that SK could induce a series of apoptosis characteristics, including phosphatidylserine externalization, chromatin condensation and fragmentation, decreased cytochrome c oxidase activity as well as caspase activation. CONCLUSIONS In summary, this study highlighted the antifungal activity and mechanism of SK against C. albicans, providing a potential therapeutic strategy for C. albicans infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Pang
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, China
| | - Jianshuang Chen
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, China
| | - Shuangyan Liu
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, China
| | - Yingying Cao
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Hao Miao
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, China.
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Kim C, Kim JG, Kim KY. Anti- Candida Potential of Sclareol in Inhibiting Growth, Biofilm Formation, and Yeast-Hyphal Transition. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9010098. [PMID: 36675919 PMCID: PMC9862543 DOI: 10.3390/jof9010098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Even though Candida albicans commonly colonizes on most mucosal surfaces including the vaginal and gastrointestinal tract, it can cause candidiasis as an opportunistic infectious fungus. The emergence of resistant Candida strains and the toxicity of anti-fungal agents have encouraged the development of new classes of potential anti-fungal agents. Sclareol, a labdane-type diterpene, showed anti-Candida activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 50 μg/mL in 24 h based on a microdilution anti-fungal susceptibility test. Cell membrane permeability with propidium iodide staining and mitochondrial membrane potential with JC-1 staining were increased in C. albicans by treatment of sclareol. Sclareol also suppressed the hyphal formation of C. albicans in both liquid and solid media, and reduced biofilm formation. Taken together, sclareol induces an apoptosis-like cell death against Candida spp. and suppressed biofilm and hyphal formation in C. albicans. Sclareol is of high interest as a novel anti-fungal agent and anti-virulence factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaerim Kim
- Department of Life Science, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Goo Kim
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yingin 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki-Young Kim
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yingin 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
- College of Life Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-312012633
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19
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Kireeva N, Galkina K, Sokolov S, Knorre D. Role of Dead Cells in Collective Stress Tolerance in Microbial Communities: Evidence from Yeast. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2022; 87:1528-1534. [PMID: 36717444 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297922120100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
A substantial part of yeast life cycle takes place in the communities where the cells are surrounded by their own clones. Meanwhile, yeast cell fitness depends not only on its own adaptations but also on the processes in the neighboring cells. Moreover, even if a cell loses its clonogenic ability, it is still capable of protecting surrounding cells that are still alive. Dead cells can absorb lipophilic antibiotics and provide nutrients to their kin neighbors. Some enzymes can be released into the environment and detoxify exogenous toxins. For example, cytosolic catalase, which degrades hydrogen peroxide, can stay active outside of the cell. Inviable cells of pathogenic yeast species can suppress host immune responses and, in this way, boost spread of the pathogen. In this review, we speculate that biochemical processes in dying cells can facilitate increase of stress resistance in the alive kin cells and therefore be a subject of natural selection. We considered possible scenarios of how dead microbial cells can increase survival of their kin using unicellular fungi - baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae - as an example. We conclude that the evolutionary conserved mechanisms of programmed cell death in yeast are likely to include a module of early permeabilization of the cell plasma membrane rather than preserve its integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataliia Kireeva
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia. .,Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Kseniia Galkina
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Sviatoslav Sokolov
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Dmitry Knorre
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
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20
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Synergistic activity of pomegranate rind extract and Zn (II) against Candida albicans under planktonic and biofilm conditions, and a mechanistic insight based upon intracellular ROS induction. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19560. [PMID: 36379967 PMCID: PMC9666354 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21995-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans (C. albicans) is an opportunistic pathogen, which causes superficial infection and can lead to mortal systemic infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. The incidence of C. albicans infections is increasing and there are a limited number of antifungal drugs used in treatment. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new and alternative antifungal drugs. Pomegranate rind extract (PRE) is known for its broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities, including against C. albicans and recently, PRE and Zn (II) have been shown to induce synergistic antimicrobial activity against various microbes. In this study, the inhibitory activities of PRE, Zn (II) and PRE in combination with Zn (II) were evaluated against C. albicans. Antifungal activities of PRE and Zn (II) were evaluated using conventional microdilution methods and the interaction between these compounds was assessed by in vitro checkerboard and time kill assays in planktonic cultures. The anti-biofilm activities of PRE, Zn (II) and PRE in combination with Zn (II) were assessed using confocal laser scanning microscopy, with quantitative analysis of biofilm biomass and mean thickness analysed using COMSTAT2 analysis. In addition, antimicrobial interactions between PRE and Zn (II) were assayed in terms reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by C. albicans. PRE and Zn (II) showed a potent antifungal activity against C. albicans, with MIC values of 4 mg/mL and 1.8 mg/mL, respectively. PRE and Zn (II) in combination exerted a synergistic antifungal effect, as confirmed by the checkerboard and time kill assays. PRE, Zn (II) and PRE and Zn (II) in combination gave rise to significant reductions in biofilm biomass, although only PRE caused a significant reduction in mean biofilm thickness. The PRE and Zn (II) in combination caused the highest levels of ROS production by C. albicans, in both planktonic and biofilm forms. The induction of excess ROS accumulation in C. albicans may help explain the synergistic activity of PRE and Zn (II) in combination against C. albicans in both planktonic and biofilm forms. Moreover, the data support the potential of the PRE and Zn (II) combination as a novel potential anti-Candida therapeutic system.
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Haslene‐Hox H, Nærdal GK, Mørch Y, Hageskal G, Tøndervik A, Turøy AV, Johnsen H, Klinkenberg G, Sletta H. High-throughput assay for effect screening of amphotericin B and bioactive components on filamentous Candida albicans. J Appl Microbiol 2022; 133:3113-3125. [PMID: 35947058 PMCID: PMC9804330 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
AIMS The aim of this study was to develop a high-throughput robotic microtiter plate-based screening assay for Candida albicans, optimizing growth conditions to replicate the filamentous biofilm growth found in vivo, and subsequently, to demonstrate the assay by evaluating the effect of nutritional drinks alone and in combination with the antifungal amphotericin B (AmB). METHODS AND RESULTS Candida albicans cultured in a defined growth medium showed filamentous growth in microcolonies, mimicking the morphology of oral mucosal disease (oral candidiasis). Addition of nutrient drinks containing fruit juices, fish oil and whey protein to the medium resulted in changed morphology and promoted growth as free yeast cells and with weak biofilm structures. Minimum inhibitory concentration of AmB on the biofilms was 0.25 μg ml-1 , and this was eightfold reduced (0.0038 μg ml-1 ) in the presence of the nutritional drinks. CONCLUSIONS The established assay demonstrated applicability for screening of antifungal and anti-biofilm effects of bioactive substances on C. albicans biofilm with clinically relevant morphology. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY Candida albicans is the causative agent of the majority of fungal infections globally. The filamentous morphology of C. albicans and the ability to form biofilm are traits known to increase virulence and resistance towards antifungals. This study describes the development of a plate-based in vitro screening method mimicking the filamentous morphology of C. albicans found in vivo. The assay established can thus facilitate efficient antifungal drug discovery and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanne Haslene‐Hox
- Department of Biotechnology and NanomedicineSINTEF ASTrondheimNorway
| | - Guro Kruge Nærdal
- Department of Biotechnology and NanomedicineSINTEF ASTrondheimNorway
| | - Yrr Mørch
- Department of Biotechnology and NanomedicineSINTEF ASTrondheimNorway
| | - Gunhild Hageskal
- Department of Biotechnology and NanomedicineSINTEF ASTrondheimNorway
| | - Anne Tøndervik
- Department of Biotechnology and NanomedicineSINTEF ASTrondheimNorway
| | | | - Heidi Johnsen
- Department of Biotechnology and NanomedicineSINTEF ASTrondheimNorway
| | - Geir Klinkenberg
- Department of Biotechnology and NanomedicineSINTEF ASTrondheimNorway
| | - Håvard Sletta
- Department of Biotechnology and NanomedicineSINTEF ASTrondheimNorway
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Wang H, Peng Z, Wang C, Zhu Y, Xia F, Sun H. Thymol and
trans
‐cinnamaldehyde induce apoptosis through a metacaspase‐dependent mitochondrial pathway in food‐spoilage yeast
Zygosaccharomyces rouxii. J Food Sci 2022; 87:4119-4136. [DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.16285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Huxuan Wang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering Shaanxi University of Science and Technology Xi'an Shaanxi China
| | - Zhonghua Peng
- School of Food and Biological Engineering Shaanxi University of Science and Technology Xi'an Shaanxi China
| | - Cong Wang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering Shaanxi University of Science and Technology Xi'an Shaanxi China
| | - Yanan Zhu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering Shaanxi University of Science and Technology Xi'an Shaanxi China
| | - Fei Xia
- School of Food and Biological Engineering Shaanxi University of Science and Technology Xi'an Shaanxi China
| | - Hongmin Sun
- School of Food and Biological Engineering Shaanxi University of Science and Technology Xi'an Shaanxi China
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23
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Haro-Reyes T, Díaz-Peralta L, Galván-Hernández A, Rodríguez-López A, Rodríguez-Fragoso L, Ortega-Blake I. Polyene Antibiotics Physical Chemistry and Their Effect on Lipid Membranes; Impacting Biological Processes and Medical Applications. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:membranes12070681. [PMID: 35877884 PMCID: PMC9316096 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12070681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
This review examined a collection of studies regarding the molecular properties of some polyene antibiotic molecules as well as their properties in solution and in particular environmental conditions. We also looked into the proposed mechanism of action of polyenes, where membrane properties play a crucial role. Given the interest in polyene antibiotics as therapeutic agents, we looked into alternative ways of reducing their collateral toxicity, including semi-synthesis of derivatives and new formulations. We follow with studies on the role of membrane structure and, finally, recent developments regarding the most important clinical applications of these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammy Haro-Reyes
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad s/n, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62210, Morelos, Mexico; (T.H.-R.); (L.D.-P.); (A.G.-H.)
| | - Lucero Díaz-Peralta
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad s/n, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62210, Morelos, Mexico; (T.H.-R.); (L.D.-P.); (A.G.-H.)
| | - Arturo Galván-Hernández
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad s/n, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62210, Morelos, Mexico; (T.H.-R.); (L.D.-P.); (A.G.-H.)
| | - Anahi Rodríguez-López
- Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca 62210, Morelos, Mexico; (A.R.-L.); (L.R.-F.)
| | - Lourdes Rodríguez-Fragoso
- Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca 62210, Morelos, Mexico; (A.R.-L.); (L.R.-F.)
| | - Iván Ortega-Blake
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad s/n, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62210, Morelos, Mexico; (T.H.-R.); (L.D.-P.); (A.G.-H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +52-77-7329-1762
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24
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Shivarathri R, Jenull S, Chauhan M, Singh A, Mazumdar R, Chowdhary A, Kuchler K, Chauhan N. Comparative Transcriptomics Reveal Possible Mechanisms of Amphotericin B Resistance in Candida auris. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0227621. [PMID: 35652307 PMCID: PMC9211394 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02276-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant human fungal pathogen often refractory to treatment by all classes of antifungal drugs. Amphotericin B (AmB) is a fungicidal drug that, despite its toxic side effects, remains a drug of choice for the treatment of drug-resistant fungal infections, including those caused by C. auris. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying AmB resistance are poorly understood. In this study, we present data that suggests membrane lipid alterations and chromatin modifications are critical processes that may contribute to or cause adaptive AmB resistance in clinical C. auris isolates. To determine the plausible cause of increased AmB resistance, we performed RNA-seq of AmB-resistant and sensitive C. auris isolates. Remarkably, AmB-resistant strains show a pronounced enrichment of genes involved in lipid and ergosterol biosynthesis, adhesion, drug transport as well as chromatin remodeling. The transcriptomics data confirm increased adhesion and reduced lipid membrane permeability of AmB-resistant strains compared to the sensitive isolates. The AmB-resistant strains also display hyper-resistance to cell wall perturbing agents, including Congo red, calcofluor white and caffeine. Additionally, we noticed an increased phosphorylation of Mkc1 cell integrity MAP kinase upon AmB treatment. Collectively, these data identify differences in the transcriptional landscapes of AmB-resistant versus AmB-sensitive isolates and provide a framework for the mechanistic understanding of AmB resistance in C. auris.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raju Shivarathri
- Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Sabrina Jenull
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Max Perutz Labs Vienna, Campus Vienna Biocenter, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Functional Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Manju Chauhan
- Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Ashutosh Singh
- Medical Mycology Unit, Department of Microbiology, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
- National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance in Fungal Pathogens, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Rounik Mazumdar
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Max Perutz Labs Vienna, Campus Vienna Biocenter, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anuradha Chowdhary
- Medical Mycology Unit, Department of Microbiology, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
- National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance in Fungal Pathogens, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Karl Kuchler
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Max Perutz Labs Vienna, Campus Vienna Biocenter, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Neeraj Chauhan
- Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, USA
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25
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Pezzotti G, Kobara M, Nakaya T, Imamura H, Asai T, Miyamoto N, Adachi T, Yamamoto T, Kanamura N, Ohgitani E, Marin E, Zhu W, Nishimura I, Mazda O, Nakata T, Makimura K. Raman Study of Pathogenic Candida auris: Imaging Metabolic Machineries in Reaction to Antifungal Drugs. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:896359. [PMID: 35694304 PMCID: PMC9175029 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.896359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The multidrug-resistant Candida auris often defies treatments and presently represents a worldwide public health threat. Currently, the ergosterol-targeting Amphotericin B (AmB) and the DNA/RNA-synthesis inhibitor 5-flucytosine (5-FC) are the two main drugs available for first-line defense against life-threatening Candida auris infections. However, important aspects of their mechanisms of action require further clarification, especially regarding metabolic reactions of yeast cells. Here, we applied Raman spectroscopy empowered with specifically tailored machine-learning algorithms to monitor and to image in situ the susceptibility of two Candida auris clades to different antifungal drugs (LSEM 0643 or JCM15448T, belonging to the East Asian Clade II; and, LSEM 3673 belonging to the South African Clade III). Raman characterizations provided new details on the mechanisms of action against Candida auris Clades II and III, while also unfolding differences in their metabolic reactions to different drugs. AmB treatment induced biofilm formation in both clades, but the formed biofilms showed different structures: a dense and continuous biofilm structure in Clade II, and an extra-cellular matrix with a “fluffy” and discontinuous structure in Clade III. Treatment with 5-FC caused no biofilm formation but yeast-to-hyphal or pseudo-hyphal morphogenesis in both clades. Clade III showed a superior capacity in reducing membrane permeability to the drug through chemically tailoring chitin structure with a high degree of acetylation and fatty acids networks with significantly elongated chains. This study shows the suitability of the in situ Raman method in characterizing susceptibility and stress response of different C. auris clades to antifungal drugs, thus opening a path to identifying novel clinical solutions counteracting the spread of these alarming pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Pezzotti
- Ceramic Physics Laboratory, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Dental Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
- The Center for Advanced Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- *Correspondence: Giuseppe Pezzotti
| | - Miyuki Kobara
- Division of Pathological Science, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tamaki Nakaya
- Ceramic Physics Laboratory, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hayata Imamura
- Ceramic Physics Laboratory, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tenma Asai
- Ceramic Physics Laboratory, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Nao Miyamoto
- Department of Dental Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Adachi
- Department of Dental Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Toshiro Yamamoto
- Department of Dental Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Narisato Kanamura
- Department of Dental Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Eriko Ohgitani
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Elia Marin
- Ceramic Physics Laboratory, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Dental Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Wenliang Zhu
- Ceramic Physics Laboratory, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ichiro Nishimura
- Division of Advanced Prosthodontics, The Jane and Jerry Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Osam Mazda
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Nakata
- Division of Pathological Science, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Koichi Makimura
- Medical Mycology, Graduate School of Medicine, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
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26
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Roles of the pro-apoptotic factors CaNma111 and CaYbh3 in apoptosis and virulence of Candida albicans. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7574. [PMID: 35534671 PMCID: PMC9085738 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11682-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans, a commensal and opportunistic pathogen, undergoes apoptosis in response to various stimuli, including hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid, and antifungal agents. Apoptotic processes are highly conserved among mammals, plants, and fungi, but little is known about the apoptosis-regulating factors in C. albicans. In this study, C. albicans homologs of the putative apoptosis factors were identified by database screening followed by overexpression analysis. CaNma111, a homolog of the pro-apoptotic mammalian HtrA2/Omi, and CaYbh3, a homolog of BH3-only protein, yielded increased apoptotic phenotypes upon overexpression. We showed that CaNma111 and CaYbh3 functions as pro-apoptotic regulators by examining intracellular ROS accumulation, DNA end breaks (TUNEL assay), and cell survival in Canma111/Canma111 and Caybh3/Caybh3 deletion strains. We found that the protein level of CaBir1, an inhibitor-of-apoptosis (IAP) protein, was down-regulated by CaNma111. Interestingly, the Canma111/Canma111 and Caybh3/Caybh3 deletion strains showed hyperfilamentation phenotypes and increased virulence in a mouse infection model. Together, our results suggest that CaNma111 and CaYbh3 play key regulatory roles in the apoptosis and virulence of C. albicans.
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27
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Liu X, Guo C, Zhuang K, Chen W, Zhang M, Dai Y, Tan L, Ran Y. A recyclable and light-triggered nanofibrous membrane against the emerging fungal pathogen Candida auris. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010534. [PMID: 35613180 PMCID: PMC9173615 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The emerging "super fungus" Candida auris has become an important threat to human health due to its pandrug resistance and high lethality. Therefore, the development of novel antimicrobial strategy is essential. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has excellent performance in clinical applications. However, the relevant study on antifungal activity and the mechanism involved against C. auris remains scarce. Herein, a recyclable and biodegradable polylactic acid-hypocrellin A (PLA-HA) nanofibrous membrane is newly developed. In vitro PLA-HA-aPDT could significantly reduce the survival rate of C. auris plankton and its biofilms, and the fungicidal effect of the membrane is still significant after four repeated uses. Simultaneously, PLA-HA exhibits good biocompatibility and low hemolysis. In vivo experiments show that PLA-HA-aPDT can promote C. auris-infected wound healing, reduce inflammatory response, and without obvious toxic side-effects. Further results reveal that PLA-HA-aPDT could increase endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, release of cytochrome C, activation of metacaspase, and nuclear fragmentation, thereby triggering apoptosis of C. auris. Compared with HA, PLA-HA shows stronger controllability and reusability, which can greatly improve the utilization efficiency of HA alone. Taken together, the efficacy, safety and antifungal activity make PLA-HA-aPDT a highly promising antifungal candidate for skin or mucous membrane C. auris infection. It is urgent to develop new antifungal strategies to address the problem of Candida auris infection and drug resistance. Previous studies have revealed that antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) based on natural products, such as hypocrellin A (HA), is a promising method in clinical applications. However, equivalent studies of aPDT on antifungal activity and its mechanism against C. auris remain scarce. Herein, we successfully prepared a recyclable, biodegradable, and light-driven antifungal PLA-HA nanofibrous membrane through the electrospinning technique. C. auris infection has been treated by aPDT in vitro and in vivo for the first time, especially HA-mediated aPDT. In vitro and in vivo experiments have provided sufficient lines of evidence that PLA-HA is a promising antifungal material for superficial C. auris infections due to its antifungal effect and excellent biocompatibility. Notably, there still remains a very high antifungal activity after utilizing PLA-HA four times. In addition, this study clarifies that the anti-C. auris mechanism of PLA-HA, namely, PLA-HA-mediated aPDT, is attributed to the formation of intracellular ROS, resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction and a decline in the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, releasing cytochrome C from mitochondria to the cytoplasm, promoting the activation of metacaspase, and inducing nuclear condensation and fragmentation of C. auris, thus triggering yeast cell apoptosis. This study lays a foundation for developing new antimicrobial nanofibrous dressings mediated by aPDT and provides an alternative strategy for the treatment of local fungal infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyao Liu
- Department of Dermatovenereology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Academician Workstation of Wanqing Liao, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chuan Guo
- College of Biomass Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Kaiwen Zhuang
- Department of Dermatovenereology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Academician Workstation of Wanqing Liao, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas United States of America
| | - Muqiu Zhang
- Department of Dermatovenereology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Academician Workstation of Wanqing Liao, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yalin Dai
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lin Tan
- College of Biomass Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- * E-mail: (LT); (YR)
| | - Yuping Ran
- Department of Dermatovenereology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Academician Workstation of Wanqing Liao, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- * E-mail: (LT); (YR)
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Molecular Characterization and the Essential Biological Function of the Metal Chaperone Protein MtmA in Aspergillus fumigatus. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0018222. [PMID: 35435716 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00182-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The detoxification system of reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays critical roles in the survival and virulence of fungal pathogens in infected hosts, while superoxide dismutase (SOD) is the primary ROS scavenger. In the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the metal chaperone protein Mtm1 is required for mitochondrial Sod2 activation and responses to oxidative stress. However, the function of the S. cerevisiae Mtm1 homolog in the human fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus has not yet been clarified. In this study, we found that mitochondria-localized MtmA in A. fumigatus, a putative homolog of yeast Mtm1, not only has a similar function to Mtm1 in responding to oxidative stress resistance by affecting SodB (MnSOD) activity but is also essential for hyphal growth such that repressed expression of MtmA results in severe growth defects in A. fumigatus. In addition, the chelation of Zn2+ can obviously rescue growth defects caused by repression of MtmA, suggesting that MtmA may be involved in hyphal growth by affecting cellular Zn2+ detoxification. Moreover, MtmA contains four Mito-carr domains, whereas only the first Mito-carr domain is required for the function of MtmA. Therefore, the findings in this study suggest that MtmA in A. fumigatus has an important and unique function that is different from that in yeast. IMPORTANCE Knowledge of the key factors required for the viability of pathogenic fungi can help to explore new antifungal drugs. Here, we demonstrate that MtmA is involved in responding to oxidative stress by activating mitochondrial SodB activity. MtmA, especially for the first Mito-carr domain, is essential for colony growth by regulating cellular Zn2+ equilibrium and responses to oxidative stress in A. fumigatus. This is the first report of the vital and unique role of the MtmA protein in pathogenic fungi, indicating that it might be a potential antifungal drug target.
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29
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Yue H, Xu X, He S, Cui X, Guo Y, Zhao J, Peng B, Liu Q. Antifungal Mechanisms of a Chinese Herbal Medicine, Cao Huang Gui Xiang, Against Candida Species. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:813818. [PMID: 35355715 PMCID: PMC8959912 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.813818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cao Huang Gui Xiang (CHGX) formula, a Chinese herbal medicine, has been empirically used for the treatment of Candida infections. In the present study, we discovered that the CHGX showed potent antifungal activities against the major human fungal pathogen Candida albicans and other clinical Candida species. Besides, we indicated that CHGX had in vivo efficacy on treating C. albicans infection in mice without noticeable toxicity at the clinical therapeutic concentration. We then set out to investigate the antifungal mechanisms of CHGX against C. albicans. We found that CHGX played an important role in inhibiting biofilm formation and filament development, two critical virulence factors of C. albicans. We further demonstrated that CHGX disrupted cell membrane integrity, triggered the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and consumption of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), followed by a rapid fungal cell death in C. albicans. Multiple pathways, including the conserved Ras1-cAMP pathway and mitochondrial protein Mcu1 are involved in CHGX-induced cell death. Our finding expands the understanding of antifungal mechanism of CHGX against C. albicans, and provides new insights in treating patients with Candida infections in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huizhen Yue
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Basic Research with Traditional Chinese Medicine on Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolong Xu
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Basic Research with Traditional Chinese Medicine on Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Shasha He
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Basic Research with Traditional Chinese Medicine on Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Xuran Cui
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Basic Research with Traditional Chinese Medicine on Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhong Guo
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Basic Research with Traditional Chinese Medicine on Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Jingxia Zhao
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Basic Research with Traditional Chinese Medicine on Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Bing Peng
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Qingquan Liu
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Basic Research with Traditional Chinese Medicine on Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China
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30
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Wang J, Cai B, Li K, Zhao Y, Li C, Liu S, Xiang D, Zhang L, Xie J, Wang W. Biological Control of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 in Banana Plantlets Using Newly Isolated Streptomyces sp. WHL7 from Marine Soft Coral. PLANT DISEASE 2022; 106:254-259. [PMID: 34433317 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-06-21-1275-re] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Banana Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense is a disastrous fungal disease. Foc tropical race 4 (Foc TR4) infects almost all banana cultivars. Use of chemical fungicides caused serious environment pollution. Biological control with antagonistic microbes is a promising strategy for controlling Foc TR4. Here, strain WHL7 isolated from marine soft coral exhibited a high antifungal activity against Foc TR4. Based on the morphological and physicochemical profiles as well as the phylogenetic tree, the strain was assigned to Streptomyces sp. Fermentation broth of Streptomyces sp. WHL7 significantly increased the resistance of banana plantlets to Foc TR4 in the pot experiment. Analysis of antifungal mechanism showed that strain WHL7 extracts inhibited spore germination and mycelial growth of Foc TR4, and destroyed cell integrity and ultrastructure. Hence, Streptomyces sp. WHL7 is an important bioresource for exploring novel natural products and biofertilizer to manage Foc TR4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal and Plant Ecology of Hainan Province, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China
| | - Bingyu Cai
- Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal and Plant Ecology of Hainan Province, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China
| | - Kai Li
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China
| | - Yankun Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China
| | - Chunyu Li
- Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research of Guangdong Province, Institution of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510640, China
| | - Siwen Liu
- Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research of Guangdong Province, Institution of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510640, China
| | - Dandan Xiang
- Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research of Guangdong Province, Institution of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510640, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal and Plant Ecology of Hainan Province, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China
| | - Jianghui Xie
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China
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31
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Yun B, King M, Draz MS, Kline T, Rodriguez-Palacios A. Oxidative reactivity across kingdoms in the gut: Host immunity, stressed microbiota and oxidized foods. Free Radic Biol Med 2022; 178:97-110. [PMID: 34843918 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2021.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species play a major role in the induction of programmed cell death and numerous diseases. Production of reactive oxygen species is ubiquitous in biological systems such as humans, bacteria, fungi/yeasts, and plants. Although reactive oxygen species are known to cause diseases, little is known about the importance of the combined oxidative stress burden in the gut. Understanding the dynamics and the level of oxidative stress 'reactivity' across kingdoms could help ascertain the combined consequences of free radical accumulation in the gut lumen. Here, we present fundamental similarities of oxidative stress derived from the host immune cells, bacteria, yeasts, plants, and the therein-derived diets, which often accentuate the burden of free radicals by accumulation during storage and cooking conditions. Given the described similarities, oxidative stress could be better understood and minimized by monitoring the levels of oxidative stress in the feces to identify pro-inflammatory factors. However, we illustrate that dietary studies rarely monitor oxidative stress markers in the feces, and therefore our knowledge on fecal oxidative stress monitoring is limited. A more holistic approach to understanding oxidative stress 'reactivity' in the gut could help improve strategies to use diet and microbiota to prevent intestinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahda Yun
- Division of Gastroenterology & Liver Disease, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Maria King
- Division of Gastroenterology & Liver Disease, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Mohamed S Draz
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Terence Kline
- Veterinary Technology Program, Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Alex Rodriguez-Palacios
- Division of Gastroenterology & Liver Disease, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA; Germ-free and Gut Microbiome Core, Digestive Health Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; University Hospitals Research and Education Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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32
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More GK, Chokwe CR, Meddows-Taylor S. The attenuation of antibiotic resistant non-albicans Candida species, cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory effects and phytochemical profiles of five Vachellia species by FTIR and UHPLC-Q/Orbitrap/MS. Heliyon 2021; 7:e08425. [PMID: 34877423 PMCID: PMC8632836 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This work investigated the antifungal, cytotoxic and LPS-induced anti-inflammatory effects of five Vachellia species (V. karroo, V. kosiensis, V. sieberiana, V. tortalis and V. xanthophloea). The antifungal activity of the aqueous-methanolic extracts were performed using the broth dilution method against four non-albicans Candida species (C. glabrata, C. auris, C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis). The cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory effects of the extracts were evaluated on African green monkey Vero kidney cells using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay and the 2ʹ,7ʹ-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (H2DCF-DA) method. The fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Q Exactive plus orbitrap™ Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer (UHPLC-MS) analysis was conducted to evaluate phytochemical constituents of the extracts. The plant extracts selected in this study displayed potency against the Candida species tested, with MIC values ≤0.62 mg/mL for V. karroo, V. kosiensis and V. xanthophloea. A dose-dependent cell viability was observed on Vero cells with all extracts showing LC50 values >20 μg/mL. Extracts tested at 10 μg/mL elicited a significant decrease in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Vero cells with V. sieberiana, V. tortilis, V. karroo, V. kosiensis and V. xanthophloea displaying inhibitory percentages of 35%, 32%, 55%, 52% and 49%, respectively. Characterisation of functional groups representing compounds in the extracts demonstrated the presence of different classes of compounds of the aliphatic, sugar and aromatic types. The Q Exactive plus orbitrap™ mass spectrometer enabled tentative identification of three major compounds in the extracts, including epigallocatechin, methyl gallate and quercetin amongst others. Based on the mass spectrometer results, it is postulated that quercetin found mostly in active extracts of V. karroo, V. xanthophloea, and V. kosiensis may be responsible for the observed antifungal and anti-inflammatory activity. This data demonstrates that the Vachellia species that were investigated could potentially be promising candidates for the management of fungal infections and related inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garland Kgosi More
- College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Laboratories, University of South Africa, Florida, Johannesburg, 1710, South Africa
| | - Christinah Ramakwala Chokwe
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa, Florida, Johannesburg, 1710, South Africa
| | - Stephen Meddows-Taylor
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Florida, Johannesburg, 1710, South Africa
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33
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Chen X, Wu J, Sun L, Nie J, Su S, Sun S. Antifungal Effects and Potential Mechanisms of Benserazide Hydrochloride Alone and in Combination with Fluconazole Against Candida albicans. Drug Des Devel Ther 2021; 15:4701-4711. [PMID: 34815665 PMCID: PMC8605804 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s336667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The resistance of C. albicans to traditional antifungal drugs brings a great challenge to clinical treatment. To overcome the resistance, developing antifungal agent sensitizers has attracted considerable attention. This study aimed to determine the anti-Candida activity of BEH alone or BEH–FLC combination and to explore the underlying mechanisms. Materials and Methods In vitro antifungal effects were performed by broth microdilution assay and XTT reduction assay. Infected Galleria mellonella larvae model was used to determine the antifungal effects in vivo. Probes Fluo-3/AM, FITC-VAD-FMK and rhodamine 6G were used to study the influence of BEH and FLC on intracellular calcium concentration, metacaspase activity and drug efflux of C. albicans. Results BEH alone exhibited obvious antifungal activities against C. albicans. BEH plus FLC not only showed synergistic effects against planktonic cells and preformed biofilms within 8 h but also enhanced the antifungal activity in infected G. mellonella larvae. Mechanistic studies indicated that antifungal effects of drugs might be associated with the increasement of calcium concentration, activation of metacaspase activity to reduce virulence and anti-biofilms, but were not related to drug efflux. Conclusion BEH alone or combined with FLC displayed potent antifungal activity both in vitro and in vivo, and the underlying mechanisms were related to reduced virulence factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqi Chen
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Pediatric Drug Development, Shandong Medicine and Health Key Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy, Jinan, People's Republic of China.,Department of Pharmacy, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiyong Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Sun
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Nie
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Shan Su
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Pediatric Drug Development, Shandong Medicine and Health Key Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy, Jinan, People's Republic of China.,Department of Pharmacy, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shujuan Sun
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Pediatric Drug Development, Shandong Medicine and Health Key Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy, Jinan, People's Republic of China.,Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, Jinan, People's Republic of China
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Ding Y, Zhang K, Yin Y, Wu J. D319 induced antifungal effects through ROS-mediated apoptosis and inhibited isocitrate lyase in Candida albicans. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2021; 1866:130050. [PMID: 34800580 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2021.130050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Candida albicans (C. albicans) is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause superficial and life-threatening systemic infections in immunocompromised patients. However, the available clinically antifungals are limited. Therefore, the development of effective antifungal agents and therapies is urgently needed. Quinoline type of compounds were reported to possess potent anti-fungal effect. A series of quinoline derivatives were synthesized. Moreover their inhibitory activities and mechanisms on C. albicans were evaluated in this study. METHODS The structure of D319 was identified by extensive spectroscopic analysis. The antifungal activity of D319 on C. albicans was evaluated using conventional methods, including the inhibition zone diameters with filter paper, Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) broth microdilution method in vitro, and in a murine model in vivo. Flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, western blot, knockout mutant and revertant strain techniques, and molecular modeling were applied to explore the mechanism of action of D319 in anti-Candida. RESULTS D319 exhibited potent anti-Candida activity with Minimum Inhibitory Concentration value of 2.5 μg/mL in vitro. D319 significantly improved survival rate and reduced fungal burden compared to vehicle control in a murine model in vivo. The treatment of C. albicans with D319 resulted in fungal apoptosis through reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in C. albicans. Furthermore, D319 inhibited the glyoxylate enzyme isocitrate lyase (ICL) of C. albicans, which was also confirmed by docking analysis. CONCLUSIONS Quinoline compound D319 exhibited strong anti-Candida activities in vitro and in vivo models through inhibiting ICL activity and ROS accumulation in C. albicans. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE This study showed that compound D319 as a novel isocitrate lyase inhibitor, would be a promising anti-Candida lead compound, which provided a potential application of this type of compounds in fighting clinical fungal infections. Furthermore, this study also supported ICL as a potential target for anti-Candida drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjiao Ding
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Jinan 250022, Shandong, PR China.
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Jinan 250022, Shandong, PR China
| | - Yiqiang Yin
- Department of Pathology, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Jinan 250022, Shandong, PR China
| | - Jiyong Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Jinan 250022, Shandong, PR China.
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Antifungal and Anti-Biofilm Effects of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester on Different Candida Species. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10111359. [PMID: 34827297 PMCID: PMC8614700 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10111359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of CAPE on planktonic growth, biofilm-forming abilities, mature biofilms, and cell death of C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis strains. Our results showed a strain- and dose-dependent effect of CAPE on Candida, and the MIC values were between 12.5 and 100 µg/mL. Similarly, the MBIC values of CAPE ranging between 50 and 100 µg/mL highlighted the inhibition of the biofilm-forming abilities in a dose-dependent manner, as well. However, CAPE showed a weak to moderate biofilm eradication ability (19-49%) on different Candida strains mature biofilms. Both caspase-dependent and caspase-independent apoptosis after CAPE treatment were observed in certain tested Candida strains. Our study has displayed typical apoptotic hallmarks of CAPE-induced chromatin margination, nuclear blebs, nuclear condensation, plasma membrane detachment, enlarged lysosomes, cytoplasm fragmentation, cell wall distortion, whole-cell shrinkage, and necrosis. In conclusion, CAPE has a concentration and strain-dependent inhibitory activity on viability, biofilm formation ability, and cell death response in the different Candida species.
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The OxrA Protein of Aspergillus fumigatus Is Required for the Oxidative Stress Response and Fungal Pathogenesis. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0112021. [PMID: 34524893 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01120-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
An efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxification system is vital for the survival of the pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus within the host high-ROS environment of the host. Therefore, identifying and targeting factors essential for oxidative stress response is one approach to developing novel treatments for fungal infections. The oxidation resistance 1 (Oxr1) protein is essential for protection against oxidative stress in mammals, but its functions in pathogenic fungi remain unknown. The present study aimed to characterize the role of an Oxr1 homolog in A. fumigatus. The results indicated that the OxrA protein plays an important role in oxidative stress resistance by regulating the catalase function in A. fumigatus, and overexpression of catalase can rescue the phenotype associated with OxrA deficiency. Importantly, the deficiency of oxrA decreased the virulence of A. fumigatus and altered the host immune response. Using the Aspergillus-induced lung infection model, we demonstrated that the ΔoxrA mutant strain induced less tissue damage along with decreased levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and albumin release. Additionally, the ΔoxrA mutant caused inflammation at a lower degree, along with a markedly reduced influx of neutrophils to the lungs and a decreased secretion of cytokine usually associated with recruitment of neutrophils in mice. These results characterize the role of OxrA in A. fumigatus as a core regulator of oxidative stress resistance and fungal pathogenesis. IMPORTANCE Knowledge of ROS detoxification in fungal pathogens is useful in the design of new antifungal drugs and could aid in the study of oxidative stress resistance mechanisms. In this study, we demonstrate that OxrA protein localizes to the mitochondria and functions to protect against oxidative damage. We demonstrate that OxrA contributes to oxidative stress resistance by regulating catalase function, and overexpression of catalase (CatA or CatB) can rescue the phenotype that is associated with OxrA deficiency. Remarkably, a loss of OxrA attenuated the fungal virulence in a mouse model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and altered the host immune response. Therefore, our finding indicates that inhibition of OxrA might be an effective approach for alleviating A. fumigatus infection. The present study is, to the best of our knowledge, a pioneer in reporting the vital role of Oxr1 protein in pathogenic fungi.
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Extending the Proteomic Characterization of Candida albicans Exposed to Stress and Apoptotic Inducers through Data-Independent Acquisition Mass Spectrometry. mSystems 2021; 6:e0094621. [PMID: 34609160 PMCID: PMC8547427 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00946-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is a commensal fungus that causes systemic infections in immunosuppressed patients. In order to deal with the changing environment during commensalism or infection, C. albicans must reprogram its proteome. Characterizing the stress-induced changes in the proteome that C. albicans uses to survive should be very useful in the development of new antifungal drugs. We studied the C. albicans global proteome after exposure to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and acetic acid (AA), using a data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry (DIA-MS) strategy. More than 2,000 C. albicans proteins were quantified using an ion library previously constructed using data-dependent acquisition mass spectrometry (DDA-MS). C. albicans responded to treatment with H2O2 with an increase in the abundance of many proteins involved in the oxidative stress response, protein folding, and proteasome-dependent catabolism, which led to increased proteasome activity. The data revealed a previously unknown key role for Prn1, a protein similar to pirins, in the oxidative stress response. Treatment with AA resulted in a general decrease in the abundance of proteins involved in amino acid biosynthesis, protein folding, and rRNA processing. Almost all proteasome proteins declined, as did proteasome activity. Apoptosis was observed after treatment with H2O2 but not AA. A targeted proteomic study of 32 proteins related to apoptosis in yeast supported the results obtained by DIA-MS and allowed the creation of an efficient method to quantify relevant proteins after treatment with stressors (H2O2, AA, and amphotericin B). This approach also uncovered a main role for Oye32, an oxidoreductase, suggesting this protein as a possible apoptotic marker common to many stressors. IMPORTANCE Fungal infections are a worldwide health problem, especially in immunocompromised patients and patients with chronic disorders. Invasive candidiasis, caused mainly by C. albicans, is among the most common fungal diseases. Despite the existence of treatments to combat candidiasis, the spectrum of drugs available is limited. For the discovery of new drug targets, it is essential to know the pathogen response to different stress conditions. Our study provides a global vision of proteomic remodeling in C. albicans after exposure to different agents, such as hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid, and amphotericin B, that can cause apoptotic cell death. These results revealed the significance of many proteins related to oxidative stress response and proteasome activity, among others. Of note, the discovery of Prn1 as a key protein in the defense against oxidative stress as well the increase in the abundance of Oye32 protein when apoptotic process occurred point them out as possible drug targets.
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Wani MY, Ahmad A, Aqlan FM, Al-Bogami AS. Citral derivative activates cell cycle arrest and apoptosis signaling pathways in Candida albicans by generating oxidative stress. Bioorg Chem 2021; 115:105260. [PMID: 34399319 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
For combating life-threatening infections caused by Candida albicans there is an urgent requirement of new antifungal agents with a targeted activity and low host cytotoxicity. Manipulating the mechanistic basis of cell death decision in yeast may provide an alternative approach for future antifungal therapeutics. Herein, the effect of an active citral derivative (Cd1) over the physiology of cell death in C. albicans was assessed. The viability of C. albicans SC5314 cells was determined by broth microdilution assay. The crucial morphological changes and apoptotic markers in Cd1-exposed yeast cells were analyzed. Subsequently the results confirmed that Cd1 arrested growth and caused death in yeast cells. Furthermore, this molecule inhibited antioxidant enzymes that resulted in production of reactive oxygen species. DNA fragmentation and condensation, phosphatidylserine exposure at the outer leaflet of cell membrane, mitochondrial disintegration as well as accumulation of cells at G2/M phase of the cell cycle were recorded. Altogether, this derivative induced apoptotic-type cell death in C. albicans SC5314.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohmmad Younus Wani
- University of Jeddah, College of Science, Department of Chemistry, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Aijaz Ahmad
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa; Infection Control, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - Faisal Mohammed Aqlan
- University of Jeddah, College of Science, Department of Chemistry, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah Saad Al-Bogami
- University of Jeddah, College of Science, Department of Chemistry, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
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Identification, characterization and evaluation of novel antifungal cyclic peptides from Neobacillus drentensis. Bioorg Chem 2021; 115:105180. [PMID: 34332234 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Marine microbes secrete exopolymeric substances (EPS), which surrounds the biofilm and inhibits the fungal growth. Elucidation of the structure and function of the extracellular exopolymeric substances is of vital relevance therapeutically. The active compound responsible for bioactivity was purified and characterized using TLC, LC/MS/MS, GC/MS and FT-IR. Bioactivity of the characterized cyclic peptides (CLPs) against azole resistant and susceptible Candida strains were examined for growth and biofilm formation using scanning electron microscopy, flow cytometry, confocal microscopy. In the present study we identified bioactive cyclic peptides from marine isolated Neobacillus drentensis that exhibited promising tensio-active properties and antifungal efficacy against azole resistant and susceptible Candida albicans. The cluster is composed of five CLP isoforms which were sequenced and identified as new peptides with compositional and structural variations in the amino acid sequence and fatty acid chain. In vitro cytotoxic activity of CLPs was tested in human fibroblast normal cells. We have observed that the CLPs repressed the Candida albicans growth and multiplication by inhibiting the biofilm formation and disruption of branching filamentous hyphae. CLPs have been found to arrest the C. albicans cell cycle by a block at G1-S transition followed by apoptotic cell death. The current studies suggest these natural marine derived CLPs function as potential anti-biofilm agents against azole C. albicans resistant strains.
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The inhibitory activity of 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) on Candida albicans biofilms. Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther 2021; 34:102271. [PMID: 33785444 DOI: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2021.102271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biofilm-associated Candida albicans (C. albicans) infections are hard to cure due to their high levels of resistance to antifungal agents. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising approach for controlling infections caused by C. albicans. This study was designed to explore the inhibitory activity of PDT using 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) as photosensitizer against C. albicans biofilms. METHODS C. albicans cell suspensions were incubated for 48 h to form mature biofilms. ALA solution was diluted to 15 mM and incubated with C. albicans biofilms for 5 h before irradiated by red light semiconductor laser under the light intensity of 300 J/cm2 and fluence rate of 100 mW/cm2 for 50 min. The inhibitory activity was evaluated from subcellular level, molecular level and transcriptional level using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation, flow cytometry analysis and quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) assays, respectively. RESULTS From subcellular level, the degraded content of the cytoplasm, nuclear condensation and mitochondrial swelling were observed after ALA-PDT. From molecular level, ALA-PDT resulted in 19.4 % cell apoptosis. From transcriptional level, ALA-PDT significantly reduced the mRNA expressions of hyphae-specific genes (HWP1 and ALS3) and long-term biofilm maintenance genes (UME6 and HGC1), whereas ALA or red light alone had no significant effect. CONCLUSIONS The inhibitory activity indicated that ALA-PDT may have the potential to serve as an antifungal strategy in eliminatingC. albicans biofilms.
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Fernández de Ullivarri M, Bulacios GA, Navarro SA, Lanza L, Mendoza LM, Chalón MC. The killer yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus Cf20 exerts a broad anti-Candida activity through the production of killer toxins and volatile compounds. Med Mycol 2021; 58:1102-1113. [PMID: 32196549 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myaa011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Candidiasis is a group of opportunistic infections caused by yeast of the genus Candida. The appearance of drug resistance and the adverse effects of current antifungal therapies require the search for new, more efficient therapeutic alternatives. Killer yeasts have aroused as suitable candidates for mining new antifungal compounds. Killer strains secrete antimicrobial proteins named killer toxins, with promissory antifungal activity. Here we found that the killer yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus Cf20 and its cell-free supernatant (CFS) inhibited six pathogenic strains and one collection strain of Candida spp. The inhibition is mainly mediated by secreted killer toxins and, to a lesser extent, by volatile compounds such as acetic acid and ethyl acetate. A new large killer toxin (>180 kDa) was purified, which exerted 70-74% of the total CFS anti-Candida activity, and the previously described glucanase KTCf20 was inhibitory in a lesser extent as well. In addition, we demonstrated that Cf20 possesses the genes encoding for the β-1,3-glucanases WaExg1 and WaExg2, proteins with extensively studied antifungal activity, particularly WaExg2. Finally, the 10-fold concentrated CFS exerted a high candidacidal effect at 37°C, completely inhibiting the fungal growth, although the nonconcentrated CFS (RCF 1) had very limited fungistatic activity at this temperature. In conclusion, W. anomalus Cf20 produces different low and high molecular weight compounds with anti-Candida activity that could be used to design new therapies for candidiasis and as a source for novel antimicrobial compounds as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Fernández de Ullivarri
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO, CONICET-UNT) e Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj," Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Chacabuco 461, San Miguel de Tucumán. Argentina
| | - Gabriela A Bulacios
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO, CONICET-UNT) e Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj," Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Chacabuco 461, San Miguel de Tucumán. Argentina
| | - Silvia A Navarro
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO, CONICET-UNT) e Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj," Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Chacabuco 461, San Miguel de Tucumán. Argentina
| | - Lucía Lanza
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO, CONICET-UNT) e Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj," Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Chacabuco 461, San Miguel de Tucumán. Argentina
| | - Lucia M Mendoza
- Centro de referencia para lactobacilos (CERELA, CONICET), Chacabuco 145, 4000, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Miriam C Chalón
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO, CONICET-UNT) e Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj," Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Chacabuco 461, San Miguel de Tucumán. Argentina
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Lee J, Kim JG, Lee H, Lee TH, Kim KY, Kim H. Antifungal Activity of 1,4-Dialkoxynaphthalen-2-Acyl Imidazolium Salts by Inducing Apoptosis of Pathogenic Candida spp. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:312. [PMID: 33673685 PMCID: PMC7997172 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13030312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Even though Candida spp. are staying commonly on human skin, it is also an opportunistic pathogenic fungus that can cause candidiasis. The emergence of resistant Candida strains and the toxicity of antifungal agents have encouraged the development of new classes of potent antifungal agents. Novel naphthalen-2-acyl imidazolium salts (NAIMSs), especially 1,4-dialkoxy-NAIMS from 1,4-dihydroxynaphthalene, were prepared and evaluated for antifungal activity. Those derivatives showed prominent anti-Candida activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 3.125 to 6.26 μg/mL in 24 h based on microdilution antifungal susceptibility test. Among the tested compounds, NAIMS 7c showed strongest antifungal activity with 3.125 μg/mL MIC value compared with miconazole which showed 12.5 μg/mL MIC value against Candida spp., and more importantly >100 μg/mL MIC value against C. auris. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was increased and JC-1 staining showed the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential in C. albicans by treatment with NAIMS 7c. The increased release of ultraviolet (UV) absorbing materials suggested that NAIMS 7c could cause cell busting. The expression of apoptosis-related genes was induced in C. albicans by NAIMS 7c treatment. Taken together, the synthetic NAIMSs are of high interest as novel antifungal agents given further in vivo examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jisue Lee
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Global Center for Pharmaceutical Ingredient Materials, Kyung Hee University, Seocheon, Giheung, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do 1732, Korea
| | - Jae-Goo Kim
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Seocheon, Giheung, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do 1732, Korea
| | - Haena Lee
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Global Center for Pharmaceutical Ingredient Materials, Kyung Hee University, Seocheon, Giheung, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do 1732, Korea
| | - Tae Hoon Lee
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Global Center for Pharmaceutical Ingredient Materials, Kyung Hee University, Seocheon, Giheung, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do 1732, Korea
| | - Ki-Young Kim
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Seocheon, Giheung, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do 1732, Korea
| | - Hakwon Kim
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Global Center for Pharmaceutical Ingredient Materials, Kyung Hee University, Seocheon, Giheung, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do 1732, Korea
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Yang CJ, Huang TP, Huang JW. Field Sanitation and Foliar Application of Streptomyces padanus PMS-702 for the Control of Rice Sheath Blight. THE PLANT PATHOLOGY JOURNAL 2021; 37:57-71. [PMID: 33551697 PMCID: PMC7847755 DOI: 10.5423/ppj.oa.12.2020.0227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Rice sheath blight (ShB), caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kühn AG1-IA, is one of the destructive rice diseases worldwide. The aims of this study were to develop biocontrol strategies focusing on field sanitation and foliar application with a biocontrol agent for ShB management. Streptomyces padanus PMS-702 showed a great antagonistic activity against R. solani. Fungichromin produced by S. padanus PMS-702, at 3.07 mg/l inhibited 50% mycelial growth, caused leakage of cytoplasm, and inhibited the formation of infection structures of R. solani. Fungichromin could reach to 802 mg/l when S. padanus PMS-702 was cultured in MACC broth for 6 days. Addition of 0.5% S. padanus PMS-702 broth into soil decreased the survival rate of the pathogen compared to the control. Soil amended with 0.5% S. padanus broth and 0.5% tea seed pomace resulted in the death of R. solani mycelia in the infested rice straws, and the germination of sclerotia was inhibited 21 days after treatment. Greenhouse trials revealed that S. padanus cultured in soybean meal-glucose (SMGC-2) medium after mixing with different surfactants could enhance its efficacy for inhibiting the pathogen. Of six surfactants tested, the addition of 2% tea saponin was the most effective in suppressing the pathogen. S. padanus broth after being fermented in SMGC-2, mixed with 2% tea saponin, diluted 100 fold, and sprayed onto rice plants significantly reduced ShB disease severity. Thus, S. padanus PMS-702 is an effective biocontrol agent. The efficacy of S. padanus PMS-702 for disease control could be improved through formulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Jung Yang
- Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Pi Huang
- Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
- Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 407, Taiwan
| | - Jenn-Wen Huang
- Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
- Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 407, Taiwan
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Sixty years of Amphotericin B: An Overview of the Main Antifungal Agent Used to Treat Invasive Fungal Infections. Infect Dis Ther 2021; 10:115-147. [PMID: 33523419 PMCID: PMC7954977 DOI: 10.1007/s40121-020-00382-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduced in the late 1950s, polyenes represent the oldest family of antifungal drugs. The discovery of amphotericin B and its therapeutic uses is considered one of the most important scientific milestones of the twentieth century . Despite its toxic potential, it remains useful in the treatment of invasive fungal diseases owing to its broad spectrum of activity, low resistance rate, and excellent clinical and pharmacological action. The well-reported and defined toxicity of the conventional drug has meant that much attention has been paid to the development of new products that could minimize this effect. As a result, lipid-based formulations of amphotericin B have emerged and, even keeping the active principle in common, present distinct characteristics that may influence therapeutic results. This study presents an overview of the pharmacological properties of the different formulations for systemic use of amphotericin B available for the treatment of invasive fungal infections, highlighting the characteristics related to their chemical, pharmacokinetic structures, drug–target interactions, stability, and others, and points out the most relevant aspects for clinical practice.
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Kamli MR, Srivastava V, Hajrah NH, Sabir JSM, Ali A, Malik MA, Ahmad A. Phytogenic Fabrication of Ag-Fe Bimetallic Nanoparticles for Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis Signaling Pathways in Candida auris by Generating Oxidative Stress. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:182. [PMID: 33513888 PMCID: PMC7910930 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10020182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Novel green synthetic nanomedicines have been recognized as alternative therapies with the potential to be antifungal agents. Apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest and activation of the antioxidant defense system in fungal cells have also gained attention as emerging drug targets. In this study, a facile and biodegradable synthetic route was developed to prepare Ag-Fe bimetallic nanoparticles using aqueous extract of Beta vulgaris L. Surface plasmon resonance of Beta vulgaris-assisted AgNPs nanoparticles was not observed in the UV-visible region of Ag-Fe bimetallic NPs, which confirms the formation of Ag-Fe nanoparticles. Beta vulgaris-assisted Ag-Fe NPs were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and TGA-DTG analysis for their structural and morphological properties. The as-prepared Ag-Fe NPs were well dispersed and spherical with the average particle size of 15 nm. The antifungal activity of these Ag-Fe NPs against clinical isolates of Candida auris was determined by broth microdilution and cell viability assays. For insights into mechanisms, induction of apoptosis and triggering cell cycle arrest were studied following standard protocols. Furthermore, analysis of antioxidant defense enzymes was determined spectrophotometrically. Antifungal susceptibility results revealed high antifungal activity with MIC values ranging from 0.19 to 0.39 µg/mL. Further studies showed that Ag-Fe NPs were able to induce apoptosis, cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase and disturbances in primary and secondary antioxidant enzymes. This study presents the potential of Ag-Fe NPs to inhibit and potentially eradicate C. auris by inducing apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and increased levels of oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majid Rasool Kamli
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Center of Excellence in Bionanoscience Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Vartika Srivastava
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - Nahid H Hajrah
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jamal S M Sabir
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Center of Excellence in Bionanoscience Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arif Ali
- Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Maqsood Ahmad Malik
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aijaz Ahmad
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
- Infection Control Unit, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
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Xu L, Guo L, Yu H. Label-Free Comparative Proteomics Analysis Revealed Heat Stress Responsive Mechanism in Hypsizygus marmoreus. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:541967. [PMID: 33469447 PMCID: PMC7813762 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.541967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Heat stress is an important adverse environmental stress that influences the growth and development of Hypsizygus marmoreus (white var.). However, the molecular basis of heat stress response in H. marmoreus remains poorly understood. In this study, label-free comparative proteomic technique was applied to investigate global protein expression profile of H. marmoreus mycelia under heat stress. Confocal laser scanning microscope observation revealed that mycelia underwent autolysis and apoptosis under heat stress. Autolysis was mediated by upregulating the expression of cell wall degradation enzymes and inhibiting cell wall synthesis enzymes, and apoptosis might be induced by ROS and activation of caspases. TBARS analysis indicated that ROS was accumulated in H. marmoreus mycelia under heat stress. H. marmoreus induced antioxidant defense system by upregulating the expression of catalases, superoxide dismutases and peroxidases to prevent oxidative damage. MAPK cascade was found to be involved in heat stress signal transduction. The stress signal induced a ubiquitous defense response: inducible expression of different kinds of heat shock proteins. Trehalose synthesis enzymes were also upregulated, suggesting the accumulation of stress protector trehalose under heat stress. Besides, upregulated proteasome was identified, which could prevented the accumulation of non-functional misfolding proteins. To satisfy ATP depletion in heat response cellular processes, such as ROS scavenging, and protein folding and synthesis, enzymes involved in energy production (carbon metabolism and ATP synthesis) system were upregulated under heat stress. Taken together, these findings improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the response of heat stress in H. marmoreus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Xu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Lizhong Guo
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Hao Yu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
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Kamli MR, Srivastava V, Hajrah NH, Sabir JSM, Hakeem KR, Ahmad A, Malik MA. Facile Bio-Fabrication of Ag-Cu-Co Trimetallic Nanoparticles and Its Fungicidal Activity against Candida auris. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7010062. [PMID: 33477480 PMCID: PMC7831063 DOI: 10.3390/jof7010062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is an emergent multidrug-resistant pathogen that can lead to severe bloodstream infections associated with high mortality rates, especially in hospitalized individuals suffering from serious medical problems. As Candida auris is often multidrug-resistant, there is a persistent demand for new antimycotic drugs with novel antifungal action mechanisms. Here, we reported the facile, one-pot, one-step biosynthesis of biologically active Ag-Cu-Co trimetallic nanoparticles using the aqueous extract of Salvia officinalis rich in polyphenols and flavonoids. These medicinally important phytochemicals act as a reducing agent and stabilize/capping in the nanoparticles' fabrication process. Fourier Transform-Infrared, Scanning electron microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Energy dispersive X-Ray, X-ray powder diffraction and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements were used to classify the as-synthesized nanoparticles. Moreover, we evaluated the antifungal mechanism of as-synthesized nanoparticles against different clinical isolates of C. auris. The minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum fungicidal concentrations ranged from 0.39-0.78 μg/mL and 0.78-1.56 μg/mL. Cell count and viability assay further validated the fungicidal potential of Ag-Cu-Co trimetallic nanoparticles. The comprehensive analysis showed that these trimetallic nanoparticles could induce apoptosis and G2/M phase cell cycle arrest in C. auris. Furthermore, Ag-Cu-Co trimetallic nanoparticles exhibit enhanced antimicrobial properties compared to their monometallic counterparts attributed to the synergistic effect of Ag, Cu and Co present in the as-synthesized nanoparticles. Therefore, the present study suggests that the Ag-Cu-Co trimetallic nanoparticles hold the capacity to be a lead for antifungal drug development against C. auris infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majid Rasool Kamli
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; (M.R.K.); (N.H.H.); (J.S.M.S.); (K.R.H.)
- Center of excellence in Bionanoscience Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Vartika Srivastava
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa; (V.S.); (A.A.)
| | - Nahid H. Hajrah
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; (M.R.K.); (N.H.H.); (J.S.M.S.); (K.R.H.)
| | - Jamal S. M. Sabir
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; (M.R.K.); (N.H.H.); (J.S.M.S.); (K.R.H.)
- Center of excellence in Bionanoscience Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid Rehman Hakeem
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; (M.R.K.); (N.H.H.); (J.S.M.S.); (K.R.H.)
| | - Aijaz Ahmad
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa; (V.S.); (A.A.)
- Infection Control Unit, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - Maqsood Ahmad Malik
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence:
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Abuduaini X, Aili A, Lin R, Song G, Huang Y, Chen Z, Zhao H, Luo Q, Zhao H. The Lethal Effect of Bacillus subtilis Z15 Secondary Metabolites on Verticillium dahliae. Nat Prod Commun 2021. [DOI: 10.1177/1934578x20986728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus subtilis Z15 (BS-Z15), isolated from cotton rhizosphere soil, inhibits Verticillium dahliae and suppresses cotton Verticillium wilt in pot experiments. We investigated the influence of environmental factors, pH, temperature, ultraviolet light, protease, and incubation time on the stability of BS-Z15 secondary metabolites (SMs), and the mechanism underlying the cytotoxicity of BS-Z15 SMs on V. dahliae. BS-Z15 and its fermentation broth inhibited V. dahliae, and this effect was mediated by its SMs. These were shown to be stable to the influence of the above environmental factors. BS-Z15 SMs decreased the viability of V. dahliae conidia in a time-dependent manner. Scanning electron microscopy showed that BS-Z15 and its SMs resulted in flattened and depressed conidia. BS-Z15 SMs induced morphological abnormalities in the hyphae, which showed rough aberrant structures, reduced conidiophore production, and accelerated aging. Flow cytometry using Hoechst/propidium iodide double staining revealed that BS-Z15 SMs induced necrosis in V. dahliae in a time-dependent manner. Fluorescence microscopy showed that BS-Z15 SMs did not induce apoptotic bodies in the conidia of V. dahliae but caused significant changes in karyotypes, accompanied by nuclear lysis and nucleic-acid diffusion, which may play important roles in necrosis. In addition, 0.3 mg/mL BS-Z15 SMs had no effect on either the mitochondrial membrane potential or the synthesis of proapoptotic proteins, indicating that the SMs did not induce apoptosis in V. dahliae. Their lethal effect on V. dahliae was by inducing necrosis in its conidia and hyphae. BS-Z15 SMs thus have potential as biological pesticides to control Verticillium wilt in cotton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xieerwanimu Abuduaini
- Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Biology in Arid Land, College of Life Science, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, P. R. China
| | - Ailina Aili
- Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Biology in Arid Land, College of Life Science, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, P. R. China
| | - Rongrong Lin
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Ganggang Song
- Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Biology in Arid Land, College of Life Science, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, P. R. China
| | - Yu Huang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Zhongyi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Biology in Arid Land, College of Life Science, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, P. R. China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Heping Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Biology in Arid Land, College of Life Science, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, P. R. China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Qin Luo
- Tumor Hospital Affiliated Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, P. R. China
| | - Huixin Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Biology in Arid Land, College of Life Science, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, P. R. China
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Precise Expression of Afmed15 Is Crucial for Asexual Development, Virulence, and Survival of Aspergillus fumigatus. mSphere 2020; 5:5/5/e00771-20. [PMID: 33028685 PMCID: PMC7568654 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00771-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification and characterization of regulators essential for virulence or development constitute one approach for antifungal drug development. In this study, we screened and functionally characterized Afmed15, a novel developmental regulator in A. fumigatus. We demonstrate that the precise transcriptional expression of Afmed15 is crucial for fungal asexual development, virulence, and survival. Downregulating the expression of Afmed15 abolished the conidiation and decreased the fungal virulence in an insect model. In contrast, the overexpression of Afmed15 caused fungal death accompanied by intensive autophagy. Our study provides a foundation for further studies to identify compounds perturbing the expression of Afmed15 that may be used for the prevention of invasive A. fumigatus infections. The rise of drug resistance in fungal pathogens is becoming a serious problem owing to the limited number of antifungal drugs available. Identifying and targeting factors essential for virulence or development unique to fungal pathogens is one approach to develop novel treatments for fungal infections. In this study, we present the identification and functional characterization of a novel developmental regulator in Aspergillus fumigatus, AfMed15, which contained a conserved Med15_fungal domain, as determined by screening of a mutant library that contained more than 2,000 hygromycin-resistant A. fumigatus transformants. Downregulating the expression of Afmed15 abolished the conidiation and decreased the fungal virulence in an insect model. Strikingly, the overexpression of Afmed15 caused fungal death accompanied by intensive autophagy. RNA sequencing of an Afmed15 overexpression strain revealed that altered gene expression patterns were associated with carbon metabolism, energy metabolism, and translation. Interestingly, the addition of metal ions could partially rescue fungal death caused by the overexpression of Afmed15, indicating that disordered ion homeostasis is a potential reason for the fungal death caused by the overexpression of Afmed15. Considering that the precise expression of Afmed15 is crucial for fungal development, virulence, and survival and that no ortholog was found in humans, Afmed15 is an ideal target for antifungal-drug development. IMPORTANCE The identification and characterization of regulators essential for virulence or development constitute one approach for antifungal drug development. In this study, we screened and functionally characterized Afmed15, a novel developmental regulator in A. fumigatus. We demonstrate that the precise transcriptional expression of Afmed15 is crucial for fungal asexual development, virulence, and survival. Downregulating the expression of Afmed15 abolished the conidiation and decreased the fungal virulence in an insect model. In contrast, the overexpression of Afmed15 caused fungal death accompanied by intensive autophagy. Our study provides a foundation for further studies to identify compounds perturbing the expression of Afmed15 that may be used for the prevention of invasive A. fumigatus infections.
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Holzknecht J, Kühbacher A, Papp C, Farkas A, Váradi G, Marcos JF, Manzanares P, Tóth GK, Galgóczy L, Marx F. The Penicillium chrysogenum Q176 Antimicrobial Protein PAFC Effectively Inhibits the Growth of the Opportunistic Human Pathogen Candida albicans. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:jof6030141. [PMID: 32824977 PMCID: PMC7557831 DOI: 10.3390/jof6030141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Small, cysteine-rich and cationic antimicrobial proteins (AMPs) from filamentous ascomycetes promise treatment alternatives to licensed antifungal drugs. In this study, we characterized the Penicillium chrysogenum Q176 antifungal protein C (PAFC), which is phylogenetically distinct to the other two Penicillium antifungal proteins, PAF and PAFB, that are expressed by this biotechnologically important ascomycete. PAFC is secreted into the culture broth and is co-expressed with PAF and PAFB in the exudates of surface cultures. This observation is in line with the suggested role of AMPs in the adaptive response of the host to endogenous and/or environmental stimuli. The in silico structural model predicted five β-strands stabilized by four intramolecular disulfide bonds in PAFC. The functional characterization of recombinant PAFC provided evidence for a promising new molecule in anti-Candida therapy. The thermotolerant PAFC killed planktonic cells and reduced the metabolic activity of sessile cells in pre-established biofilms of two Candidaalbicans strains, one of which was a fluconazole-resistant clinical isolate showing higher PAFC sensitivity than the fluconazole-sensitive strain. Candidacidal activity was linked to severe cell morphology changes, PAFC internalization, induction of intracellular reactive oxygen species and plasma membrane disintegration. The lack of hemolytic activity further corroborates the potential applicability of PAFC in clinical therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanett Holzknecht
- Biocenter, Institute of Molecular Biology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80–82, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (J.H.); (A.K.)
| | - Alexander Kühbacher
- Biocenter, Institute of Molecular Biology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80–82, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (J.H.); (A.K.)
| | - Csaba Papp
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary;
| | - Attila Farkas
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Temesvári krt. 62, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary;
| | - Györgyi Váradi
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 8, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary; (G.V.); (G.K.T.)
| | - Jose F. Marcos
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA-CSIC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Paterna, E-46980 Valencia, Spain; (J.F.M.); (P.M.)
| | - Paloma Manzanares
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA-CSIC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Paterna, E-46980 Valencia, Spain; (J.F.M.); (P.M.)
| | - Gábor K. Tóth
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 8, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary; (G.V.); (G.K.T.)
- MTA-SZTE Biomimetic Systems Research Group, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 8, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - László Galgóczy
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Temesvári krt. 62, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary;
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
- Correspondence: (L.G.); (F.M.); Tel.: +36-62-599-600 (ext. 415) (L.G.); +43-512-9003 (ext. 70207) (F.M.)
| | - Florentine Marx
- Biocenter, Institute of Molecular Biology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80–82, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (J.H.); (A.K.)
- Correspondence: (L.G.); (F.M.); Tel.: +36-62-599-600 (ext. 415) (L.G.); +43-512-9003 (ext. 70207) (F.M.)
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