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Kumar D, Kumar A. Cellular Attributes of Candida albicans Biofilm-Associated in Resistance Against Multidrug and Host Immune System. Microb Drug Resist 2023; 29:423-437. [PMID: 37428599 DOI: 10.1089/mdr.2022.0347] [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: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the ubiquitous hospital-acquired infections is associated with Candida albicans fungus. Usually, this commensal fungus causes no harm to its human host, as it lives mutually with mucosal/epithelial tissue surface cells. Nevertheless, due to the activity of various immune weakening factors, this commensal starts reinforcing its virulence attributes with filamentation/hyphal growth and building an absolute microcolony composed of yeast, hyphal, and pseudohyphal cells, which is suspended in an extracellular gel-like polymeric substance (EPS) called biofilms. This polymeric substance is the mixture of the secreted compounds from C. albicans as well as several host cell proteins. Indeed, the presence of these host factors makes their identification and differentiation process difficult by host immune components. The gel-like texture of the EPS makes it sticky, which adsorbs most of the extracolonial compounds traversing through it that aid in penetration hindrance. All these factors further contribute to the multidrug resistance phenotype of C. albicans biofilm that is spotlighted in this article. The mechanisms it employs to escape the host immune system are also addressed effectively. The article focuses on cellular and molecular determinants involved in the resistance of C. albicans biofilm against multidrug and the host immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dushyant Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology, Raipur, India
| | - Awanish Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology, Raipur, India
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Jin X, Hou X, Wang X, Zhang M, Chen J, Song M, Zhang J, Zheng H, Chang W, Lou H. Characterization of an allosteric inhibitor of fungal-specific C-24 sterol methyltransferase to treat Candida albicans infections. Cell Chem Biol 2023; 30:553-568.e7. [PMID: 37160123 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.04.010] [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: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Filamentation is an important virulence factor of the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. The abolition of Candida albicans hyphal formation by disrupting sterol synthesis is an important concept for the development of antifungal drugs with high safety. Here, we conduct a high-throughput screen using a C. albicans strain expressing green fluorescent protein-labeled Dpp3 to identify anti-hypha agents by interfering with ergosterol synthesis. The antipyrine derivative H55 is characterized to have minimal cytotoxicity and potent inhibition of C. albicans hyphal formation in multiple cultural conditions. H55 monotherapy exhibits therapeutic efficacy in mouse models of azole-resistant candidiasis. H55 treatment increases the accumulation of zymosterol, the substrate of C-24 sterol methyltransferase (Erg6). The results of enzyme assays, photoaffinity labeling, molecular simulation, mutagenesis, and cellular thermal shift assays support H55 as an allosteric inhibitor of Erg6. Collectively, H55, an inhibitor of the fungal-specific enzyme Erg6, holds potential to treat C. albicans infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyang Jin
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xuben Hou
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xue Wang
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- Institute of Medical Science, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jinyao Chen
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Minghui Song
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jiaozhen Zhang
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Hongbo Zheng
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Wenqiang Chang
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.
| | - Hongxiang Lou
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.
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Palmarumycin P3 reverses Mrr1-mediated azole resistance by blocking the efflux pump Mdr1. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0212621. [PMID: 35041505 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02126-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Palmarumycin P3 (PP3) reduces fluconazole-induced MDR1 transcription to reverse azole resistance in clinical Candida strains. Here, we demonstrated that PP3 restores the susceptibility of C. albicans strains with gain-of-function mutations in the transcription factor Mrr1 to several antifungal drugs. In addition, PP3 inhibits the efflux of Mdr1 substrates by C. albicans strains harbouring hyperactive MRR1 alleles. Molecular docking revealed that PP3 is a potential Mdr1 blocker that binds to the substrate-binding pocket of Mdr1.
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