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Wang H, Li H, Liu Z, Zhu Z, Cao Y. Activity of thonningianin A against Candida albicans in vitro and in vivo. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:96. [PMID: 38212967 PMCID: PMC10784352 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12996-1] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Fungal infections are increasing rapidly, and antifungal agents used in clinics are limited. Therefore, novel antifungal agents with high efficiency are urgently required. In this study, we investigated the antifungal activity of thonningianin A (THA), a natural compound that is widely found in plants. We first determined the activity of THA against Candida albicans, one of the most common fungal pathogens, and found that THA showed antifungal activity against all C. albicans tested, including several fluconazole-resistant isolates. THA also inhibits the growth of non-Candida albicans species. In addition, THA displayed antibiofilm activity and could not only inhibit biofilm formation but also destroy mature biofilms. The in vivo antifungal efficacy of THA was confirmed in a Galleria mellonella infection model. Further studies revealed that THA could enhance intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and regulate the transcription of several redox-related genes. Specifically, caspase activity and expression of CaMCA1, a caspase-encoding gene in C. albicans, were remarkably increased upon THA treatment. Consistent with this, in the presence of THA, the Camca1 null mutant displayed higher survival rates and reduced caspase activity compared to the wild-type or CaMCA1-reintroduced strains, indicating an important role of CaMCA1 in the antifungal activity of THA. Taken together, our results indicate that THA possesses excellent antifungal activity and may be a promising novel antifungal candidate. KEY POINTS: • THA exhibits activity against Candida species, including fluconazole-resistant isolates • THA inhibits biofilm formation and destroys mature biofilm • Elevated ROS production and CaMCA1-mediated caspase activity are involved in the antifungal mechanisms of THA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200443, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Dermatology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - ZhiWei Liu
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200443, China
| | - ZhenYu Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - YingYing Cao
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200443, China.
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Topical Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200443, China.
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2
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Kantroo HA, Mubarak MM, Chowdhary R, Rai R, Ahmad Z. Antifungal Efficacy of Ultrashort β-Peptides against Candida Species: Mechanistic Understanding and Therapeutic Implications. ACS Infect Dis 2024. [PMID: 39392829 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00476] [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: 10/13/2024]
Abstract
Candidiasis, a condition spurred by the unchecked proliferation of Candida species, poses a formidable global health threat, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. The emergence of drug-resistant strains complicates management strategies, necessitating novel therapeutic avenues. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have garnered attention for their potent antifungal properties and broad-spectrum activity against Candida species. This study assessed the antifungal effectiveness of ultrashort β-peptides against Candida strains, with a specific focus on peptide P3 (LAU-β3,3-Pip-β2,2-Ac6c-PEA). Our findings showed P3's remarkable fungistatic and fungicidal activities against Candida albicans, exhibiting an MIC of 4 μg/mL, comparable to those of standard antifungal drugs. The MIC value remained unchanged in the presence of ADC and BSA, indicating that serum albumin does not diminish the activity of P3. P3 demonstrates synergistic effects when combined with Fluconazole (FLU), Itraconazole (ITR), and Nystatin (NYS) to the extent that it becomes effective at 0.125, 0.125, and 0.03125 μg/mL, respectively. Concentration versus time-kill kinetics showed its time-dependent activity up to the first 12 h against C. albicans, and later concentration also played a role; indeed, at 24 h the whole culture was sterilized at 8× MIC. Post-antifungal effect assays confirmed prolonged suppression of pathogen growth after the removal of P3 from the media for significant durations. More importantly, P3 inhibits hyphae formation and biofilm development of Candida, outperforming Fluconazole with respect to these properties. Mechanistic insights display P3's potential to disrupt fungal cell membrane integrity and dose-dependent inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis, essential for fungal cell wall integrity. Using the Bradford assay, it was observed that extracellular protein concentrations increased with higher doses of the compound, thereby validating the effect of P3 on membrane integrity. A comparative gene analysis using RT-PCR showed that P3 downregulates ERG3, ERG11, and HWP1, which are crucial for the survival and pathogenicity of C. albicans. The impact of P3 on ERG11 and ERG3 is more effective than that of Fluconazole. Molecular docking studies revealed strong binding of P3 to various isoforms of lanosterol 14-α-demethylase, a key enzyme in ergosterol synthesis. Furthermore, molecular dynamic simulations validated the stability of the most promising docking complex. Overall, our findings underscore P3's potential as a leading candidate for the development of innovative antifungal therapies, warranting further investigation and optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadiya Amin Kantroo
- Clinical Microbiology PK/PD Division, CSIR - Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Sanat Nagar, Srinagar-190005, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
| | - Mohamad Mosa Mubarak
- Clinical Microbiology PK/PD Division, CSIR - Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Sanat Nagar, Srinagar-190005, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
| | - Rubina Chowdhary
- Natural Products & Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR - Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu-180001, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
| | - Rajkishor Rai
- Natural Products & Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR - Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu-180001, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
| | - Zahoor Ahmad
- Clinical Microbiology PK/PD Division, CSIR - Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Sanat Nagar, Srinagar-190005, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
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3
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Silva-Rodrigues RCD, Nóbrega-Alves DD, Néris-Andrade P, Oliveira-Barreto J, Benatti-Justino A, Salmen-Espindola F, de-Castro RD, Fechine-Tavares J, Sobral-da-Silva M, Sarmento-Guerra FQ, Cançado-Castellano LR. Antifungal activity of Annona crassiflora Mart. dichloromethane fraction against strains of C. albicans. BRAZ J BIOL 2024; 84:e278069. [PMID: 38865564 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.278069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Products derived from medicinal plants with antimicrobial activity are considered a promising alternative in the treatment of fungal infections. In this perspective, this study proposed to evaluate the antifungal activity of the dichloromethane fraction of Annona crassiflora Mart. against C. albicans strains. Tests were carried out to determine Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Minimum Fungicide Concentration (MFC), microbial growth kinetics, fungal cell wall and membrane mechanisms of action, antifungal biofilm activity, and cytotoxic effects on human erythrocytes. The extract presented MIC and MFC values that ranged from 256 µg/mL to 1,024 µg/mL, with fungicidal activity in the microbial growth kinetics assay. The mechanism of action did not occur through damage to the cell wall or via binding to ergosterol in the membrane, though the fraction presents activity against biofilm and is not cytotoxic in human erythrocytes. The dichloromethane fraction of Annona crassiflora Mart. presented antifungal activity and reduced biofilm growth, without toxicity against human erythrocytes; however, further studies are needed to define its mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- R C da Silva-Rodrigues
- Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB, Departamento de Clínica e Odontologia Social, Laboratório de Farmacologia Experimental e Cultura Celular, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil
| | - D da Nóbrega-Alves
- Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB, Departamento de Clínica e Odontologia Social, Laboratório de Farmacologia Experimental e Cultura Celular, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil
| | - P Néris-Andrade
- Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB, Departamento de Clínica e Odontologia Social, Laboratório de Farmacologia Experimental e Cultura Celular, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil
| | - J Oliveira-Barreto
- Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB, Departmento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Laboratório de Mycologia Clínica, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil
| | - A Benatti-Justino
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia - UFU, Biologia Molecular e Laboratório de Bioquímica, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
| | - F Salmen-Espindola
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia - UFU, Biologia Molecular e Laboratório de Bioquímica, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
| | - R Dias de-Castro
- Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB, Departamento de Clínica e Odontologia Social, Laboratório de Farmacologia Experimental e Cultura Celular, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil
| | - J Fechine-Tavares
- Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB, Departmento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Laboratório de Tecnologia Farmacêutica, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil
| | - M Sobral-da-Silva
- Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB, Departmento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Laboratório de Tecnologia Farmacêutica, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil
| | - F Q Sarmento-Guerra
- Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB, Departmento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Laboratório de Mycologia Clínica, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil
| | - L R Cançado-Castellano
- Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB, Escola Técnica de Saúde - ETS, Grupo de Pesquisa e Estudo de Imunologia Humana, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil
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Manzano JAH, Brogi S, Calderone V, Macabeo APG, Austriaco N. Globospiramine Exhibits Inhibitory and Fungicidal Effects against Candida albicans via Apoptotic Mechanisms. Biomolecules 2024; 14:610. [PMID: 38927014 PMCID: PMC11201426 DOI: 10.3390/biom14060610] [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: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Candidiasis is considered an emerging public health concern because of the occurrence of drug-resistant Candida strains and the lack of an available structurally diverse antifungal drug armamentarium. The indole alkaloid globospiramine from the anticandidal Philippine medicinal plant Voacanga globosa exhibits a variety of biological activities; however, its antifungal properties remain to be explored. In this study, we report the in vitro anticandidal activities of globospiramine against two clinically relevant Candida species (C. albicans and C. tropicalis) and the exploration of its possible target proteins using in silico methods. Thus, the colony-forming unit (CFU) viability assay revealed time- and concentration-dependent anticandidal effects of the alkaloid along with a decrease in the number of viable CFUs by almost 50% at 60 min after treatment. The results of the MIC and MFC assays indicated inhibitory and fungicidal effects of globospiramine against C. albicans (MIC = 8 µg/mL; MFC = 8 µg/mL) and potential fungistatic effects against C. tropicalis at lower concentrations (MIC = 4 µg/mL; MFC > 64 µg/mL). The FAM-FLICA poly-caspase assay showed metacaspase activation in C. albicans cells at concentrations of 16 and 8 µg/mL, which agreed well with the MIC and MFC values. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation experiments suggested globospiramine to bind strongly with 1,3-β-glucan synthase and Als3 adhesin-enzymes indirectly involved in apoptosis-driven candidal inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe Anthony H. Manzano
- The Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas, España Blvd., Manila 1015, Philippines;
- UST Laboratories for Vaccine Science, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, España Blvd., Manila 1015, Philippines;
- Laboratory for Organic Reactivity, Discovery, and Synthesis (LORDS), Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, España Blvd., Manila 1015, Philippines
| | - Simone Brogi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Vincenzo Calderone
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Allan Patrick G. Macabeo
- Laboratory for Organic Reactivity, Discovery, and Synthesis (LORDS), Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, España Blvd., Manila 1015, Philippines
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Santo Tomas, España Blvd., Manila 1015, Philippines
| | - Nicanor Austriaco
- UST Laboratories for Vaccine Science, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, España Blvd., Manila 1015, Philippines;
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, University of Santo Tomas, España Blvd., Manila 1015, Philippines
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5
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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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6
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Sreelakshmi KP, Madhuri M, Swetha R, Rangarajan V, Roy U. Microbial lipopeptides: their pharmaceutical and biotechnological potential, applications, and way forward. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 40:135. [PMID: 38489053 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-024-03908-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
As lead molecules, cyclic lipopeptides with antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties have garnered a lot of attention in recent years. Because of their potential, cyclic lipopeptides have earned recognition as a significant class of antimicrobial compounds with applications in pharmacology and biotechnology. These lipopeptides, often with biosurfactant properties, are amphiphilic, consisting of a hydrophilic moiety, like a carboxyl group, peptide backbone, or carbohydrates, and a hydrophobic moiety, mostly a fatty acid. Besides, several lipopeptides also have cationic groups that play an important role in biological activities. Antimicrobial lipopeptides can be considered as possible substitutes for antibiotics that are conventional to address the current drug-resistant issues as pharmaceutical industries modify the parent antibiotic molecules to render them more effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and fungi, leading to the development of more resistant microbial strains. Bacillus species produce lipopeptides, which are secondary metabolites that are amphiphilic and are typically synthesized by non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs). They have been identified as potential biocontrol agents as they exhibit a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. A further benefit of lipopeptides is that they can be produced and purified biotechnologically or biochemically in a sustainable manner using readily available, affordable, renewable sources without harming the environment. In this review, we discuss the biochemical and functional characterization of antifungal lipopeptides, as well as their various modes of action, method of production and purification (in brief), and potential applications as novel antibiotic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- K P Sreelakshmi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-KK Birla Goa Campus Goa, NH 17 B Bypass Rd., Goa, 403726, India
| | - M Madhuri
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-KK Birla Goa Campus Goa, NH 17 B Bypass Rd., Goa, 403726, India
| | - R Swetha
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-KK Birla Goa Campus Goa, NH 17 B Bypass Rd., Goa, 403726, India
| | - Vivek Rangarajan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-KK Birla Goa Campus Goa, NH 17 B Bypass Rd., Goa, 403726, India
| | - Utpal Roy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-KK Birla Goa Campus Goa, NH 17 B Bypass Rd., Goa, 403726, India.
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Pattini VC, Polaquini CR, Lemes TH, Brizzotti-Mazuchi NS, Sardi JDCO, Paziani MH, Kress MRVZ, de Almeida MTG, Regasini LO. Antifungal activity of 3,3'-dimethoxycurcumin (DMC) against dermatophytes and Candida species. Lett Appl Microbiol 2024; 77:ovae019. [PMID: 38499446 DOI: 10.1093/lambio/ovae019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Dermatomycosis is an infection with global impacts caused especially by dermatophytes and Candida species. Current antifungal therapies involve drugs that face fungal resistance barriers. This clinical context emphasizes the need to discover new antifungal agents. Herein, the antifungal potential of 10 curcumin analogs was evaluated against four Candida and four dermatophyte species. The most active compound, 3,3'-dimethoxycurcumin, exhibited minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 1.9‒62.5 to 15.6‒62.5 µg ml-1 against dermatophytes and Candida species, respectively. According to the checkerboard method, the association between DMC and terbinafine demonstrated a synergistic effect against Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Epidermophyton floccosum. Ergosterol binding test indicated DMC forms a complex with ergosterol of Candida albicans, C. krusei, and C. tropicalis. However, results from the sorbitol protection assay indicated that DMC had no effect on the cell walls of Candida species. The in vivo toxicity, using Galleria mellonella larvae, indicated no toxic effect of DMC. Altogether, curcumin analog DMC was a promising antifungal agent with a promising ability to act against Candida and dermatophyte species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veridianna Camilo Pattini
- Institute of Biosciences, Humanities and Exact Sciences, São Paulo State University, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Carlos Roberto Polaquini
- Institute of Biosciences, Humanities and Exact Sciences, São Paulo State University, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Thiago Henrique Lemes
- Institute of Biosciences, Humanities and Exact Sciences, São Paulo State University, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil
| | | | | | - Mário Henrique Paziani
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Marcia Regina von Zeska Kress
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | | | - Luis Octávio Regasini
- Institute of Biosciences, Humanities and Exact Sciences, São Paulo State University, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil
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8
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Cui Y, Wang D, Nobile CJ, Dong D, Ni Q, Su T, Jiang C, Peng Y. Systematic identification and characterization of five transcription factors mediating the oxidative stress response in Candida albicans. Microb Pathog 2024; 187:106507. [PMID: 38145792 PMCID: PMC10872297 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Candida albicans is an opportunistic human fungal pathogen that causes superficial and systemic infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. In response to C. albicans infection, innate immune cells of the host produce and accumulate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can lead to irreversible damage and apoptosis of fungal cells. Several transcription factors involved in this oxidative stress response have been identified; however, a systematic study to identify the transcription factors that mediate the oxidative stress response has not yet been conducted. Here, we screened a comprehensive transcription factor mutant library consisting of 211 transcription factor deletion mutant strains in the presence and absence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a potent ROS inducer, and identified five transcription factors (Skn7, Dpb4, Cap1, Dal81, and Stp2) that are sensitive to H2O2. Genome-wide transcriptional profiling revealed that H2O2 induces a discrete set of differentially regulated genes among the five identified transcription factor mutant strains. Functional enrichment analysis identified KEGG pathways pertaining to glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, and ribosome synthesis as the most enriched pathways. GO term analysis of the top common differentially expressed genes among the transcription factor mutant strains identified hexose catabolism and iron transport as the most enriched GO terms upon exposure to H2O2. This study is the first to systematically identify and characterise the transcription factors involved in the response to H2O2. Based on our transcriptional profiling results, we found that exposure to H2O2 modulates several downstream genes involved in fungal virulence. Overall, this study sheds new light on the metabolism, physiological functions, and cellular processes involved in the H2O2-induced oxidative stress response in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingchao Cui
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Daosheng Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Clarissa J Nobile
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, USA; Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Danfeng Dong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Ni
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Tongxuan Su
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Cen Jiang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yibing Peng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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9
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Janeczko M, Kochanowicz E, Górka K, Skrzypek T. Quinalizarin as a potential antifungal drug for the treatment of Candida albicans fungal infection in cancer patients. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0365223. [PMID: 38289929 PMCID: PMC10913734 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03652-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aims to analyze the antifungal properties of quinalizarin, a plant-derived compound with proven anticancer effects. Quinalizarin exhibited antifungal activity against opportunistic pathogenic Candida species and Geotrichum capitatum. The treatment with this anthraquinone reduced hyphal growth, inhibited biofilm formation, and damaged mature Candida albicans biofilms. Real-time RT-PCR revealed that quinalizarin downregulated the expression of hyphae-related and biofilm-specific genes. The flow cytometry method used in the study showed that both apoptosis and necrosis were the physiological mechanisms of quinalizarin-induced C. albicans cell death, depending on the dose of the antifungal agent. A further study revealed an increase in the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species and alterations in mitochondrial membrane potential after treatment with quinalizarin. Finally, quinalizarin was found to have low toxicity in a hemolytic test using human erythrocytes. In conclusion, we have identified quinalizarin as a potential antifungal compound.IMPORTANCEThis article is a study to determine the antifungal activity of quinalizarin (1,2,5,8-tetrahydroxyanthraquinone). Quinalizarin has potential antitumor properties and is effective in different types of tumor cells. The aim of the present study was to prove that quinalizarin can be used simultaneously in the treatment of cancer and in the treatment of intercurrent fungal infections. Quinalizarin was identified as a novel antifungal compound with low toxicity. These results may contribute to the development of a new drug with dual activity in the treatment of cancer-associated candidiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Janeczko
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Kochanowicz
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Kamila Górka
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Tomasz Skrzypek
- Department of Biomedicine and Environmental Research, Faculty of Medicine, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
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10
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Bienvenu AL, Ballut L, Picot S. Specifically Targeting Metacaspases of Candida: A New Therapeutic Opportunity. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:90. [PMID: 38392762 PMCID: PMC10889698 DOI: 10.3390/jof10020090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published a list of fungal priority pathogens, including Candida albicans and C. auris. The increased level of resistance of Candida is raising concern, considering the availability of only four classes of medicine. The WHO is seeking novel agent classes with different targets and mechanisms of action. Targeting Candida metacaspases to control intrinsic cell death could provide new therapeutic opportunities for invasive candidiasis. In this review, we provide the available evidence for Candida cell death, describe Candida metacaspases, and discuss the potential of Candida metacaspases to offer a new specific target. Targeting Candida cell death has good scientific rationale given that the fungicidal activity of many marketed antifungals is mediated, among others, by cell death triggering. But none of the available antifungals are specifically activating Candida metacaspases, making this target a new therapeutic opportunity for non-susceptible isolates. It is expected that antifungals based on the activation of fungi metacaspases will have a broad spectrum of action, as metacaspases have been described in many fungi, including filamentous fungi. Considering this original mechanism of action, it could be of great interest to combine these new antifungal candidates with existing antifungals. This approach would help to avoid the development of antifungal resistance, which is especially increasing in Candida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Lise Bienvenu
- Service Pharmacie, Groupement Hospitalier Nord, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69004 Lyon, France
- Malaria Research Unit, University Lyon, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-University Lyon1, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Lionel Ballut
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, UMR 5086, CNRS-Université de Lyon, 69367 Lyon, France
| | - Stephane Picot
- Malaria Research Unit, University Lyon, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-University Lyon1, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
- Institute of Parasitology and Medical Mycology, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69004 Lyon, France
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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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12
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Jothi R, Hong ST, Enkhtsatsral M, Pandian SK, Gowrishankar S. ROS mediated anticandidal efficacy of 3-Bromopyruvate prevents vulvovaginal candidiasis in mice model. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0295922. [PMID: 38153954 PMCID: PMC10754460 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Candidal infections, particularly vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), necessitate effective therapeutic interventions in clinical settings owing to their intricate clinical nature and elusive understanding of their etiological mechanisms. Given the challenges in developing effective antifungal therapies, the strategy of repurposing existing pharmaceuticals has emerged as a promising approach to combat drug-resistant fungi. In this regard, the current study investigates molecular insights on the anti-candidal efficacy of a well-proven anticancer small molecule -3-bromopyruvate (3BP) against three clinically significant VVC causing Candida species viz., C. albicans, C. tropicalis and C. glabrata. Furthermore, the study validates 3BP's therapeutic application by developing it as a vaginal cream for the treatment of VVC. 3BP exhibited phenomenal antifungal efficacy (killing >99%) with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFC) of 256 μg/mL against all tested Candida spp. Time killing kinetics experiment revealed 20 min as the minimum time required for 3BP at 2XMIC to achieve complete-killing (99.9%) in all Candida strains. Moreover, the ergosterol or sorbitol experiment explicated that the antifungal activity of 3BP does not stem from targeting the cell wall or the membrane component ergosterol. Instead, 3BP was observed to instigate a sequence of pre-apoptotic cascade events, such as phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization, nuclear condensation and ROS accumulations, as evidenced by PI, DAPI and DCFH-DA staining methods. Furthermore, 3BP demonstrated a remarkable efficacy in eradicating mature biofilms of Candida spp., achieving a maximum eradication level of 90%. Toxicity/safety profiling in both in vitro erythrocyte lysis and in vivo Galleria mellonella survival assay authenticated the non-toxic nature of 3BP up to 512 μg/mL. Finally, a vaginal cream formulated with 3BP was found to be effective in VVC-induced female mice model, as it significantly decreasing fungal load and protecting vaginal mucosa. Concomitantly, the present study serves as a clear demonstration of antifungal mechanistic action of anticancer drug -3BP, against Candida species. This finding holds significant potential for mitigating candidal infections, particularly VVC, within healthcare environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Jothi
- Department of Biotechnology, Science Campus, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Seong-Tshool Hong
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Institute for Medical Science, Jeonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, South Korea
| | - Munkhtur Enkhtsatsral
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Institute for Medical Science, Jeonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, South Korea
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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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14
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Zheng D, Yue D, Shen J, Li D, Song Z, Huang Y, Yong J, Li Y. Berberine inhibits Candida albicans growth by disrupting mitochondrial function through the reduction of iron absorption. J Appl Microbiol 2023; 134:lxad276. [PMID: 37994672 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxad276] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
AIMS This study aimed to investigate whether berberine (BBR) can inhibit the iron reduction mechanism of Candida albicans, lowering the iron uptake of the yeast and perhaps having antimicrobial effects. METHODS AND RESULTS We determined that BBR may cause extensive transcriptional remodeling in C. albicans and that iron permease Ftr1 played a crucial role in this process through eukaryotic transcriptome sequencing. Mechanistic research showed that BBR might selectively inhibit the iron reduction pathway to lower the uptake of exogenous iron ions, inhibiting C. albicans from growing and metabolizing. Subsequent research revealed that BBR caused significant mitochondrial dysfunction, which triggered the process of mitochondrial autophagy. Moreover, we discovered that C. albicans redox homeostasis, susceptibility to antifungal drugs, and hyphal growth are all impacted by the suppression of this mechanism by BBR. CONCLUSIONS The iron reduction mechanism in C. albicans is disrupted by BBR, which disrupts mitochondrial function and inhibits fungal growth. These findings highlight the potential promise of BBR in antifungal applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongming Zheng
- College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Daifan Yue
- College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Jinyang Shen
- College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Dongmei Li
- College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Zhen Song
- College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Yifu Huang
- College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Jiangyan Yong
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan 610075, China
| | - Yan Li
- College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan 611137, China
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15
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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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16
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Kaur K, Singh A, Monga A, Mohana P, Khosla N, Bedi N. Antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects of shikonin with tea tree oil nanoemulsion against Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus. BIOFOULING 2023; 39:962-979. [PMID: 38009008 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2023.2281511] [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: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
The current work aims to develop a shikonin and tea tree oil loaded nanoemulsion system stabilized by a mixture of GRAS grade surfactants (Tween 20 and monoolein) and a cosurfactant (Transcutol P). This system was designed to address the poor aqueous solubility and photostability issues of shikonin. The authenticity of shikonin employed in this study was confirmed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The optimized nanoemulsion exhibited highly favorable characteristics in terms of zeta potential (-23.8 mV), polydispersity index (0.216) and particle size (22.97 nm). These findings were corroborated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrographs which confirmed the spherical and uniform nature of the nanoemulsion globules. Moreover, attenuated total reflectance (ATR) and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) analysis affirmed improved chemical stability and amorphization, respectively. Photodegradation studies were performed by exposing pure shikonin and the developed nanoemulsion to ultraviolet light for 1 h using a UV lamp, followed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The results confirmed that the developed nanoemulsion system imparts photoprotection to pure shikonin in the encapsulated system. Furthermore, the research investigated the effect of the nanoemulsion on biofilms formed by Candida albicans and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Scanning electron microscopy, florescence microscopy and phase contrast microscopy unveiled a remarkable reduction in biofilm area, accompanied by disruptions in the cell wall and abnormalities on the cell surface of the tested microorganisms. In conclusion, the nanoencapsulation of shikonin with tea tree oil as the lipid phase showcased significantly enhanced antimicrobial and antibiofilm potential compared to pure shikonin against resistant strains of Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirandeep Kaur
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India
| | - Atamjit Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India
| | - Aditi Monga
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India
| | - Pallvi Mohana
- Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India
| | - Neha Khosla
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India
| | - Neena Bedi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India
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17
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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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Takasaki T, Utsumi R, Shimada E, Bamba A, Hagihara K, Satoh R, Sugiura R. Atg1, a key regulator of autophagy, functions to promote MAPK activation and cell death upon calcium overload in fission yeast. MICROBIAL CELL (GRAZ, AUSTRIA) 2023; 10:133-140. [PMID: 37275474 PMCID: PMC10236205 DOI: 10.15698/mic2023.06.798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy promotes or inhibits cell death depending on the environment and cell type. Our previous findings suggested that Atg1 is genetically involved in the regulation of Pmk1 MAPK in fission yeast. Here, we showed that Δatg1 displays lower levels of Pmk1 MAPK phosphorylation than did the wild-type (WT) cells upon treatment with a 1,3-β-D-glucan synthase inhibitor micafungin or CaCl2, both of which activate Pmk1. Moreover, the overproduction of Atg1, but not that of the kinase inactivating Atg1D193A activates Pmk1 without any extracellular stimuli, suggesting that Atg1 may promote Pmk1 MAPK signaling activation. Notably, the overproduction of Atg1 induces a toxic effect on the growth of WT cells and the deletion of Pmk1 failed to suppress the cell death induced by Atg1, indicating that the Atg1-mediated cell death requires additional mechanism(s) other than Pmk1 activation. Moreover, atg1 gene deletion induces tolerance to micafungin and CaCl2, whereas pmk1 deletion induces severe sensitivities to these compounds. The Δatg1Δpmk1 double mutants display intermediate sensitivities to these compounds, showing that atg1 deletion partly suppressed growth inhibition induced by Δpmk1. Thus, Atg1 may act to promote cell death upon micafungin and CaCl2 stimuli regardless of Pmk1 MAPK activity. Since micafungin and CaCl2 are intracellular calcium inducers, our data reveal a novel role of the autophagy regulator Atg1 to induce cell death upon calcium overload independent of its role in Pmk1 MAPK activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teruaki Takasaki
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacogenomics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kindai University, Higashi-Osaka, 577-8502, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Utsumi
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacogenomics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kindai University, Higashi-Osaka, 577-8502, Japan
| | - Erika Shimada
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacogenomics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kindai University, Higashi-Osaka, 577-8502, Japan
| | - Asuka Bamba
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacogenomics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kindai University, Higashi-Osaka, 577-8502, Japan
| | - Kanako Hagihara
- Laboratory of Hygienic Science, Department of Pharmacy, Hyogo Medical University, Kobe, 650-8530, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Satoh
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacogenomics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kindai University, Higashi-Osaka, 577-8502, Japan
| | - Reiko Sugiura
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacogenomics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kindai University, Higashi-Osaka, 577-8502, Japan
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Kaur K, Singh A, Kaur R, Kaur H, Kaur R, Arora S, Bedi N. In silico molecular modelling studies and antibiofilm efficacy of shikonin against Candida albicans: mechanistic insight. Arch Microbiol 2023; 205:93. [PMID: 36800037 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03426-x] [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: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
In the recent past, the occurrence of fungal infections has increased drastically and candidiasis, caused prominently by Candida albicans, is foremost among them which has caused significant mortality and morbidity majorly in immune-compromised patients. Shikonin is a well-known natural naphthazarin derivative with promising antifungal efficacy, but it's mechanism of action is still unclear. Keeping this in view, present work was designed to get a mechanistic insight of anti-candida efficacy of shikonin via in vitro experiments and in situ molecular modelling studies. The current exploratory study is based on research that uses both qualitative and quantitative techniques, including minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration, time kill assay, cell cycle analysis and apoptotic assays, static biofilm formation assays, microscopic biofilm assessment assays, ergosterol content estimation and molecular docking/simulation studies. The study revealed a notable effect of shikonin against Candida albicans, including retardation of biofilms. Shikonin, with its increasing concentration leads to candidal cell apoptosis and necrosis establishing its dose-dependent effect. Additionally, it exhibited fungicidal activity via a mechanism of action likely related to ergosterol complexation which was further corroborated by molecular docking and simulation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirandeep Kaur
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005, India
| | - Atamjit Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005, India
| | - Rajanbir Kaur
- Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005, India
| | - Harneetpal Kaur
- Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005, India
| | - Rajinder Kaur
- Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005, India
| | - Saroj Arora
- Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005, India
| | - Neena Bedi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005, India.
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20
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Ramesh S, Madduri M, Rudramurthy SM, Roy U. Functional Characterization of a Bacillus-Derived Novel Broad-Spectrum Antifungal Lipopeptide Variant against Candida tropicalis and Candida auris and Unravelling Its Mode of Action. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0158322. [PMID: 36744953 PMCID: PMC10100908 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01583-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Limited treatment options, recalcitrance, and resistance to existing therapeutics encourage the discovery of novel antifungal leads for alternative therapeutics. Antifungal lipopeptides have emerged as potential candidates for developing new and alternative antifungal therapies. In our previous studies, we isolated and identified the lipopeptide variant AF4 and purified it to homogeneity via chromatography from the cell-free supernatant of Bacillus subtilis. AF4 was found to have broad-spectrum antifungal activity against more than 110 fungal isolates. In this study, we found that clinical isolates of Candida tropicalis and Candida auris exposed to AF4 exhibited low MICs of 4 to 8 mg/L. Time-kill assays indicated the in vitro pharmacodynamic potential of AF4. Biocompatibility assays demonstrated ~75% cell viability at 8 mg/L of AF4, indicating the lipopeptide's minimally cytotoxic nature. In lipopeptide-treated C. tropicalis and C. auris cells, scanning electron microscopy revealed damage to the cell surface, while confocal microscopy with acridine orange(AO)/propidium iodide (PI) and FUN-1 indicated permeabilization of the cell membrane, and DNA damage upon DAPI (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) staining. These observations were corroborated using flow cytometry (FC) in which propidium iodide, 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA), and rhodamine 123 (Rh123) staining of cells treated with AF4 revealed loss of membrane integrity, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and mitochondrial membrane dysfunction, respectively. Membrane perturbation was also observed in the 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) fluorescence study and the interaction with ergosterol was observed by an ergosterol binding assay. Decreased membrane dipole potential also indicated the probable binding of lipopeptide to the cell membrane. Collectively, these findings describe the mode of action of AF4 against fungal isolates by membrane disruption and ROS generation, demonstrating its antifungal potency. IMPORTANCE C. tropicalis is a major concern for candidiasis in India and C. auris has emerged as a resistant yeast causing difficult-to-treat infections. Currently, amphotericin B (AMB) and 5-flucytosine (5-FC) are the main therapeutics for systemic fungal infections; however, the nephrotoxicity of AMB and resistance to 5-FC is a serious concern. Antifungal lead molecules with low adverse effects are the need of the hour. In this study, we briefly describe the antifungal potential of the AF4 lipopeptide and its mode of action using microscopy, flow cytometry, and fluorescence-based assays. Our investigation reveals the basic mode of action of the investigated lipopeptide. This lipopeptide with broad-spectrum antifungal potency is apparently membrane-active, and there is a smaller chance that organisms exposed to such a compound will develop drug resistance. It could potentially act as a lead molecule for the development of an alternative antifungal agent to combat candidiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swetha Ramesh
- Department of Biological Sciences, BITS Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus, Goa, India
| | - Madhuri Madduri
- Department of Biological Sciences, BITS Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus, Goa, India
| | - Shivaprakash M. Rudramurthy
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Utpal Roy
- Department of Biological Sciences, BITS Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus, Goa, India
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Myxobacterial Outer Membrane β-1,6-Glucanase Induced the Cell Death of Fusarium oxysporum by Destroying the Cell Wall Integrity. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0123622. [PMID: 36602342 PMCID: PMC9888188 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01236-22] [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: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The β-1,6-glucan is the key linker between mannoproteins in the outermost part of the cell wall and β-1,3-glucan/chitin polysaccharide to maintain the rigid structure of the cell wall. The β-1,6-glucanase GluM, which was purified from the fermentation supernatant of Corallococcus sp. EGB, was able to inhibit the germination of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum conidia at a minimum concentration of 2.0 U/mL (0.08 μg/mL). The survival rates of GluM-treated conidia and monohyphae were 10.4% and 30.7%, respectively, which were significantly lower than that of β-1,3-glucanase treatment (Zymolyase, 20.0 U/mL; equate to 1.0 mg/mL) (72.9% and 73.9%). In contrast to β-1,3-glucanase treatment, the high-osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway of F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum cells was activated after GluM treatment, and the intracellular glycerol content was increased by 2.6-fold. Moreover, the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum cells after GluM treatment induced apoptosis, but it was not associated with the increased intracellular glycerol content. Together, the results indicate that β-1,6-glucan is a promising target for the development of novel broad-spectrum antifungal agents. IMPORTANCE Phytopathogenic fungi are the most devastating plant pathogens in agriculture, causing enormous economic losses to global crop production. Biocontrol agents have been promoted as replacements to synthetic chemical pesticides for sustainable agriculture development. Cell wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs), including chitinases and β-1,3-glucanases, have been considered as important armaments to damage the cell wall. Here, we found that F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum is more sensitive to β-1,6-glucanase GluM treatment (0.08 μg/mL) than β-1,3-glucanase Zymolyase (1.0 mg/mL). The HOG pathway was activated in F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum cells after GluM treatment, and the intracellular glycerol content was significantly increased. Moreover, the decomposition of F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum cell wall by GluM induced the burst of intracellular ROS and apoptosis, which eventually leads to cell death. Therefore, we suggest that the β-1,6-glucan of the fungal cell wall may be a better antifungal target compared to the β-1,3-glucan.
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Jothi R, Sangavi R, Raja V, Kumar P, Pandian SK, Gowrishankar S. Alteration of Cell Membrane Permeability by Cetyltrimethylammonium Chloride Induces Cell Death in Clinically Important Candida Species. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 20:ijerph20010027. [PMID: 36612353 PMCID: PMC9819714 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The increased incidence of healthcare-related Candida infection has necessitated the use of effective disinfectants/antiseptics in healthcare settings as a preventive measure to decontaminate the hospital environment and stop the persistent colonization of the offending pathogens. Quanternary ammonium surfactants (QASs), with their promising antimicrobial efficacy, are considered as intriguing and appealing candidates for disinfectants. From this perspective, the present study investigated the antifungal efficacy and action mechanism of the QAS cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) against three clinically important Candida species: C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. glabrata. CTAC exhibited phenomenal antifungal activity against all tested Candida spp., with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFC) between 2 and 8 µg/mL. The time−kill kinetics of CTAC (at 2XMIC) demonstrated that an exposure time of 2 h was required to kill 99.9% of the inoculums in all tested strains. An important observation was that CTAC treatment did not influence intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), signifying that its phenomenal anticandidal efficacy was not mediated via oxidative stress. In addition, sorbitol supplementation increased CTAC’s MIC values against all tested Candida strains by three times (8−32 μg/mL), indicating that CTAC’s possible antifungal activity involves fungus cell membrane destruction. Interestingly, the increased fluorescence intensity of CTAC-treated cells in both propidium iodide (PI) and DAPI staining assays indicated the impairment of cell plasma membrane and nuclear membrane integrity by CTAC, respectively. Additionally, CTAC at MIC and 2XMIC was sufficient (>80%) to disrupt the mature biofilms of all tested spp., and it inhibited the yeast-to-hyphae transition at sub-MIC in C. albicans. Finally, the non-hemolytic activity of CTAC (upto 32 µg/mL) in human blood cells and HBECs signified its non-toxic nature at the investigated concentrations. Furthermore, thymol and citral, two phytocompounds, together with CTAC, showed synergistic fungicidal effectiveness against C. albicans planktonic cells. Altogether, the data of the present study appreciably broaden our understanding of the antifungal action mechanism of CTAC and support its future translation as a potential disinfectant against Candida-associated healthcare infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Jothi
- Department of Biotechnology, Science Campus, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630 003, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ravichellam Sangavi
- Department of Biotechnology, Science Campus, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630 003, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Veerapandian Raja
- Center of Emphasis in Infectious Diseases, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
| | - Ponnuchamy Kumar
- Department of Animal Health and Management, Science Campus, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630 003, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Shanmugaraj Gowrishankar
- Department of Biotechnology, Science Campus, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630 003, Tamil Nadu, India
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Avramovska O, Smith AC, Rego E, Hickman MA. Tetraploidy accelerates adaptation under drug selection in a fungal pathogen. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2022; 3:984377. [PMID: 37746235 PMCID: PMC10512305 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2022.984377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Baseline ploidy significantly impacts evolutionary trajectories and, specifically, tetraploidy is associated with higher rates of adaptation relative to haploidy and diploidy. While the majority of experimental evolution studies investigating ploidy use the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerivisiae, the fungal pathogen Candida albicans is a powerful system to investigate ploidy dynamics, particularly in the context of acquiring antifungal drug resistance. C. albicans laboratory and clinical strains are predominantly diploid, but have been isolated as haploid and polyploid. Here, we evolved diploid and tetraploid C. albicans for ~60 days in the antifungal drug caspofungin. Tetraploid-evolved lines adapted faster than diploid-evolved lines and reached higher levels of caspofungin resistance. While diploid-evolved lines generally maintained their initial genome size, tetraploid-evolved lines rapidly underwent genome-size reductions and did so prior to caspofungin adaptation. While clinical resistance was largely due to mutations in FKS1, these mutations were caused by substitutions in diploid, and indels in tetraploid isolates. Furthermore, fitness costs in the absence of drug selection were significantly less in tetraploid-evolved lines compared to the diploid-evolved lines. Taken together, this work supports a model of adaptation in which the tetraploid state is transient but its ability to rapidly transition ploidy states improves adaptive outcomes and may drive drug resistance in fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ognenka Avramovska
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Amanda C. Smith
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Division of Viral Disease, CDC Foundation, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Emily Rego
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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24
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Swinney DC. Why medicines work. Pharmacol Ther 2022; 238:108175. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2022.108175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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25
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Botcazon C, Bergia T, Lecouturier D, Dupuis C, Rochex A, Acket S, Nicot P, Leclère V, Sarazin C, Rippa S. Rhamnolipids and fengycins, very promising amphiphilic antifungal compounds from bacteria secretomes, act on Sclerotiniaceae fungi through different mechanisms. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:977633. [PMID: 36246282 PMCID: PMC9557291 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.977633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhamnolipids (RLs) and fengycins (FGs) are amphiphilic lipid compounds from bacteria secretomes proposed to replace synthetic pesticides for crop protection. They both display plant defense triggering properties and direct antimicrobial activities. In particular, they have well reported antifungal effects against phytopathogenic fungi. RLs and FGs are considered to act through a direct interaction with membrane lipids and a destabilization of microorganism plasma membrane, thereby limiting the risk of resistance emergence. The main objective of this work was to gain insights in the antimycelial mode of action of these metabolites to promote them as environment and human health friendly biocontrol solutions. Their biocidal effects were studied on two Sclerotiniaceae fungi responsible for diseases in numerous plant species worldwide. We show here that different strains of Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum have opposite sensitivities to RLs and FGs on plate experiments. Overall, B. cinerea is more sensitive to FGs while S. sclerotiorum is more sensitive to RLs. Electron microscopy observations demonstrated that RLs induce mycelial destructuring by asperities emergence and hyphal fusions whereas FGs promote swelling and formation of vesicle-like structures due to vacuole fusions and autophagy. Permeability studies, phosphatidylserine externalization and reactive oxygen species production assessments showed a programmed cell death triggering by RLs at medium concentrations (until 50 μg mL−1) and necrosis characteristics at higher concentration. Programmed cell death was always observed on hyphae treated with FGs. Quantifications of mycelial ergosterol content indicated that a higher ergosterol rate in S. sclerotiorum correlates with increasing sensitivity to RLs. Oppositely, a lower ergosterol rate in B. cinerea correlates with increasing sensitivity to FGs, which was confirmed by ergosterol biosynthesis inhibition with tebuconazole. This gain of knowledge will help to better understand the mode of action of RLs and FGs to fight specific plant fungal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Botcazon
- Unité de Génie Enzymatique et Cellulaire, CNRS UMR 7025, Sorbonne Universités, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, Compiègne, France
| | - Thomas Bergia
- Unité de Génie Enzymatique et Cellulaire, CNRS UMR 7025, Sorbonne Universités, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, Compiègne, France
| | - Didier Lecouturier
- Charles Viollette Institute, UMRt BioEcoAgro 1158-INRAe, Métabolites Secondaires d’Origine Microbienne, Université de Lille, Université de Liège, Lille, France
| | - Chloé Dupuis
- Charles Viollette Institute, UMRt BioEcoAgro 1158-INRAe, Métabolites Secondaires d’Origine Microbienne, Université de Lille, Université de Liège, Lille, France
| | - Alice Rochex
- Charles Viollette Institute, UMRt BioEcoAgro 1158-INRAe, Métabolites Secondaires d’Origine Microbienne, Université de Lille, Université de Liège, Lille, France
| | - Sébastien Acket
- Unité de Génie Enzymatique et Cellulaire, CNRS UMR 7025, Sorbonne Universités, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, Compiègne, France
| | - Philippe Nicot
- Centre de Recherche PACA, Domaine Saint Maurice, Unité de Pathologie Végétale, INRAe, Avignon, France
| | - Valérie Leclère
- Charles Viollette Institute, UMRt BioEcoAgro 1158-INRAe, Métabolites Secondaires d’Origine Microbienne, Université de Lille, Université de Liège, Lille, France
| | - Catherine Sarazin
- Unité de Génie Enzymatique et Cellulaire, CNRS UMR 7025, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France
| | - Sonia Rippa
- Unité de Génie Enzymatique et Cellulaire, CNRS UMR 7025, Sorbonne Universités, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, Compiègne, France
- *Correspondence: Sonia Rippa,
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26
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Lv QZ, Zhang XL, Gao L, Yan L, Jiang YY. iTRAQ-based proteomics revealed baicalein enhanced oxidative stress of Candida albicans by up-regulating CPD2 expression. Med Mycol 2022; 60:6687814. [PMID: 36055797 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myac053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Baicalein could inhibit the growth and biofilm formation of Candida albicans, the most common clinical fungal pathogen. However, the antifungal mechanism of baicalein has not been elucidated. In this study, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) was used to verify the mechanism of antifungal fluconazole and baicalein. A total of 58 common proteins were detected in cells treated with fluconazole. These proteins encompassed fluconazole-targeted sterol synthesis pathway, including Erg11p, Erg6p, Erg3p, Erg25p, Erg5p, Erg10p and Ncp1p. Next, iTRAQ was applied to the comparison of baicalein-treated C. albicans proteins, which detected 16 common proteins. The putative NADH dehydrogenase Cpd2p and the ATP-binding cassette transporter Snq2p were the most up-regulated proteins with the treatment of baicalein. Our results showed that CPD2 disruption elevated C. albicans resistance to baicalein significantly both in vitro and in vivo. Further in-depth studies revealed that CPD2 disruption reduced the activation of C. albicans metacaspase and partially restored the mitochondrial membrane potential reduction caused by the treatment of baicalein, which indicated that CPD2 was involved in the apoptosis induced by baicalein. Consistently, under the treatment of baicalein, CPD2Δ/Δ mutant produced lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) that was critical in causing oxidative damage and apoptosis in C. albicans. These results indicated that baicalein could increase intracellular oxidative damage by up-regulating the expression of Cpd2p so as to inhibit the growth of C. albicans, which provides new insights for investigating the antifungal target of baicalein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Q-Z Lv
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, P.R.Chi
| | - X-L Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, P.R.Chi.,91034 PLA troops, Xuancheng, P.R.Chi
| | - L Gao
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P.R.Chi
| | - L Yan
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, P.R.Chi
| | - Y-Y Jiang
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P.R.Chi
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27
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Wagner AS, Lumsdaine SW, Mangrum MM, King AE, Hancock TJ, Sparer TE, Reynolds TB. Cek1 regulates ß(1,3)-glucan exposure through calcineurin effectors in Candida albicans. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010405. [PMID: 36121853 PMCID: PMC9521907 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to successfully induce disease, the fungal pathogen Candida albicans regulates exposure of antigens like the cell wall polysaccharide ß(1,3)-glucan to the host immune system. C. albicans covers (masks) ß(1,3)-glucan with a layer of mannosylated glycoproteins, which aids in immune system evasion by acting as a barrier to recognition by host pattern recognition receptors. Consequently, enhanced ß(1,3)-glucan exposure (unmasking) makes fungal cells more visible to host immune cells and facilitates more robust fungal clearance. However, an understanding of how C. albicans regulates its exposure levels of ß(1,3)-glucan is needed to leverage this phenotype. Signal transduction pathways and their corresponding effector genes mediating these changes are only beginning to be defined. Here, we report that the phosphatase calcineurin mediates unmasking of ß(1,3)-glucan in response to inputs from the Cek1 MAPK pathway and in response to caspofungin exposure. In contrast, calcineurin reduces ß-glucan exposure in response to high levels of extracellular calcium. Thus, depending on the input, calcineurin acts as a switchboard to regulate ß(1,3)-glucan exposure levels. By leveraging these differential ß(1,3)-glucan exposure phenotypes, we identified two novel effector genes in the calcineurin regulon, FGR41 and C1_11990W_A, that encode putative cell wall proteins and mediate masking/unmasking. Loss of either effector caused unmasking and attenuated virulence during systemic infection in mice. Furthermore, immunosuppression restored the colonization decrease seen in mice infected with the fgr41Δ/Δ mutant to wild-type levels, demonstrating a reliance on the host immune system for virulence attenuation. Thus, calcineurin and its downstream regulon are general regulators of unmasking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S. Wagner
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Stephen W. Lumsdaine
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Mikayla M. Mangrum
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Ainsley E. King
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Trevor J. Hancock
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Timothy E. Sparer
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Todd B. Reynolds
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
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Sasidharan S, Nishanth KS, Nair HJ. Ethanolic extract of Caesalpinia bonduc seeds triggers yeast metacaspase-dependent apoptotic pathway mediated by mitochondrial dysfunction through enhanced production of calcium and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Candida albicans. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:970688. [PMID: 36093184 PMCID: PMC9449877 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.970688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is a widespread disease-causing yeast affecting humankind, which leads to urinary tract, cutaneous and various lethal systemic infections. As this infection rate steadily increases, it is becoming a significant public health problem. Recently, Caesalpinia bonduc has received much attention from researchers due to its diverse pharmacological properties, including antimicrobial effects. Accordingly, we first planned to explore the in-vitro anticandidal potential of three extracts obtained from C. bonduc seeds against four Candida species. Initially, the anticandidal activity of the seed extracts was checked by the microdilution technique. Out of three seed extracts tested, ethanolic extract of C. bonduc seed (EECS) recorded the best activity against C. albicans. Hence, we next aimed to find out the anticandidal mechanism of EECS in C. albicans. The liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS) analysis showed that the major compounds present in the EECS were tocopherols, fucosterol, linoleic acid, β-amyrin, β-sitosterol, campesterol, cassane furanoditerpene, Norcassane furanoditerpene and other diterpenes. To evaluate the cell death mechanism in C. albicans, a series of parameters related to apoptosis, viz., reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, membrane permeability, mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c, DNA fragmentation, nuclear condensation, increased Ca2+ level in cytosolic and mitochondrial and activation of metacaspase, were analyzed. The results showed that EECS treatment resulted in the elevation of ROS, which leads to plasma membrane permeability in C. albicans. Annexin V staining further confirms the early stage of apoptosis through phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization. We further inspected the late apoptotic stage using DAPI and TUNEL staining assays. From the results, it can be concluded that EECS triggered mitochondrial dysfunction by releasing high levels of ROS, cytochrome c and Ca2+resulting in the activation of metacaspase mediated apoptosis, which is the central mechanism behind the cell death of C. albicans. Finally, a Galleria mellonella-C. albicans infection system was employed to assess the in-vivo potential of EECS. The outcomes displayed that the EECS considerably enhanced the recovery rate of G. mellonella larvae from infection after the treatment. Additionally, EECS also recorded low hemolytic activity. This study thus spotlights the anticandidal potential and mechanism of action of EECS against C. albicans and thus delivers a promising treatment approach to manage C. albicans infection in the future.
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Hu Z, Hu H, Hu Z, Zhong X, Guan Y, Zhao Y, Wang L, Ye L, Ming L, Riaz Rajoka MS, He Z, Wang Y, Song X. Sanguinarine, Isolated From Macleaya cordata, Exhibits Potent Antifungal Efficacy Against Candida albicans Through Inhibiting Ergosterol Synthesis. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:908461. [PMID: 35783394 PMCID: PMC9240711 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.908461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, infections caused by the opportunistic fungus Candida albicans have increased, especially in patients with immunodeficiency. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of action of sanguinarine (SAN) against C. albicans both in vitro and in vivo. SAN exhibited antifungal activity against C. albicans clinical isolates, with MICs in the range of 112.8-150.5 μM. Furthermore, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy showed that SAN induced morphological changes as well as structure disruption in C. albicans cells, including masses of cellular debris, ruptured cell walls, and membrane deformation. Flow cytometry revealed that SAN could lead to cell membrane damage, and ergosterol content analysis indicated that SAN could cause ergosterol content reduction exceeding 90%. Further, we validated the efficacy of SAN against candidiasis caused by C. albicans in a murine model, and SAN significantly improved survival and reduced weight loss compared to vehicle. The treatment of 1.5 and 2.5 mg/kg/d SAN obviously reduced the fungal burden in the kidney. In addition, histopathological examination indicated that no fungal cells were observed in lung and kidney tissues after SAN treatment. Hence, this study suggests that SAN is a promising plant-derived compound for the development of an effective anticandidal agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwei Hu
- School of Basic Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Respiratory Medicine Department, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hao Hu
- School of Basic Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Respiratory Medicine Department, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhili Hu
- Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaojun Zhong
- Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yifu Guan
- Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products (State Ethnic Affairs Commission), Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Chemistry and Engineering of Forest Products, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning, China
| | - Yunshi Zhao
- School of Basic Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Respiratory Medicine Department, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lu Wang
- School of Basic Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Respiratory Medicine Department, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Liang Ye
- School of Basic Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Respiratory Medicine Department, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | | | - Muhammad Shahid Riaz Rajoka
- School of Basic Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Respiratory Medicine Department, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhendan He
- College of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Translational Medicine R&D Center, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xun Song
- School of Basic Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Respiratory Medicine Department, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- College of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen, China
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The Inhibitory Activity of Citral against Malassezia furfur. Processes (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/pr10050802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The lipophilic yeast Malassezia furfur, is a member of the cutaneous commensal microbiota and is associated with several chronic diseases such as dandruff, pityriasis versicolor, folliculitis, and seborrheic dermatitis, that are often difficult to treat with current therapies. The development of alternatively effective antifungal therapies is therefore of paramount importance. In this study, we investigated the treatment effect of citral on M. furfur. The minimal inhibitory concentration of citral for M. furfur was 200 μg/mL, and the minimal fungicidal concentration was 300 μg/mL. Citral significantly increased the proportion of yeast cells to mycelial forms 2.6-fold. Phosphatidylserine externalization, DNA fragmentation, and metacaspase activation supported a citral-induced apoptosis in M. furfur. Moreover, citral at sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations reduced the invasion of M. furfur in HaCaT keratinocytes. Finally, we demonstrated that citral inhibited IL-6 and TLR-2 expression and enhanced HBD-2 and TSLP expression in M. furfur-infected HaCaT keratinocytes. These results showed that citral has antifungal activity at high concentrations and can decrease the infection of M. furfur by modulating the keratinocyte immune responses at low concentrations. Our results suggest that citral is a potential candidate for topical therapeutic application for M. furfur-associated human skin diseases.
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Zhang R, Liu C, Yang L, Ji T, Zhang N, Dong X, Chen X, Ma J, Gao W, Huang S, Chen L. NOX2-derived hydrogen peroxide impedes the AMPK/Akt-mTOR signaling pathway contributing to cell death in neuronal cells. Cell Signal 2022; 94:110330. [PMID: 35390465 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2022.110330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress is closely related to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), a typical neurodegenerative disease. NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) is involved in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation. Recently, we have reported that treatment with H2O2 and PD toxins, including 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridin-1-ium (MPP+) and rotenone, induces neuronal apoptosis by inhibiting the mTOR pathway. Here, we show that treatment with 6-OHDA, MPP+ or rotenone induced H2O2 generation by upregulating the levels of NOX2 and its regulatory proteins (p22phox, p40phox, p47phox, p67phox, and Rac1), leading to apoptotic cell death in PC12 cells and primary neurons. Inhibition of NOX2 with apocynin or diphenyleneiodonium, or knockdown of NOX2 powerfully attenuated PD toxins-evoked NOX2 and H2O2, thereby hindering activation of AMPK, inhibition of Akt/mTOR, and induction of apoptosis in neuronal cells. Pretreatment with catalase, a H2O2-scavenging enzyme, blocked the effects of PD toxins on NOX2-dependent H2O2 production, AMPK/Akt/mTOR signaling and apoptosis in the cells. Similar effects were also seen in the cells pretreated with Mito-TEMPO, a mitochondria-selective superoxide scavenger, implying a mitochondrial H2O2-dependent mechanism involved. Further research revealed that ectopic expression of constitutively active Akt or dominant negative AMPKα, or inhibition of AMPK with compound C suppressed PD toxins-induced expression of NOX2 and its regulatory proteins, as well as consequential H2O2 production and apoptosis in the cells. Taken together, these results indicate that certain PD toxins can impede the AMPK/Akt-mTOR signaling pathway leading to neuronal apoptosis by eliciting NOX2-derived H2O2 production. Our findings suggest that neuronal loss in PD may be prevented by regulating the NOX2, AMPK/Akt-mTOR signaling and/or applying antioxidants to ameliorate oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruijie Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, PR China,; College of Life Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Anhui 230032, PR China
| | - Chunxiao Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, PR China,; Suzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Suzhou 215009, PR China
| | - Liu Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Tong Ji
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Nana Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Xiaoqing Dong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Xin Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Jing Ma
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Wei Gao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Shile Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130-3932, USA; Department of Hematology and Oncology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130-3932, USA; Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130-3932, USA.
| | - Long Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, PR China,.
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Perrine-Walker F. Caspofungin resistance in Candida albicans: genetic factors and synergistic compounds for combination therapies. Braz J Microbiol 2022; 53:1101-1113. [PMID: 35352319 PMCID: PMC9433586 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-022-00739-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Caspofungin and other echinocandins have been used for the treatment of human infections by the opportunistic yeast pathogen, Candida albicans. There has been an increase in infections by non-albicans Candida species such as Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, and Candida auris in clinical or hospital settings. This is problematic to public health due to the increasing prevalence of echinocandin resistant species/strains. This review will present a summary on various studies that investigated the inhibitory action of caspofungin on 1,3-β-D-glucan synthesis, on cell wall structure, and biofilm formation of C. albicans. It will highlight some of the issues linked to caspofungin resistance or reduced caspofungin sensitivity in various Candida species and the potential benefits of antimicrobial peptides and other compounds in synergy with caspofungin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francine Perrine-Walker
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute For Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
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Mbuayama KR, Taute H, Strӧmstedt AA, Bester MJ, Gaspar ARM. Antifungal activity and mode of action of synthetic peptides derived from the tick OsDef2 defensin. J Pept Sci 2021; 28:e3383. [PMID: 34866278 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3383] [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: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Candida albicans is the principal opportunistic fungal pathogen in nosocomial settings and resistance to antifungal drugs is on the rise. Antimicrobial peptides from natural sources are promising novel therapeutics against C. albicans. OsDef2 defensin was previously found to be active against only Gram-positive bacteria, whereas derived fragments Os and its cysteine-free analogue, Os-C, are active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria at low micromolar concentrations. In this study, OsDef2-derived analogues and fragments were screened for anticandidal activity with the aim to identify peptides with antifungal activity and in so doing obtain a better understanding of the structural requirements for activity and modes of action. Os, Os-C and Os(11-22)NH2 , a Os-truncated carboxy-terminal-amidated fragment, had the most significant antifungal activities, with minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) in the micromolar range (6-28 μM). C. albicans killing was rapid and occurred within 30-60 min. Further investigations showed all three peptides interacted with cell wall derived polysaccharides while both Os and Os(11-22)NH2 permeabilized fungal liposomes. Confocal laser scanning microscopy confirmed that Os-C and Os(11-22)NH2 could enter the cytosol of live cells and subsequent findings suggest that the uptake of Os and Os-C, in contrast to Os(11-22)NH2 , is energy dependent. Although Os, Os-C and Os(11-22)NH2 induced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), co-incubation with ascorbic acid revealed that only ROS generated by Os-C and to a lesser extent Os(11-22)NH2 resulted in cell death. Overall, Os, Os-C and Os(11-22)NH2 are promising candidacidal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kabuzi R Mbuayama
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Helena Taute
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Adam A Strӧmstedt
- Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Megan J Bester
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Anabella R M Gaspar
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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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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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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Yan J, Wu H, Chen K, Feng J, Zhang Y. Antifungal Activities and Mode of Action of Cymbopogon citratus, Thymus vulgraris, and Origanum heracleoticum Essential Oil Vapors against Botrytis cinerea and Their Potential Application to Control Postharvest Strawberry Gray Mold. Foods 2021; 10:foods10102451. [PMID: 34681505 PMCID: PMC8536117 DOI: 10.3390/foods10102451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea is one of the most destructive postharvest decay of strawberry fruit. The present study aims to identify essential oils with antifungal activity against B. cinerea and the underlying mechanisms and their potential application in controlling postharvest decay. In the screening test, essential oils from Cymbopogon citratus (Cc), Thymus vulgraris (Tv), and Origanum heracleoticum (Oh) exhibited maximum inhibition of B. cinerea mycelial growth. The three essential oils altered the hyphal morphology and ultrastructure and resulted in many blebs around the hyphae. The essential oils damaged the plasma membrane of B. cinerea cells and resulted in the leakage of intercellular nucleic acids, proteins and soluble sugars. The exposure of strawberries to the vapors of these three essential oils in commercial package reduced gray mold, with Tv and Oh exhibiting strong efficiency and disease index reduction by 53.85% and 57.69%, respectively. Oh also inhibited postharvest decay and maintained fruit quality, preventing weight loss and soluble solid degradation. The study proposes using plant essential oils as an alternative to chemical fungicides in controlling the gray mold of strawberries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Yan
- College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing 100193, China; (K.C.); (J.F.); (Y.Z.)
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, No. 11 Fucheng Road, Beijing 100048, China;
- Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, Beijing Technology and Business University, No. 11 Fucheng Road, Beijing 100048, China
- Correspondence:
| | - Hua Wu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, No. 11 Fucheng Road, Beijing 100048, China;
- Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, Beijing Technology and Business University, No. 11 Fucheng Road, Beijing 100048, China
- College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, No. 11 Fucheng Road, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Keying Chen
- College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing 100193, China; (K.C.); (J.F.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Jiajun Feng
- College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing 100193, China; (K.C.); (J.F.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yansong Zhang
- College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing 100193, China; (K.C.); (J.F.); (Y.Z.)
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Garcia-Rubio R, Jimenez-Ortigosa C, DeGregorio L, Quinteros C, Shor E, Perlin DS. Multifactorial Role of Mitochondria in Echinocandin Tolerance Revealed by Transcriptome Analysis of Drug-Tolerant Cells. mBio 2021; 12:e0195921. [PMID: 34372698 PMCID: PMC8406274 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01959-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections cause significant mortality and morbidity worldwide, and the limited existing antifungal reservoir is further weakened by the emergence of strains resistant to echinocandins, a first line of antifungal therapy. Candida glabrata is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that rapidly develops mutations in the echinocandin drug target β-1,3-glucan synthase (GS), which are associated with drug resistance and clinical failure. Although echinocandins are considered fungicidal in Candida sp., a subset of C. glabrata cells survive echinocandin exposure, forming a drug-tolerant cell reservoir, from which resistant mutations are thought to emerge. Despite their importance, the physiology of rare drug-tolerant cells is poorly understood. We used fluorescence-activated cell sorting to enrich for echinocandin-tolerant cells, followed by modified single-cell RNA sequencing to examine their transcriptional landscape. This analysis identified a transcriptional signature distinct from the stereotypical yeast environmental stress response and characterized by upregulation of pathways involved in chromosome structure and DNA topology and downregulation of oxidative stress responses, of which the latter was observed despite increased levels of reactive oxygen species. Further analyses implicated mitochondria in echinocandin tolerance, wherein inhibitors of mitochondrial complexes I and IV reduced echinocandin-mediated cell killing, but mutants lacking various mitochondrial components all showed an echinocandin hypotolerant phenotype. Finally, GS enzyme complexes purified from mitochondrial mutants exhibited normal in vitro inhibition kinetics, indicating that mitochondrial defects influence cell survival downstream of the drug-target interaction. Together, these results provide new insights into the C. glabrata response to echinocandins and reveal a multifactorial role of mitochondria in echinocandin tolerance. IMPORTANCE Echinocandin drugs are a first-line therapy to treat invasive candidiasis, which is a major source of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida glabrata is a prominent bloodstream fungal pathogen, and it is notable for rapidly developing echinocandin-resistant strains associated with clinical failure. Echinocandin resistance is thought to emerge within a small echinocandin-tolerant subset of C. glabrata cells that are not killed by drug exposure, but mechanisms underlying echinocandin tolerance are still unknown. Here, we describe the unique transcriptional signature of echinocandin-tolerant cells and the results of follow-up analyses, which reveal a multifactorial role of mitochondria in C. glabrata echinocandin tolerance. In particular, although chemical inhibition of respiratory chain enzymes increased echinocandin tolerance, deletion of multiple mitochondrial components made C. glabrata cells hypotolerant to echinocandins. Together, these results provide new insights into the C. glabrata response to echinocandins and reveal the involvement of mitochondria in echinocandin tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocio Garcia-Rubio
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - Lucius DeGregorio
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
| | - Christopher Quinteros
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
| | - Erika Shor
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Medical Sciences, Hackensack Meridian Health School of Medicine, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
| | - David S. Perlin
- Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Medical Sciences, Hackensack Meridian Health School of Medicine, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
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Liang T, Chen W, Yang X, Wang Q, Wan Z, Li R, Liu W. The Elevated Endogenous Reactive Oxygen Species Contribute to the Sensitivity of the Amphotericin B-Resistant Isolate of Aspergillus flavus to Triazoles and Echinocandins. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:680749. [PMID: 34413836 PMCID: PMC8369828 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.680749] [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: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus flavus has been frequently reported as the second cause of invasive aspergillosis (IA), as well as the leading cause in certain tropical countries. Amphotericin B (AMB) is a clinically important therapy option for a range of invasive fungal infections including invasive aspergillosis, and in vitro resistance to AMB was associated with poor outcomes in IA patients treated with AMB. Compared with the AMB-susceptible isolates of A. terreus, the AMB-resistant isolates of A. terreus showed a lower level of AMB-induced endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS), which was an important cause of AMB resistance. In this study, we obtained one AMB-resistant isolate of A. flavus, with an AMB MIC of 32 μg/mL, which was sensitive to triazoles and echinocandins. This isolate presented elevated endogenous ROS levels, which strongly suggested that no contribution of decreased AMB-induced endogenous ROS for AMB-resistance, opposite to those observed in A. terreus. Further, we confirmed that the elevated endogenous ROS contributed to the sensitivity of the AMB-resistant A. flavus isolate to triazoles and echinocandins. Further investigation is needed to elucidate the causes of elevated endogenous ROS and the resistance mechanism to AMB in A. flavus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyu Liang
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Research Center for Medical Mycology, Peking University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis on Dermatoses, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Research Center for Medical Mycology, Peking University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis on Dermatoses, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyu Yang
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Research Center for Medical Mycology, Peking University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis on Dermatoses, Beijing, China
| | - Qiqi Wang
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Research Center for Medical Mycology, Peking University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis on Dermatoses, Beijing, China
| | - Zhe Wan
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Research Center for Medical Mycology, Peking University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis on Dermatoses, Beijing, China
| | - Ruoyu Li
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Research Center for Medical Mycology, Peking University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis on Dermatoses, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Peking University First Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Research Center for Medical Mycology, Peking University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis on Dermatoses, Beijing, China
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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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Zhou C, Peng C, Shi C, Jiang M, Chau JHC, Liu Z, Bai H, Kwok RTK, Lam JWY, Shi Y, Tang BZ. Mitochondria-Specific Aggregation-Induced Emission Luminogens for Selective Photodynamic Killing of Fungi and Efficacious Treatment of Keratitis. ACS NANO 2021; 15:12129-12139. [PMID: 34181408 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c03508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The development of effective antifungal agents remains a big challenge in view of the close evolutionary relationship between mammalian cells and fungi. Moreover, rapid mutations of fungal receptors at the molecular level result in the emergence of drug resistance. Here, with low tendency to develop drug-resistance, the subcellular organelle mitochondrion is exploited as an alternative target for efficient fungal killing by photodynamic therapy (PDT) of mitochondrial-targeting luminogens with aggregation-induced emission characteristics (AIEgens). With cationic isoquinolinium (IQ) moiety and proper hydrophobicity, three AIEgens, namely, IQ-TPE-2O, IQ-Cm, and IQ-TPA, can preferentially accumulate at the mitochondria of fungi over the mammalian cells. Upon white light irradiation, these AIEgens efficiently generate reactive 1O2, which causes irreversible damage to fungal mitochondria and further triggers the fungal death. Among them, IQ-TPA shows the highest PDT efficiency against fungi and negligible toxicity to mammalian cells, achieving the selective and highly efficient killing of fungi. Furthermore, we tested the clinical utility of this PDT strategy by treating fungal keratitis on a fungus-infected rabbit model. It was demonstrated that IQ-TPA presents obviously better therapeutic effects as compared with the clinically used rose bengal, suggesting the success of this PDT strategy and its great potential for clinical treatment of fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengcheng Zhou
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002, China
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, and SCUT-HKUST Joint Research Laboratory, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong China
| | - Chen Peng
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, and SCUT-HKUST Joint Research Laboratory, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong China
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China
| | - Chunzi Shi
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China
| | - Meijuan Jiang
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, and SCUT-HKUST Joint Research Laboratory, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong China
| | - Joe H C Chau
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, and SCUT-HKUST Joint Research Laboratory, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong China
| | - Zhiyang Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, and SCUT-HKUST Joint Research Laboratory, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong China
| | - Haotian Bai
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, and SCUT-HKUST Joint Research Laboratory, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong China
| | - Ryan T K Kwok
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, and SCUT-HKUST Joint Research Laboratory, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong China
| | - Jacky W Y Lam
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, and SCUT-HKUST Joint Research Laboratory, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong China
| | - Yuxin Shi
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 201508, China
| | - Ben Zhong Tang
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, and SCUT-HKUST Joint Research Laboratory, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong China
- Shenzhen Institute of Aggregate Science and Technology, School of Science & Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Longgang, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518172, China
- AIE Institute, Guangzhou Development District, Huangpu, Guangzhou 510530, China
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Jakab Á, Emri T, Csillag K, Szabó A, Nagy F, Baranyai E, Sajtos Z, Géczi D, Antal K, Kovács R, Szabó K, Dombrádi V, Pócsi I. The Negative Effect of Protein Phosphatase Z1 Deletion on the Oxidative Stress Tolerance of Candida albicans Is Synergistic with Betamethasone Exposure. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7070540. [PMID: 34356919 PMCID: PMC8305657 DOI: 10.3390/jof7070540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The glucocorticoid betamethasone (BM) has potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects; however, it increases the susceptibility of patients to superficial Candida infections. Previously we found that this disadvantageous side effect can be counteracted by menadione sodium bisulfite (MSB) induced oxidative stress treatment. The fungus specific protein phosphatase Z1 (CaPpz1) has a pivotal role in oxidative stress response of Candida albicans and was proposed as a potential antifungal drug target. The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effects of CaPPZ1 gene deletion and MSB treatment in BM pre-treated C. albicans cultures. We found that the combined treatment increased redox imbalance, enhanced the specific activities of antioxidant enzymes, and reduced the growth in cappz1 mutant (KO) strain. RNASeq data demonstrated that the presence of BM markedly elevated the number of differentially expressed genes in the MSB treated KO cultures. Accumulation of reactive oxygen species, increased iron content and fatty acid oxidation, as well as the inhibiting ergosterol biosynthesis and RNA metabolic processes explain, at least in part, the fungistatic effect caused by the combined stress exposure. We suggest that the synergism between MSB treatment and CaPpz1 inhibition could be considered in developing of a novel combinatorial antifungal strategy accompanying steroid therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ágnes Jakab
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.E.); (K.C.); (A.S.); (D.G.); (I.P.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Tamás Emri
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.E.); (K.C.); (A.S.); (D.G.); (I.P.)
| | - Kinga Csillag
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.E.); (K.C.); (A.S.); (D.G.); (I.P.)
| | - Anita Szabó
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.E.); (K.C.); (A.S.); (D.G.); (I.P.)
| | - Fruzsina Nagy
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (F.N.); (R.K.)
| | - Edina Baranyai
- Agilent Atomic Spectroscopy Partner Laboratory, Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (E.B.); (Z.S.)
| | - Zsófi Sajtos
- Agilent Atomic Spectroscopy Partner Laboratory, Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (E.B.); (Z.S.)
| | - Dóra Géczi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.E.); (K.C.); (A.S.); (D.G.); (I.P.)
| | - Károly Antal
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Eszterházy Károly University, 3300 Eger, Hungary;
| | - Renátó Kovács
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (F.N.); (R.K.)
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Krisztina Szabó
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (K.S.); (V.D.)
| | - Viktor Dombrádi
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (K.S.); (V.D.)
| | - István Pócsi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.E.); (K.C.); (A.S.); (D.G.); (I.P.)
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Shi J, Zhou X, Zhao Y, Tang X, Feng L, Wang B, Chen J. The three-spot seahorse-derived peptide PAGPRGPA attenuates ethanol-induced oxidative stress in LO2 cells through MAPKs, the Keap1/Nrf2 signalling pathway and amino acid metabolism. Food Funct 2021; 12:1672-1687. [PMID: 33496711 DOI: 10.1039/d0fo02457k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Alcoholic liver diseases (ALDs) impose a substantial health burden on many countries. Bioactive peptides isolated from people, marine organisms, animals and plants have shown hepatoprotective effects on animal and hepatocyte models. In this study, an LO2 cell model of ethanol-induced liver injury in vitro was constructed. We investigated the hepatoprotective effects of the three-spot seahorse bioactive peptide (SBP) PAGPRGPA (Pro-Ala-Gly-Pro-Arg-Gly-Pro-Ala; 721.39 Da) and characterised the underlying metabolic pathways and biomarkers through a nontargeted metabolomics approach. We found that ethanol-induced oxidative stress impaired the cellular antioxidant system, leading to an imbalance in cellular homeostasis. However, SBP with a certain antioxidant activity inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, excessive intracellular Ca2+ level and abnormal apoptosis. It also restored the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) levels and attenuated ethanol-induced oxidative damage and inflammation. SBP suppressed the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in ethanol-stimulated LO2 cells. It also regulated the Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signalling pathway to protect LO2 cells from oxidative damage by promoting the expression of antioxidant enzymes, such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Furthermore, the metabolomics approach demonstrated nine different biomarkers and six metabolic pathways. In summary, the hepatoprotective mechanisms of SBP in vitro, which can be attributed to the upregulation of antioxidant substances and amino acid metabolism, attenuate ethanol-induced oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Shi
- Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Functional Food of Hainan Province; Engineering Research Center of Utilization of Tropical polysaccharide resources, Ministry of Education; College of Food Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China.
| | - Xin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Functional Food of Hainan Province; Engineering Research Center of Utilization of Tropical polysaccharide resources, Ministry of Education; College of Food Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China.
| | - Ying Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Genetics and Germplasm Innovation of Tropical Special Forest Trees and Ornamental Plants, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Germplasm Resource Biology of Tropical Special Ornamental Plants of Hainan Province, Wuzhishan National Long Term Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Research Station, College of Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China
| | - Xuemei Tang
- Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Functional Food of Hainan Province; Engineering Research Center of Utilization of Tropical polysaccharide resources, Ministry of Education; College of Food Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China.
| | - Lu Feng
- Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Functional Food of Hainan Province; Engineering Research Center of Utilization of Tropical polysaccharide resources, Ministry of Education; College of Food Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China.
| | - Boyuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Functional Food of Hainan Province; Engineering Research Center of Utilization of Tropical polysaccharide resources, Ministry of Education; College of Food Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China.
| | - Jian Chen
- Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Functional Food of Hainan Province; Engineering Research Center of Utilization of Tropical polysaccharide resources, Ministry of Education; College of Food Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China.
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Ciociola T, Pertinhez TA, De Simone T, Magliani W, Ferrari E, Belletti S, D’Adda T, Conti S, Giovati L. In Vitro and In Vivo Anti- Candida Activity and Structural Analysis of Killer Peptide (KP)-Derivatives. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:129. [PMID: 33578728 PMCID: PMC7916522 DOI: 10.3390/jof7020129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The previously described decapeptide AKVTMTCSAS (killer peptide, KP), derived from the variable region of a recombinant yeast killer toxin-like anti-idiotypic antibody, proved to exert a variety of antimicrobial, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activities. It also showed a peculiar self-assembly ability, likely responsible for the therapeutic effect in animal models of systemic and mucosal candidiasis. The present study analyzed the biological and structural properties of peptides derived from KP by substitution or deletion of the first residue, leaving unchanged the remaining amino acids. The investigated peptides proved to exert differential in vitro and/or in vivo anti-Candida activity without showing toxic effects on mammalian cells. The change of the first residue in KP amino acidic sequence affected the conformation of the resulting peptides in solution, as assessed by circular dichroism spectroscopy. KP-derivatives, except one, were able to induce apoptosis in yeast cells, like KP itself. ROS production and changes in mitochondrial transmembrane potential were also observed. Confocal and transmission electron microscopy studies allowed to establish that selected peptides could penetrate within C. albicans cells and cause gross morphological alterations. Overall, the physical and chemical properties of the first residue were found to be important for peptide conformation, candidacidal activity and possible mechanism of action. Small antimicrobial peptides could be exploited for the development of a new generation of antifungal drugs, given their relative low cost and ease of production as well as the possibility of devising novel delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tecla Ciociola
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy; (T.C.); (T.A.P.); (T.D.S.); (W.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (T.D.); (L.G.)
| | - Thelma A. Pertinhez
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy; (T.C.); (T.A.P.); (T.D.S.); (W.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (T.D.); (L.G.)
- Transfusion Medicine Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Tiziano De Simone
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy; (T.C.); (T.A.P.); (T.D.S.); (W.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (T.D.); (L.G.)
| | - Walter Magliani
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy; (T.C.); (T.A.P.); (T.D.S.); (W.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (T.D.); (L.G.)
| | - Elena Ferrari
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy; (T.C.); (T.A.P.); (T.D.S.); (W.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (T.D.); (L.G.)
| | - Silvana Belletti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy; (T.C.); (T.A.P.); (T.D.S.); (W.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (T.D.); (L.G.)
| | - Tiziana D’Adda
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy; (T.C.); (T.A.P.); (T.D.S.); (W.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (T.D.); (L.G.)
| | - Stefania Conti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy; (T.C.); (T.A.P.); (T.D.S.); (W.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (T.D.); (L.G.)
| | - Laura Giovati
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy; (T.C.); (T.A.P.); (T.D.S.); (W.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (T.D.); (L.G.)
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Dong X, Zuo Y, Zhou M, Sun J, Xu P, Chen B. Bortezomib activation of mTORC1 pathway mediated by NOX2-drived reactive oxygen species results in apoptosis in primary dorsal root ganglion neurons. Exp Cell Res 2021; 400:112494. [PMID: 33515593 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2021.112494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Bortezomib (Bort), a chemotherapeutic agent, is widely used for the clinical treatment of cancers. However, Bort-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (BIPN) significantly restricts its clinical application, which is difficult to deal with since the underlying mechanisms of BIPN are unclear. Here, we showed that Bort activates mTORC1 pathway leading to dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neuronal apoptosis. Inhibition of mTORC1 with rapamycin or knockdown of raptor, regulatory-associated protein of mTORC1, with shRNA dramatically rescued the cells from Bort-caused apoptosis. In addition, we found that Bort-activated mTORC1 pathway was attributed to Bort elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This is supported by the evidence that using ROS scavenger N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) significantly alleviated Bort-activated mTORC1 pathway. Furthermore, we revealed that upregulation of NOX2 contributed to Bort-elicited ROS overproduction, leading to mTORC1 pathway-dependent apoptosis in DRG neurons. Inhibition of NOX2 with apocynin remarkably diminished Bort-induced overgeneration of ROS, activation of mTORC1 pathway and apoptosis in the cells. Taken together, these results indicate that Bort activation of mTORC1 pathway mediated by NOX2-drived ROS leads to apoptotic death in DRG neurons. Our findings highlight that manipulation of intracellular ROS level or NOX2 or mTORC1 activity may be exploited for prevention of BIPN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Dong
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, China
| | - Yifan Zuo
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, Jiangsu, China
| | - Min Zhou
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, China
| | - Jingjing Sun
- Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, Jiangsu, China
| | - Peipei Xu
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, China.
| | - Bing Chen
- Department of Hematology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, China; Department of Hematology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, Jiangsu, China.
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Chen H, Li H, Duan C, Song C, Peng Z, Li H, Shi W. Reversal of azole resistance in Candida albicans by oridonin. J Glob Antimicrob Resist 2021; 24:296-302. [PMID: 33513441 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2020.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Candida albicans is a yeast that causes fungal infections with high mortality and is typically resistant to azole drugs. To overcome this resistance, we explored the combined use of oridonin (ORI) and three azole drugs, namely fluconazole (FLC), itraconazole (ITR) and voriconazole (VOR). Azole-resistant C. albicans strains were obtained from cancer patients and the reversal of drug resistance in these strains was investigated. METHODS The synergistic antifungal activity of ORI and azole drugs was measured by checkerboard microdilution and time-kill assays. The resistance reversal mechanisms, namely inhibition of drug efflux and induction of apoptosis, were investigated by flow cytometry. Expression levels of the efflux pump-related genesCDR1 and CDR2 were assessed by RT-qPCR. RESULTS The efflux pump inhibition assay with ORI showed that the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of FLC (128-fold), ITR (64-fold) and VOR (250-fold) decreased significantly. Upregulation of genes encodingCDR1 and CDR2 was confirmed in the resistant strain. The sensitising effect of ORI on FLC in the treatment of C. albicans also included the promotion of apoptosis. CONCLUSION We demonstrated that combining azoles with ORI exerted potent synergism and that ORI could promote sensitisation to azoles in azole-resistantC. albicans. The discovery that ORI can effectively inhibit drug efflux and promote apoptosis may provide new insights and therapeutic strategies to overcome increasing azole resistance in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haisheng Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Cunxian Duan
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuanjie Song
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zuoliang Peng
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenna Shi
- Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China.
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Shen J, Lu R, Cai Q, Fan L, Yan W, Zhu Z, Yang L, Cao Y. Mangiferin enhances the antifungal activities of caspofungin by destroying polyamine accumulation. Virulence 2021; 12:217-230. [PMID: 33404349 PMCID: PMC7801120 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2020.1870079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of fungal infections has increased continuously in recent years. Caspofungin (CAS) is one of the first-line drugs for the treatment of systemic fungal infection. However, the emerging CAS-resistant clinical isolates and high economic cost for CAS administration hamper the wide application of this drug. Thus, the combined administration of CAS with other compounds that can enhance the antifungal activity and reduce the dose of CAS has gained more and more attention. In this study, we investigated the effect of mangiferin (MG) on the antifungal activities of CAS. Our results showed that MG acted synergistically with CAS against various Candida spp., including CAS-resistant C. albicans. Moreover, MG could enhance the activity of CAS against biofilm. The in vivo synergism of MG and CAS was further confirmed in a mouse model of disseminated candidiasis. To explore the mechanisms, we found that SPE1-mediated polyamine biosynthesis pathway was involved in the fungal cell stress to caspofungin. Treatment of CAS alone could stimulate SPE1 expression and accumulation of polyamines, while combined treatment of MG and CAS inhibited SPE1 expression and destroyed polyamine accumulation, which might contribute to increased oxidative damage and cell death. These results provided a promising strategy for high efficient antifungal therapies and revealed novel mechanisms for CAS resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Shen
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine , Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - RenYi Lu
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University , Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Qing Cai
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine , Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - LingZhi Fan
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine , Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - WanNian Yan
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine , Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - ZhenYu Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University , Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - LianJuan Yang
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine , Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - YingYing Cao
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine , Shanghai, P.R. China
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da Nóbrega Alves D, Monteiro AFM, Andrade PN, Lazarini JG, Abílio GMF, Guerra FQS, Scotti MT, Scotti L, Rosalen PL, de Castro RD. Docking Prediction, Antifungal Activity, Anti-Biofilm Effects on Candida spp., and Toxicity against Human Cells of Cinnamaldehyde. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25245969. [PMID: 33339401 PMCID: PMC7767272 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25245969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: This study evaluated the antifungal activity of cinnamaldehyde on Candida spp. In vitro and in situ assays were carried out to test cinnamaldehyde for its anti-Candida effects, antibiofilm activity, effects on fungal micromorphology, antioxidant activity, and toxicity on keratinocytes and human erythrocytes. Statistical analysis was performed considering α = 5%. Results: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of cinnamaldehyde ranged from 18.91 μM to 37.83 μM. MIC values did not change in the presence of 0.8 M sorbitol, whereas an 8-fold increase was observed in the presence of ergosterol, suggesting that cinnamaldehyde may act on the cell membrane, which was subsequently confirmed by docking analysis. The action of cinnamaldehyde likely includes binding to enzymes involved in the formation of the cytoplasmic membrane in yeast cells. Cinnamaldehyde-treated microcultures showed impaired cellular development, with an expression of rare pseudo-hyphae and absence of chlamydoconidia. Cinnamaldehyde reduced biofilm adherence by 64.52% to 33.75% (p < 0.0001) at low concentrations (378.3–151.3 µM). Cinnamaldehyde did not show antioxidant properties. Conclusions: Cinnamaldehyde showed fungicidal activity through a mechanism of action likely related to ergosterol complexation; it was non-cytotoxic to keratinocytes and human erythrocytes and showed no antioxidant activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle da Nóbrega Alves
- Graduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products (PgPNSB), Department of Clinic and Social Dentistry, Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa-PB 58051-900, Brazil;
| | - Alex France Messias Monteiro
- Graduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products (PgPNSB), Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa-PB 58051-900, Brazil;
| | - Patrícia Néris Andrade
- Experimental Pharmacology and Cell Culture Laboratory, Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa-PB 58051-900, Brazil;
| | - Josy Goldoni Lazarini
- Department of Bioscience, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Campinas-SP 13414-903, Brazil; (J.G.L.); (P.L.R.)
| | - Gisely Maria Freire Abílio
- Department of Physiology and Pathology, Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa-PB 58051-900, Brazil;
| | - Felipe Queiroga Sarmento Guerra
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa-PB 58051-900, Brazil;
| | - Marcus Tullius Scotti
- Graduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products (PgPNSB), Department of Chemistry, Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa-PB 58051-900, Brazil;
| | - Luciana Scotti
- Graduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products (PgPNSB), Cheminformatics Laboratory, Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa-PB 58051-900, Brazil;
| | - Pedro Luiz Rosalen
- Department of Bioscience, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Campinas-SP 13414-903, Brazil; (J.G.L.); (P.L.R.)
- Biological Sciences Graduate Program (PPGCB), Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG), Alfenas 37130-000, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Dias de Castro
- Department of Clinic and Social Dentistry, Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa-PB 58051-900, Brazil
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-83-3216-7742
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Marine-Derived Compounds and Prospects for Their Antifungal Application. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25245856. [PMID: 33322412 PMCID: PMC7763435 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25245856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The introduction of antifungals in clinical practice has an enormous impact on the provision of medical care, increasing the expectancy and quality of life mainly of immunocompromised patients. However, the emergence of pathogenic fungi that are resistant and multi-resistant to the existing antifungal therapy has culminated in fungal infections that are almost impossible to treat. Therefore, there is an urgent need to discover new strategies. The marine environment has proven to be a promising rich resource for the discovery and development of new antifungal compounds. Thus, this review summarizes more than one hundred marine natural products, or their derivatives, which are categorized according to their sources—sponges, bacteria, fungi, and sea cucumbers—as potential candidates as antifungal agents. In addition, this review focus on recent developments using marine antifungal compounds as new and effective approaches for the treatment of infections caused by resistant and multi-resistant pathogenic fungi and/or biofilm formation; other perspectives on antifungal marine products highlight new mechanisms of action, the combination of antifungal and non-antifungal agents, and the use of nanoparticles and anti-virulence therapy.
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Alonso-Monge R, Guirao-Abad JP, Sánchez-Fresneda R, Pla J, Yagüe G, Argüelles JC. The Fungicidal Action of Micafungin is Independent on Both Oxidative Stress Generation and HOG Pathway Signaling in Candida albicans. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8121867. [PMID: 33256159 PMCID: PMC7768384 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8121867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In fungi, the Mitogen-Activated Protein kinase (MAPK) pathways sense a wide variety of environmental stimuli, leading to cell adaptation and survival. The HOG pathway plays an essential role in the pathobiology of Candida albicans, including the colonization of the gastrointestinal tract in a mouse model, virulence, and response to stress. Here, we examined the role of Hog1 in the C. albicans response to the clinically relevant antifungal Micafungin (MF), whose minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was identical in the parental strain (RM100) and in the isogenic homozygous mutant hog1 (0.016 mg/L). The cell viability was impaired without significant differences between the parental strain, the isogenic hog1 mutant, and the Hog1+ reintegrant. This phenotype was quite similar in a collection of hog1 mutants constructed in a different C. albicans background. MF-treated cells failed to induce a relevant increase of both reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and activation of the mitochondrial membrane potential in parental and hog1 cells. MF was also unable to trigger any significant activation of the genes coding for the antioxidant activities catalase (CAT1) and superoxide dismutase (SOD2), as well as on the corresponding enzymatic activities, whereas a clear induction was observed in the presence of Amphotericin B (AMB), introduced as a positive control of Hog1 signaling. Furthermore, Hog1 was not phosphorylated by the addition of MF, but, notably, this echinocandin caused Mkc1 phosphorylation. Our results strongly suggest that the toxic effect of MF on C. albicans cells is not mediated by the Hog1 MAPK and is independent of the generation of an internal oxidative stress in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebeca Alonso-Monge
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología-IRYCIS, Unidad de Microbiología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, E-28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.P.G.-A.); (J.P.)
- Correspondence: (R.A.-M.); (J.C.A.); Tel.: +34-91-3941888 (R.A.-M.); +34-868-887131 (J.C.A.); Fax: +34-91-3941745 (R.A.-M.); Phone: Fax: +34-868-993963 (J.C.A.)
| | - José P. Guirao-Abad
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología-IRYCIS, Unidad de Microbiología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, E-28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.P.G.-A.); (J.P.)
- Área de Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, E-30071 Murcia, Spain;
| | - Ruth Sánchez-Fresneda
- Área de Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, E-30071 Murcia, Spain;
| | - Jesús Pla
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología-IRYCIS, Unidad de Microbiología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, E-28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.P.G.-A.); (J.P.)
| | - Genoveva Yagüe
- Servicio de Microbiología Clínica, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, IMIB, 30120 Murcia, Spain;
| | - Juan Carlos Argüelles
- Área de Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, E-30071 Murcia, Spain;
- Correspondence: (R.A.-M.); (J.C.A.); Tel.: +34-91-3941888 (R.A.-M.); +34-868-887131 (J.C.A.); Fax: +34-91-3941745 (R.A.-M.); Phone: Fax: +34-868-993963 (J.C.A.)
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50
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Pereira C, Calado AM, Sampaio AC. The effect of benzyl isothiocyanate on Candida albicans growth, cell size, morphogenesis, and ultrastructure. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 36:153. [PMID: 32939678 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-020-02929-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Candida albicans is a commensal yeast that may become pathogenic and even lethal to the host. Over the last few decades, antifungal resistance has increased, promoting screening of the antifungal potential of old and new substances. This study investigates the antifungal potential of isothiocyanates (ITCs) against C. albicans oral isolates. A preliminary susceptibility disk diffusion test (DD) was performed using allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), benzyl isothiocynanate (BITC) and phenyl ethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) at a fixed concentration range (0.001-0.1 M). Because C. albicans isolates were more susceptible to BITC and PEITC, their effect on cell size and on germ tube formation (GTF) were tested. The most promising molecule, BITC, was further tested for effects on cell viability, oxidative stress and for ultrastructure. ITCs, especially the aromatic ones, had a significant type-, dose- and isolate-dependent anti-Candida activity. Although BITC and PEITC had similar activity against the yeast cells, BITC had a more pronounced effect on cell size and GTF. Furthermore, BITC appears to induce oxidative stress and promote changes in the cell ultrastructure, interfering with cell wall structure. Our work showed that aromatic ITCs have the potential to effect C. albicans cells in multiple ways, including size, shape and GTF (BITC and PEITC), oxidative stress, and ultrastructure (BITC). Overall, our results suggest that BITC may be effectively used against C. albicans to modulate its growth, and control or suppress its invasive potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheila Pereira
- Department of Biology and Environment, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Ana Margarida Calado
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, UTAD, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Ana Cristina Sampaio
- Department of Biology and Environment, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal.
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), UTAD, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal.
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