1
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Fiala J, Roach T, Holzinger A, Husiev Y, Delueg L, Hammerle F, Armengol ES, Schöbel H, Bonnet S, Laffleur F, Kranner I, Lackner M, Siewert B. The Light-activated Effect of Natural Anthraquinone Parietin against Candida auris and Other Fungal Priority Pathogens. PLANTA MEDICA 2024; 90:588-594. [PMID: 38843798 PMCID: PMC11156500 DOI: 10.1055/a-2249-9110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is an evolving treatment strategy against human pathogenic microbes such as the Candida species, including the emerging pathogen C. auris. Using a modified EUCAST protocol, the light-enhanced antifungal activity of the natural compound parietin was explored. The photoactivity was evaluated against three separate strains of five yeasts, and its molecular mode of action was analysed via several techniques, i.e., cellular uptake, reactive electrophilic species (RES), and singlet oxygen yield. Under experimental conditions (λ = 428 nm, H = 30 J/cm2, PI = 30 min), microbial growth was inhibited by more than 90% at parietin concentrations as low as c = 0.156 mg/L (0.55 µM) for C. tropicalis and Cryptococcus neoformans, c = 0.313 mg/L (1.10 µM) for C. auris, c = 0.625 mg/L (2.20 µM) for C. glabrata, and c = 1.250 mg/L (4.40 µM) for C. albicans. Mode-of-action analysis demonstrated fungicidal activity. Parietin targets the cell membrane and induces cell death via ROS-mediated lipid peroxidation after light irradiation. In summary, parietin exhibits light-enhanced fungicidal activity against all Candida species tested (including C. auris) and Cryptococcus neoformans, covering three of the four critical threats on the WHO's most recent fungal priority list.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Fiala
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Thomas Roach
- Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Yurii Husiev
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Netherlands
| | - Lisa Delueg
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Fabian Hammerle
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Eva Sanchez Armengol
- Department of Technology, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | | | - Flavia Laffleur
- Department of Technology, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ilse Kranner
- Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Michaela Lackner
- Institute of Hygiene und Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Bianka Siewert
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Austria
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2
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Tong Y, Zhang J, Sun N, Wang XM, Wei Q, Zhang Y, Huang R, Pu Y, Dai H, Ren B, Pei G, Song F, Zhu G, Wang X, Xia X, Chen X, Jiang L, Wang S, Ouyang L, Xie N, Zhang B, Jiang Y, Liu X, Calderone R, Bai F, Zhang L, Alterovitz G. Berberine reverses multidrug resistance in Candida albicans by hijacking the drug efflux pump Mdr1p. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2021; 66:1895-1905. [PMID: 36654399 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2020.12.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Clinical use of antimicrobials faces great challenges from the emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens. The overexpression of drug efflux pumps is one of the major contributors to multidrug resistance (MDR). Reversing the function of drug efflux pumps is a promising approach to overcome MDR. In the life-threatening fungal pathogen Candida albicans, the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporter Mdr1p can excrete many structurally unrelated antifungals, leading to MDR. Here we report a counterintuitive case of reversing MDR in C. albicans by using a natural product berberine to hijack the overexpressed Mdr1p for its own importation. Moreover, we illustrate that the imported berberine accumulates in mitochondria and compromises the mitochondrial function by impairing mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial Complex I. This results in the selective elimination of Mdr1p overexpressed C. albicans cells. Furthermore, we show that berberine treatment can prolong the mean survival time of mice with blood-borne dissemination of Mdr1p overexpressed multidrug-resistant candidiasis. This study provides a potential direction of novel anti-MDR drug discovery by screening for multidrug efflux pump converters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaojun Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Jingyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Nuo Sun
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Washington DC 20057, USA
| | - Xiang-Ming Wang
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Qi Wei
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laboratory Animals, Guangdong Laboratory Animals Monitoring Institute, Guangzhou 510663, China
| | - Ren Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laboratory Animals, Guangdong Laboratory Animals Monitoring Institute, Guangzhou 510663, China
| | - Yingying Pu
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Huanqin Dai
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Biao Ren
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Gang Pei
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Fuhang Song
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Guoliang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xinye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xuekui Xia
- Key Biosensor Laboratory of Shandong Province, Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250013, China
| | - Xiangyin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Lan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Shenlin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Liming Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Ning Xie
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston MA 02115, USA
| | - Buchang Zhang
- Institute of Health Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Yuanying Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Xueting Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Richard Calderone
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Washington DC 20057, USA
| | - Fan Bai
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Lixin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
| | - Gil Alterovitz
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston MA 02115, USA; National Artificial Intelligence Institute, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington DC 20420, USA
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3
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Kell DB. The Transporter-Mediated Cellular Uptake and Efflux of Pharmaceutical Drugs and Biotechnology Products: How and Why Phospholipid Bilayer Transport Is Negligible in Real Biomembranes. Molecules 2021; 26:5629. [PMID: 34577099 PMCID: PMC8470029 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26185629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the years, my colleagues and I have come to realise that the likelihood of pharmaceutical drugs being able to diffuse through whatever unhindered phospholipid bilayer may exist in intact biological membranes in vivo is vanishingly low. This is because (i) most real biomembranes are mostly protein, not lipid, (ii) unlike purely lipid bilayers that can form transient aqueous channels, the high concentrations of proteins serve to stop such activity, (iii) natural evolution long ago selected against transport methods that just let any undesirable products enter a cell, (iv) transporters have now been identified for all kinds of molecules (even water) that were once thought not to require them, (v) many experiments show a massive variation in the uptake of drugs between different cells, tissues, and organisms, that cannot be explained if lipid bilayer transport is significant or if efflux were the only differentiator, and (vi) many experiments that manipulate the expression level of individual transporters as an independent variable demonstrate their role in drug and nutrient uptake (including in cytotoxicity or adverse drug reactions). This makes such transporters valuable both as a means of targeting drugs (not least anti-infectives) to selected cells or tissues and also as drug targets. The same considerations apply to the exploitation of substrate uptake and product efflux transporters in biotechnology. We are also beginning to recognise that transporters are more promiscuous, and antiporter activity is much more widespread, than had been realised, and that such processes are adaptive (i.e., were selected by natural evolution). The purpose of the present review is to summarise the above, and to rehearse and update readers on recent developments. These developments lead us to retain and indeed to strengthen our contention that for transmembrane pharmaceutical drug transport "phospholipid bilayer transport is negligible".
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas B. Kell
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK;
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Building 220, Kemitorvet, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
- Mellizyme Biotechnology Ltd., IC1, Liverpool Science Park, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool L3 5TF, UK
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4
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Fungal Biofilms as a Valuable Target for the Discovery of Natural Products That Cope with the Resistance of Medically Important Fungi-Latest Findings. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10091053. [PMID: 34572635 PMCID: PMC8471798 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10091053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of new antifungal agents that target biofilms is an urgent need. Natural products, mainly from the plant kingdom, represent an invaluable source of these entities. The present review provides an update (2017-May 2021) on the available information on essential oils, propolis, extracts from plants, algae, lichens and microorganisms, compounds from different natural sources and nanosystems containing natural products with the capacity to in vitro or in vivo modulate fungal biofilms. The search yielded 42 articles; seven involved essential oils, two Brazilian propolis, six plant extracts and one of each, extracts from lichens and algae/cyanobacteria. Twenty articles deal with the antibiofilm effect of pure natural compounds, with 10 of them including studies of the mechanism of action and five dealing with natural compounds included in nanosystems. Thirty-seven manuscripts evaluated Candida spp. biofilms and two tested Fusarium and Cryptococcus spp. Only one manuscript involved Aspergillus fumigatus. From the data presented here, it is clear that the search of natural products with activity against fungal biofilms has been a highly active area of research in recent years. However, it also reveals the necessity of deepening the studies by (i) evaluating the effect of natural products on biofilms formed by the newly emerged and worrisome health-care associated fungi, C. auris, as well as on other non-albicans Candida spp., Cryptococcus sp. and filamentous fungi; (ii) elucidating the mechanisms of action of the most active natural products; (iii) increasing the in vivo testing.
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5
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Galocha M, Costa IV, Teixeira MC. Carrier-Mediated Drug Uptake in Fungal Pathogens. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11111324. [PMID: 33182427 PMCID: PMC7697741 DOI: 10.3390/genes11111324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida, Aspergillus, and Cryptococcus species are the most frequent cause of severe human fungal infections. Clinically relevant antifungal drugs are scarce, and their effectiveness are hampered by the ability of fungal cells to develop drug resistance mechanisms. Drug effectiveness and drug resistance in human pathogens is very often affected by their “transportome”. Many studies have covered a panoply of drug resistance mechanisms that depend on drug efflux pumps belonging to the ATP-Binding Cassette and Major Facilitator Superfamily. However, the study of drug uptake mechanisms has been, to some extent, overlooked in pathogenic fungi. This review focuses on discussing current knowledge on drug uptake systems in fungal pathogens, highlighting the need for further studies on this topic of great importance. The following subjects are covered: (i) drugs imported by known transporter(s) in pathogenic fungi; and (ii) drugs imported by known transporter(s) in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae or in human parasites, aimed at the identification of their homologs in pathogenic fungi. Besides its contribution to increase the understanding of drug-pathogen interactions, the practical implications of identifying drug importers in human pathogens are discussed, particularly focusing on drug development strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Galocha
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.G.); (I.V.C.)
- Biological Sciences Research Group, iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Inês Vieira Costa
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.G.); (I.V.C.)
- Biological Sciences Research Group, iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Cacho Teixeira
- Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.G.); (I.V.C.)
- Biological Sciences Research Group, iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-21-841-7772; Fax: +351-21-841-9199
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6
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Anticandidal agent for multiple targets: the next paradigm in the discovery of proficient therapeutics/overcoming drug resistance. Future Med Chem 2019; 11:2955-2974. [DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2018-0479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is a prominent human fungal pathogen. Current treatments are suffering a massive gap due to emerging resistance against available antifungals. Therefore, there is an ardent need for novel antifungal candidates that essentially have more than one target, as most antifungal repertoires are single-target drugs. Exploration of multiple-drug targeting in antifungal therapeutics is still pending. An extensive literature survey was performed to categorize and comprehend relevant studies and the current therapeutic scenario that led researchers to preferentially consider multitarget drug-based Candida infection therapy. With this article, we identified and compiled a few potent antifungal compounds that are directed toward multiple virulent targets in C. albicans. Such compound(s) provide an optimistic platform of multiple targeting and could leave a substantial impact on the development of effective antifungals.
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7
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Targeting Candida spp. to develop antifungal agents. Drug Discov Today 2018; 23:802-814. [PMID: 29353694 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2018.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2017] [Revised: 12/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections are a complex challenge throughout the world because of their high incidence, mainly in critically ill patients, and high mortality rates. The antifungal agents currently available are limited; thus, there is a need for the rapid development of new drugs. In silico methods are a modern strategy to explore interactions between new compounds and specific fungal targets, but they depend on precise genetic information. Here, we discuss the main Candida spp. target genes, including information about null mutants, virulence, cytolocalization, co-regulatory genes, and compounds that are related to protein expression. These data will provide a basis for the future in silico development of antifungal drugs.
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8
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Sun N, Li D, Zhang Y, Killeen K, Groutas W, Calderone R. Repurposing an inhibitor of ribosomal biogenesis with broad anti-fungal activity. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17014. [PMID: 29209049 PMCID: PMC5717060 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17147-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The lack of new antifungal compounds with unique mechanisms of action is a concern for therapeutic management of patients. To identify inhibitors against human pathogenic fungi, we screened ~3000 compounds provided by the Developmental Therapeutics Program of NIH/NCI against a panel of pathogenic fungi including Candida species, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Cryptococcus neoformans. NSC319726 (a thiosemicarbazone) had broad antifungal activity in the range of 0.1–2.0 µg/ml and was also inhibitory to fluconazole-resistant isolates of Candida species. Synergy was demonstrated with NSC319726 and azoles, as well as caspofungin. The inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50) of NSC319726 was 35–800-fold higher than the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration 50% (MIC50 values), which indicates low compound toxicity to human cells in vitro. Transcriptome analysis of treated and untreated C. albicans using Gene Ontology (GO) revealed a large cluster of down regulated genes that encode translational proteins, especially those with ribosome biogenesis functions. As NSC319726 was first shown to have anti-cancer activity, its affects against human pathogenic fungi establish NSC319726 as a repurposed, off-patent compound that has potential antifungal activity. The minimal in vitro toxicity of lead optimized NSC319726 and its reasonable inhibitory activity against pathogens suggest advancing this compound to in vivo toxicity testing and protection studies against candidiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuo Sun
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC, 20057, USA
| | - Dongmei Li
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC, 20057, USA
| | - Yuhan Zhang
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC, 20057, USA
| | - Kyle Killeen
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC, 20057, USA
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9
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Patil A, Majumdar S. Echinocandins in antifungal pharmacotherapy. J Pharm Pharmacol 2017; 69:1635-1660. [DOI: 10.1111/jphp.12780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives
Echinocandins are the newest addition of the last decade to the antifungal armamentarium, which, owing to their unique mechanism of action, selectively target the fungal cells without affecting mammalian cells. Since the time of their introduction, they have come to occupy an important niche in the antifungal pharmacotherapy, due to their efficacy, safety, tolerability and favourable pharmacokinetic profiles. This review deals with the varying facets of echinocandins such as their chemistry, in-vitro and in-vivo evaluations, clinical utility and indications, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles, and pharmacoeconomic considerations.
Key findings
Clinical studies have demonstrated that the echinocandins – caspofungin, micafungin and anidulafungin – are equivalent, if not superior, to the mainstay antifungal therapies involving amphotericin B and fluconazole. Moreover, echinocandin regimen has been shown to be more cost-effective and economical. Hence, the echinocandins have found favour in the management of invasive systemic fungal infections.
Conclusions
The subtle differences in echinocandins with respect to their pharmacology, clinical therapy and the mechanisms of resistance are emerging at a rapid pace from the current pool of research which could potentially aid in extending their utility in the fungal infections of the eye, heart and nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akash Patil
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
| | - Soumyajit Majumdar
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
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10
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A New Natural Product Analog of Blasticidin S Reveals Cellular Uptake Facilitated by the NorA Multidrug Transporter. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2017; 61:AAC.02635-16. [PMID: 28373194 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02635-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The permeation of antibiotics through bacterial membranes to their target site is a crucial determinant of drug activity but in many cases remains poorly understood. During screening efforts to discover new broad-spectrum antibiotic compounds from marine sponge samples, we identified a new analog of the peptidyl nucleoside antibiotic blasticidin S that exhibited up to 16-fold-improved potency against a range of laboratory and clinical bacterial strains which we named P10. Whole-genome sequencing of laboratory-evolved strains of Staphylococcus aureus resistant to blasticidin S and P10, combined with genome-wide assessment of the fitness of barcoded Escherichia coli knockout strains in the presence of the antibiotics, revealed that restriction of cellular access was a key feature in the development of resistance to this class of drug. In particular, the gene encoding the well-characterized multidrug efflux pump NorA was found to be mutated in 69% of all S. aureus isolates resistant to blasticidin S or P10. Unexpectedly, resistance was associated with inactivation of norA, suggesting that the NorA transporter facilitates cellular entry of peptidyl nucleosides in addition to its known role in the efflux of diverse compounds, including fluoroquinolone antibiotics.
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11
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pHluorin enables insights into the transport mechanism of antiporter Mdr1: R215 is critical for drug/H+ antiport. Biochem J 2016; 473:3127-45. [DOI: 10.1042/bcj20160407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) is a member of the major facilitator superfamily that contributes to MDR of Candida albicans. This antiporter belongs to the drug/H+ antiporter 1 family, pairing the downhill gradient of protons to drug extrusion. Hence, drug efflux from cytosol to extracellular space and the parallel import of H+ towards cytosol are inextricably linked processes. For monitoring the drug/H+ antiporter activity of Mdr1p, we developed a new system, exploiting a GFP variant pHluorin, which changes its fluorescence properties with pH. This enabled us to measure the cytosolic pH correlated to drug efflux. Since protonation of charged residues is a key step in proton movement, we explored the role of all charged residues of the 12 transmembrane segments (TMSs) of Mdr1p in drug/H+ transport by mutational analysis. This revealed that the conserved residue R215, positioned close to the C-terminal end of TMS-4, is critical for drug/H+ antiport, allowing protonation over a range of pH, in contrast with its H215 or K215 variants that failed to transport drugs at basic pH. Mutation of other residues of TMS-4 highlights the role of this TMS in drug transport, as confirmed by in silico modelling of Mdr1p and docking of drugs. The model points to the importance of R215 in proton transport, suggesting that it may adopt two main conformations, one oriented towards the extracellular face and the other towards the centre of Mdr1p. Together, our results not only establish a new system for monitoring drug/H+ transport, but also unveil a positively charged residue critical to Mdr1p function.
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12
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Abstract
Mitochondria are essential for cell growth and survival of most fungal pathogens. Energy (ATP) produced during oxidation/reduction reactions of the electron transport chain (ETC) Complexes I, III and IV (CI, CIII, CIV) fuel cell synthesis. The mitochondria of fungal pathogens are understudied even though more recent published data suggest critical functional assignments to fungal-specific proteins. Proteins of mammalian mitochondria are grouped into 16 functional categories. In this review, we focus upon 11 proteins from 5 of these categories in fungal pathogens, OXPHOS, protein import, stress response, carbon source metabolism, and fission/fusion morphology. As these proteins also are fungal-specific, we hypothesize that they may be exploited as targets in antifungal drug discovery. We also discuss published transcriptional profiling data of mitochondrial CI subunit protein mutants, in which we advance a novel concept those CI subunit proteins have both shared as well as specific responsibilities for providing ATP to cell processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Li
- a Department of Microbiology & Immunology , Georgetown University Medical Center , Washington , DC , USA
| | - Richard Calderone
- a Department of Microbiology & Immunology , Georgetown University Medical Center , Washington , DC , USA
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13
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Deodato D, Maccari G, De Luca F, Sanfilippo S, Casian A, Martini R, D’Arezzo S, Bonchi C, Bugli F, Posteraro B, Vandeputte P, Sanglard D, Docquier JD, Sanguinetti M, Visca P, Botta M. Biological Characterization and in Vivo Assessment of the Activity of a New Synthetic Macrocyclic Antifungal Compound. J Med Chem 2016; 59:3854-66. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b00018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Davide Deodato
- Department
of Biotechnology Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy
- Lead Discovery Siena s.r.l., Via Vittorio Alfieri 31, I-53019 Castelnuovo Berardenga, Italy
| | - Giorgio Maccari
- Department
of Biotechnology Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy
- Lead Discovery Siena s.r.l., Via Vittorio Alfieri 31, I-53019 Castelnuovo Berardenga, Italy
| | - Filomena De Luca
- Department
of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Stefania Sanfilippo
- Department
of Biotechnology Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Alexandru Casian
- Department
of Biotechnology Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Riccardo Martini
- Department
of Biotechnology Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Silvia D’Arezzo
- Istituto Nazionale per le Malattie Infettive “Lazzaro Spallanzani”, I-00149 Roma, Italy
| | - Carlo Bonchi
- Dipartimento
di Scienze, Università Roma Tre, I-00154 Roma, Italy
| | - Francesca Bugli
- Institute
of Microbiology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, I-00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Brunella Posteraro
- Institute
of Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, I-00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Patrick Vandeputte
- Institute
of Microbiology, University of Lausanne and University Hospital Center, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Sanglard
- Institute
of Microbiology, University of Lausanne and University Hospital Center, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Denis Docquier
- Department
of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy
- Lead Discovery Siena s.r.l., Via Vittorio Alfieri 31, I-53019 Castelnuovo Berardenga, Italy
| | - Maurizio Sanguinetti
- Institute
of Microbiology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, I-00168 Roma, Italy
- Institute
of Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, I-00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Paolo Visca
- Dipartimento
di Scienze, Università Roma Tre, I-00154 Roma, Italy
| | - Maurizio Botta
- Department
of Biotechnology Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy
- Sbarro
Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Temple University, BioLife
Science Building, Suite 333, 1900 North 12th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States,
- Lead Discovery Siena s.r.l., Via Vittorio Alfieri 31, I-53019 Castelnuovo Berardenga, Italy
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14
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Zhang XC, Zhao Y, Heng J, Jiang D. Energy coupling mechanisms of MFS transporters. Protein Sci 2015; 24:1560-79. [PMID: 26234418 DOI: 10.1002/pro.2759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Revised: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Major facilitator superfamily (MFS) is a large class of secondary active transporters widely expressed across all life kingdoms. Although a common 12-transmembrane helix-bundle architecture is found in most MFS crystal structures available, a common mechanism of energy coupling remains to be elucidated. Here, we discuss several models for energy-coupling in the transport process of the transporters, largely based on currently available structures and the results of their biochemical analyses. Special attention is paid to the interaction between protonation and the negative-inside membrane potential. Also, functional roles of the conserved sequence motifs are discussed in the context of the 3D structures. We anticipate that in the near future, a unified picture of the functions of MFS transporters will emerge from the insights gained from studies of the common architectures and conserved motifs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejun C Zhang
- National Laboratory of Macromolecules, National Center of Protein Science-Beijing, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, 100101
| | - Yan Zhao
- National Laboratory of Macromolecules, National Center of Protein Science-Beijing, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, 100101
| | - Jie Heng
- National Laboratory of Macromolecules, National Center of Protein Science-Beijing, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, 100101
| | - Daohua Jiang
- National Laboratory of Macromolecules, National Center of Protein Science-Beijing, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, 100101
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15
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Functional diversity of complex I subunits in Candida albicans mitochondria. Curr Genet 2015; 62:87-95. [PMID: 26373419 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-015-0518-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Revised: 08/26/2015] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Our interest in the mitochondria of Candida albicans has progressed to the identification of several proteins that are critical to complex I (CI) activity. We speculated that there should be major functional differences at the protein level between mammalian and fungal mitochondria CI. In our pursuit of this idea, we were helped by published data of CI subunit proteins from a broad diversity of species that included two subunit proteins that are not found in mammals. These subunit proteins have been designated as Nuo1p and Nuo2p (NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductases). Since functional assignments of both C. albicans proteins were unknown, other than having a putative NADH-oxidoreductase activity, we constructed knock-out strains that could be compared to parental cells. The relevance of our research relates to the critical roles of both proteins in cell biology and pathogenesis and their absence in mammals. These features suggest they may be exploited in antifungal drug discovery. Initially, we characterized Goa1p that apparently regulates CI activity but is not a CI subunit protein. We have used the goa1∆ for comparisons to Nuo1p and Nuo2p. We have demonstrated the critical role of these proteins in maintaining CI activities, virulence, and prolonging life span. More recently, transcriptional profiling of the three mutants and an ndh51∆ (protein is a highly conserved CI subunit) has revealed that there are overlapping yet also different functional assignments that suggest subunit specificity. The differences and similarities of each are described below along with our hypotheses to explain these data. Our conclusion and perspective is that the C. albicans CI subunit proteins are highly conserved except for two that define non-mammalian functions.
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16
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The molecular mechanism of azole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus: from bedside to bench and back. J Microbiol 2015; 53:91-9. [PMID: 25626363 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-015-5014-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The growing use of immunosuppressive therapies has resulted in a dramatic increased incidence of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, a common pathogen, and is also associated with a high mortality rate. Azoles are the primary guideline-recommended therapy agents for first-line treatment and prevention of IFIs. However, increased azole usage in medicinal and agricultural settings has caused azole-resistant isolates to repeatedly emerge in the environment, resulting in a significant threat to human health. In this review, we present and summarize current research on the resistance mechanisms of azoles in A. fumigatus as well as efficient susceptibility testing methods. Moreover, we analyze and discuss the putative clinical (bedside) indication of these findings from bench work.
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17
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D’Avolio A, Pensi D, Baietto L, Di Perri G. Therapeutic drug monitoring of intracellular anti-infective agents. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2014; 101:183-93. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2014.03.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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18
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Calderone R, Sun N, Gay-Andrieu F, Groutas W, Weerawarna P, Prasad S, Alex D, Li D. Antifungal drug discovery: the process and outcomes. Future Microbiol 2014; 9:791-805. [PMID: 25046525 PMCID: PMC4144029 DOI: 10.2217/fmb.14.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
New data suggest that the global incidence of several types of fungal diseases have traditionally been under-documented. Of these, mortality caused by invasive fungal infections remains disturbingly high, equal to or exceeding deaths caused by drug-resistant tuberculosis and malaria. It is clear that basic research on new antifungal drugs, vaccines and diagnostic tools is needed. In this review, we focus upon antifungal drug discovery including in vitro assays, compound libraries and approaches to target identification. Genome mining has made it possible to identify fungal-specific targets; however, new compounds to these targets are apparently not in the antimicrobial pipeline. We suggest that 'repurposing' compounds (off patent) might be a more immediate starting point. Furthermore, we examine the dogma on antifungal discovery and suggest that a major thrust in technologies such as structural biology, homology modeling and virtual imaging is needed to drive discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nuo Sun
- National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - William Groutas
- Department of Chemistry, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, USA
| | | | | | - Deepu Alex
- Department of Pathology, MedStar, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Dongmei Li
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
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