scholarly journals Effects of farnesol and lyticase on the formation of Candida albicans biofilm

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1030-1036 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadezhda Sachivkina ◽  
Ekaterina Lenchenko ◽  
Dmitri Blumenkrants ◽  
Alfia Ibragimova ◽  
Olga Bazarkina

Background and Aim: Candida albicans is a dimorphic fungus that has both yeast and filamentous forms. It is part of the normal flora in the oral and genital areas of mammals. One factor for the pathogenicity of C. albicans is its ability to switch from yeast to hyphae. The hyphal form adheres and penetrates tissues more readily than the yeast form and produces biofilms that are associated with chronic infection. Biofilms are protective niches that enable microorganisms to be more resistant to antibiotic treatment, thus allowing for persistent infection. The first stage in the transition from yeast to hyphae involves the formation of a germ tube, and this transition is triggered by interactions with host cells. Germ tube formation is dependent on serum, pH, temperature, and quorum-sensing molecules (QSMs). Farnesol, which is a QSM in C. albicans, can prevent yeast to hyphae conversion and inhibits the growth of fungal biofilm. Lyticase is a synergistic enzyme complex that catalyzes yeast cell lysis by β-1,3-glucanase and is a highly specific alkaline protease that produces protoplasts or spheroplasts. This study investigated the effect of farnesol and lyticase on the formation of C. albicans biofilms. Materials and Methods: C. albicans ATCC 2091 was cultivated on liquid and solid Sabouraud media. The presence of C. albicans was confirmed using HiCrome Candida Agar chromogenic medium. Enzyme activities were assayed using a HiCandida Identification Kit. The morphology and densitometry parameters of C. albicans biofilms were considered in the presence of farnesol (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany), lyticase (from Arthrobacter luteus; Sigma-Aldrich, Germany), and farnesol–lyticase. Results: This study shows that both farnesol and lyticase possess antifungal activity against C. albicans biofilms. A significant difference among treatment groups (p<0.05) was observed from strong biofilm production to medium and weak. Conclusion: Many studies have been devoted to the antimicrobial action of farnesol. Bacterial enzyme lyticase is also used to degrade fungal cell walls. Both molecules show substantial antifungal properties that are similar to the properties of modern antimycotics. The current study demonstrates that farnesol and lyticase can disrupt biofilm formation in C. albicans ATCC 2091, which is an effective biofilm producer.

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tapiwa Matare ◽  
Pasipanodya Nziramasanga ◽  
Lovemore Gwanzura ◽  
Valerie Robertson

Objective. The potential of NaHCO3 versus human serum to induce germ tube formation in Candida albicans was investigated. Specimens. A total of 100 isolates were obtained from oral swabs of patients presenting with thrush. Approval for the study was granted by the Joint Research Ethics Committee (JREC/23/08). Method. Confirmed C. albicans isolates by routine methods were tested for germ tube induction using 5 different concentrations of Tris-maleate buffered NaHCO3 and Tris-maleate buffer control. Standard control strains included were C. albicans (ATCC 10231) and C. krusei (ATCC 6258). Microculture was done in 20 μL inoculums on microscope slides for 3 hours at 37°C. The rate of germ tube formation at 10-minute intervals was determined on 100 isolates using the optimum 20 mM Tris-maleate buffered NaHCO3 concentration. Parallel germ tube formation using human serum was done in test tubes. Results. The optimum concentration of NaHCO3 in Tris-maleate buffer for germ tube induction was 20 mM for 67% of isolates. Only 21% of isolates formed germ tubes in Tris-maleate buffer control. There was no significant difference in induction between human serum and Tris-maleate buffered NaHCO3. Conclusion. Tris-maleate buffered NaHCO3 induced germ tube formation in C. albicans isolates at rates similar to human serum.


2001 ◽  
Vol 183 (10) ◽  
pp. 3211-3223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong-Sun Bahn ◽  
Paula Sundstrom

ABSTRACT In response to a wide variety of environmental stimuli, the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans exits the budding cycle, producing germ tubes and hyphae concomitant with expression of virulence genes, such as that encoding hyphal wall protein 1 (HWP1). Biochemical studies implicate cyclic AMP (cAMP) increases in promoting bud-hypha transitions, but genetic evidence relating genes that control cAMP levels to bud-hypha transitions has not been reported. Adenylate cyclase-associated proteins (CAPs) of nonpathogenic fungi interact with Ras and adenylate cyclase to increase cAMP levels under specific environmental conditions. To initiate studies on the relationship between cAMP signaling and bud-hypha transitions in C. albicans, we identified, cloned, characterized, and disrupted the C. albicans CAP1 gene. C. albicans strains with inactivated CAP1 budded in conditions that led to germ tube formation in isogenic strains withCAP1. The addition of 10 mM cAMP and dibutyryl cAMP promoted bud-hypha transitions and filamentous growth in thecap1/cap1 mutant in liquid and solid media, respectively, showing clearly that cAMP promotes hypha formation in C. albicans. Increases in cytoplasmic cAMP preceding germ tube emergence in strains having CAP1 were markedly diminished in the budding cap1/cap1 mutant. C. albicans strains with deletions of both alleles ofCAP1 were avirulent in a mouse model of systemic candidiasis. The avirulence of a germ tube-deficientcap1/cap1 mutant coupled with the role of Cap1 in regulating cAMP levels shows that the Cap1-mediated cAMP signaling pathway is required for bud-hypha transitions, filamentous growth, and the pathogenesis of candidiasis.


Mycoses ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 506-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabela Bueno Rosseti ◽  
Caroline Wagner ◽  
Roselei Fachinetto ◽  
Paulo Taube Junior ◽  
Maricilia Silva Costa

Infectio ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohaddese Mahboubi ◽  
Bahareh Attaran

Satureja khuzistanica Jamzad is known as antiseptic and analgesic agent in folk medicine. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the anti-candidal activity of S. khuzistanica aerial parts essential oil against clinical isolates of Candida albicans, which were isolated from women with chronic recurrent candidiasis. For this purpose, the chemical composition of hydro-distilled essential oil was determined by GC and GC-MS analysis. Then, the anti-candidal activity of essential oil and its main component (carvacrol) were determined. Carvacrol (94.1%) was the main component of essential oil, followed by β-bisabolene, p-cymene and γ-terpinene. S. khuzistanica essential oil had strong anti-candidal activity against clinical isolates of C. albicans via inhibition of germ tube formation and induction the huge punctures in the cytoplasmic structures. The cell membranes were intact in presence of essential oil or carvacrol. S. khuzistanica essential oil as the main source of carvacrol can be used for treatment of C. albicans related infections.


Microbiology ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 128 (10) ◽  
pp. 2319-2326 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Gopal ◽  
P. A. Sullivan ◽  
M. G. Shepherd

Author(s):  
Harlei Martin ◽  
Kevin Kavanagh ◽  
Trinidad Velasco-Torrijos

Fungal infections with increasing resistance to conventional therapies are a growing concern. Candida albicans is a major opportunistic yeast responsible for mucosal and invasive infections. Targeting the initial step of the infection process (i.e., C. albicans adhesion to the host cell) is a promising strategy. A wide variety of molecules can interfere with adhesion processes via an assortment of mechanisms. Herein, we focus on how small molecules disrupt biosynthesis of fungal cell wall components and membrane structure, prevent the localization of GPI-anchor proteins, inhibit production of enzymes involved in adhesion, downregulate genes encoding adhesins and competitively inhibit receptor interactions. As a result, adhesion of C. albicans to host cells is reduced, paving the way to new classes of antifungal agents.


2003 ◽  
Vol 47 (10) ◽  
pp. 3305-3310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy G. Brayman ◽  
John W. Wilks

ABSTRACT We implemented a simple, sensitive, objective, and rapid cellular assay to reveal the antifungal activity of a novel class of glucan synthase inhibitors. The assay, especially useful for early drug discovery, measures the transformation of Candida albicans from the yeast form to the hyphal form. Test compounds were ranked by potency (50% inhibitory concentration) and efficacy (percent inhibition of germ tube formation); the intra-assay coefficients of variation for these parameters were 17 and 5%, respectively. The germ tube formation assay proved useful for the early-stage antifungal characterization of a novel class of glucan synthase inhibitors discovered at Pharmacia. Drug concentrations required in this assay to inhibit germ tube formation were lower for 90% of the novel compounds than the concentrations required to determine MICs. The method may have utility for other mechanistic classes of antifungal compounds during the hit-to-lead transition of drug discovery.


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