Journal
JOURNAL OF CLUSTER SCIENCE
Volume 33, Issue 4, Pages 1361-1372Publisher
SPRINGER/PLENUM PUBLISHERS
DOI: 10.1007/s10876-021-02061-0
Keywords
Vulvovaginal Candidiasis; Anticandidal; Nanoparticles; Synergy; Sterol Inhibition; Efflux pump inhibition
Categories
Funding
- Indian Council of Medical Research [OMI/18/2020-ECD-I]
- Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of science and Technology, New Delhi [BT/PR/23592/MED/29/1203/2017]
- Teaching Assistant from SASTRA Deemed University
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Vulvovaginal candidiasis is a common infection caused by Candida species, especially Candida albicans. Plant protein-based nano scaffolds were found to effectively mitigate fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans infections. Lectin-functionalized copper sulfide nanoparticles showed lower inhibitory concentrations and synergistic effects with antifungal drugs like micafungin.
Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a most common infection caused by Candida species especially, Candida albicans. Herein, we report that phytoprotein based nano scaffolds mitigates the standard antifungal drug (fluconazole) resistant C. albicans. Copper sulfide nanoparticles (CuS NPs) and the phytolectin, jacalin functionalized copper sulfide nanoparticles (JCuS NPs) were evaluated against C. albicans cells. The minimum inhibitory concentration of JCuS NPs (0.1 mu M) was tenfold lower than CuS NPs (1 mu M). Kill curve assay showed that the NPs exhibit anticandidal activity in a time dependent manner. Standard antifungal drugs like Amphotericin B (AMP B) and Micafungin (MF) were evaluated individually against VVC causing Candida sp. and also combined with NPs to determine their synergistic effect. Interestingly, MF which belongs to echinocandins group of antifungals exhibhited synergistic activity and AMP B which belongs to polyenes group displayed an additive effect. Molecular level studies revealed that JCuS NPs in combination with micafungin inhibits the drug resistant efflux pump of C. albicans by down-regulating the efflux genes. The results revealed that JCuS NPs and its combination with standard drugs have a better anti-candidal effect, suggesting that the lectins has the potential to serve as a drug carrier by targeting the cell surface glycans of Candida.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available