Discovery and characterization of β-1,6-glucan inhibitors

Importance of the field: The increasing number of patient populations at high risk of opportunistic infections has highlighted the need for the improvement in antifungal treatments. Due to the limited number of currently available antifungal drugs and the concerns for possible prevalence of resistant strains, drugs with a new mechanism of action are most desirable. Areas covered in this review: Although the cell wall is considered to be one of the ideal targets for antifungal drugs, insufficient information on the enzymes involved in its construction has restricted the discovery of new inhibitors. This review introduces the recent discovery of the inhibitors of beta-1,6-glucan, one of the essential components of the yeast cell wall. What the reader will gain: The readers will gain the strategy to obtain the beta-1,6-glucan synthesis inhibitors, their mechanisms of actions, and antifungal activities in vitro as well as in vivo. Take home message: The beta-1,6-glucan inhibitors are considered to be promising candidates for new antifungal drugs which could give valuable options in a clinical setting, although their usage may be limited because of their fungi-static action and limited spectrum. Additionally, they can be useful tools in the study on beta-1,6-glucan synthesis and the virulence of Candida species.