Inhibition of Candida albicans virulence factors by novel levofloxacin derivatives.

Candida albicans is an important opportunistic fungal pathogen, responsible for biofilm associated infections in immunocompromised patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antibiofilm properties of novel levofloxacin derivatives on C. albicans biofilms. The levofloxacin derivatives at their Biofilm Inhibitory Concentrations (BIC) were able to inhibit the biofilms of C. albicans, the yeast-to-hyphal transition and were also able to disrupt their mature biofilms. Furthermore, Real-time PCR analysis showed that the expression of ergosterol biosynthesis pathway gene (ERG11) and the efflux pump-encoding genes (CDR1 and MDR1) was decreased upon treatment with the levofloxacin derivatives. The total ergosterol content quantified using UV spectrophotomer showed decrease in ergosterol in the presence of levofloxacin derivatives. Overall, levofloxacin derivatives (6a, 6c and 7d) are capable of inhibiting C. albicans virulence factors. Therefore, these compounds with potential therapeutic implications can be used as new strategy to treat biofilm-related candidal infections.