Isabela Bueno Rosseti1, João Batista Teixeira Rocha2, Maricilia Silva Costa3. 1. Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento - IP&D, Universidade do Vale do Paraíba - UNIVAP, Av. Shishima Hifumi, 2911, CEP 12244-000, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil. 2. Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. 3. Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento - IP&D, Universidade do Vale do Paraíba - UNIVAP, Av. Shishima Hifumi, 2911, CEP 12244-000, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: mscosta@univap.br.
Abstract
PROJECT: The opportunistic fungal Candida albicans can produce superficial and systemic infections in immunocompromised patients. An essential stage to both colonization and virulence by C. albicans is the transition from budding yeast form to filamentous form, producing biofilms. PROCEDURE: In this work, we studied the effect of the organochalcogenide compound (PhSe)2 on both cell growth and biofilm formation by C. albicans. RESULTS: (PhSe)2 inhibited both growth and biofilm formation by C. albicans. The inhibitory effects of (PhSe)2 depended on the cell density and (PhSe)2 concentration. We have also observed that (PhSe)2 stimulated ROS production (67%) and increased cell membrane permeability (2.94-fold) in C. albicans. In addition, (PhSe)2 caused a marked decrease in proteinase activity (6.8-fold) in relation to non-treated group. CONCLUSIONS: (PhSe)2 decreased both cell growth and biofilm development, decreasing the release of extracellular proteinases, which is an important facet of C. albicans pathogenicity. The toxicity of (PhSe)2 towards C. albicans can be associated with an increase in ROS production, which can increase cell permeability. The permanent damage to the cell membranes can culminate in cell death.
PROJECT: The opportunistic fungal Candida albicans can produce superficial and systemic infections in immunocompromised patients. An essential stage to both colonization and virulence by C. albicans is the transition from budding yeast form to filamentous form, producing biofilms. PROCEDURE: In this work, we studied the effect of the organochalcogenide compound (PhSe)2 on both cell growth and biofilm formation by C. albicans. RESULTS: (PhSe)2 inhibited both growth and biofilm formation by C. albicans. The inhibitory effects of (PhSe)2 depended on the cell density and (PhSe)2 concentration. We have also observed that (PhSe)2 stimulated ROS production (67%) and increased cell membrane permeability (2.94-fold) in C. albicans. In addition, (PhSe)2 caused a marked decrease in proteinase activity (6.8-fold) in relation to non-treated group. CONCLUSIONS: (PhSe)2 decreased both cell growth and biofilm development, decreasing the release of extracellular proteinases, which is an important facet of C. albicans pathogenicity. The toxicity of (PhSe)2 towards C. albicans can be associated with an increase in ROS production, which can increase cell permeability. The permanent damage to the cell membranes can culminate in cell death.
Authors: Vanice Rodrigues Poester; Lívia Silveira Munhoz; Jéssica Louise Benelli; Aryse Martins Melo; Abdullah M S Al-Hatmi; David J Larwood; Marife Martinez; David A Stevens; Melissa Orzechowski Xavier Journal: J Fungi (Basel) Date: 2022-07-25