
Today, Candida albicans is still the most common cause of both local and life-threatening systemic candidiasis. The spread of resistant fungal strains has resulted in an urgent need to search for new promising antimycotics. Here, we investigated the antifungal action of the tobacco defensin NaD1 against susceptible and resistant to azoles and echinocandins strains of C. albicans. We demonstrated that NaD1 was equally effective and fungicidal against all tested strains. The MIC and MFC values were 6.25 and 12.5 µM, respectively. We showed for the first time that NaD1 could act synergistically not only with caspofungin but also with human host defense antimicrobial peptides cathelicidin LL-37 and β-defensin-2 (HBD2) against susceptible and resistant fungal strains. Using flow cytometry, we demonstrated that NaD1 in combinations with LL-37 or HBD2 can reinforce each other by enhancing membrane disruption. Using the Caco-2 cell monolayer model, we demonstrated that NaD1 impaired the adhesion of C. albicans cells to the human epithelium. Moreover, NaD1 inhibited the formation of fungal biofilms in Sabouraud broth and less markedly in nutrient-rich RPMI-1640 medium, and enhanced the antibiofilm activity of caspofungin. Thus, we hypothesized that NaD1 might affect the development of candidiasis in vivo, including that caused by resistant fungal strains.
Nicotiana, Azoles, tobacco NaD1, Antifungal Agents, beta-Defensins, clinical isolates, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Article, human β-defensin 2 (HBD2), resistance, Defensins, Lipopeptides, Echinocandins, Drug Resistance, Fungal, Cathelicidins, Caspofungin, synergism, human cathelicidin LL-37, Candida albicans, Humans, adherence, caspofungin, plant defensins, Plant Proteins, R, Candidiasis, Drug Synergism, candidiasis, <i>Candida albicans</i>, Biofilms, Medicine, biofilms, Caco-2 Cells, membrane-disrupting activity, Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
Nicotiana, Azoles, tobacco NaD1, Antifungal Agents, beta-Defensins, clinical isolates, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Article, human β-defensin 2 (HBD2), resistance, Defensins, Lipopeptides, Echinocandins, Drug Resistance, Fungal, Cathelicidins, Caspofungin, synergism, human cathelicidin LL-37, Candida albicans, Humans, adherence, caspofungin, plant defensins, Plant Proteins, R, Candidiasis, Drug Synergism, candidiasis, <i>Candida albicans</i>, Biofilms, Medicine, biofilms, Caco-2 Cells, membrane-disrupting activity, Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 5 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
