Targeting Stress Response Pathways with Alternative Strategies as a Novel Antifungal Approach

Abstract

Fungi are recognized as key pathogens in immunocompromised patients. The invasive infection always remains a problem for clinicians due to high morbidity and mortality. The treatments of fungal infections are hampered by conventional drugs, which are associated with resistance. Drug resistance has become an important problem in a variety of infectious diseases. The rise in the incidence of fungal infections and drug resistance has intensified the need for alternative therapies that affect a new target. This new target must be a growth essential gene product like the stress pathway. It has been found that stress pathways can be a potential target in opportunistic fungal infection, which played an important role in the virulence of pathogens. It was helpful in protection from host defense, normal fungal growth, and antifungal drug resistance. The disruption of the pathway using alternative strategies (chemosensitization and photo-dynamics therapy) can be a novel approach in fighting fungal infections and for drug design.