Affiliation:
1. M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, The Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya Str. 16/10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
Abstract
Currently, the spread of fungal infections is becoming an urgent problem. Fungi of the Candida genus are opportunistic microorganisms that cause superficial and life-threatening systemic candidiasis in immunocompromised patients. The list of antifungal drugs for the treatment of candidiasis is very limited, while the prevalence of resistant strains is growing rapidly. Therefore, the search for new antimycotics, including those exhibiting immunomodulatory properties, is of great importance. Plenty of natural compounds with antifungal activities may be extremely useful in solving this problem. This review evaluates the features of natural antimicrobial peptides, namely plant defensins as possible prototypes of new anticandidal agents. Plant defensins are important components of the innate immune system, which provides the first line of defense against pathogens. The introduction presents a brief summary regarding pathogenic Candida species, the pathogenesis of candidiasis, and the mechanisms of antimycotic resistance. Then, the structural features of plant defensins, their anticandidal activities, their mechanisms of action on yeast-like fungi, their ability to prevent adhesion and biofilm formation, and their combined action with conventional antimycotics are described. The possible mechanisms of fungal resistance to plant defensins, their cytotoxic activity, and their effectiveness in in vivo experiments are also discussed. In addition, for the first time for plant defensins, knowledge about their immunomodulatory effects is also presented.
Funder
Russian Science Foundation
Reference112 articles.
1. World Health Organization (2024, March 03). WHO Fungal Priority Pathogens List to Guide Research, Development and Public Health Action. Available online: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240060241.
2. Zeng, X., Zhang, Y., Zhang, T., Xue, Y., Xu, H., and An, R. (2018). Risk Factors of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis among Women of Reproductive Age in Xi’an: A Cross-Sectional Study. Biomed. Res. Int., 2018.
3. Invasive Candidiasis;Kullberg;N. Engl. J. Med.,2015
4. Candida albicans—Biology, molecular characterization, pathogenicity, and advances in diagnosis and control—An update;Dadar;Microb. Pathog.,2018
5. Neonatal invasive candidiasis: Updates on clinical management and prevention;Kilpatrick;Lancet Child Adolesc. Health,2022
Cited by
1 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献