Brilacidin, a host defense peptide mimetic, potentiates ibrexafungerp antifungal activity against the human pathogenic fungusAspergillus fumigatus

Abstract

AbstractAspergillus fumigatusis the primary etiological agent of aspergillosis. Here, we show that the host defense peptide mimetic, brilacidin (BRI) can potentiate ibrexafungerp (IBX) against clinical isolates ofA. fumigatus. CAS-resistant strains with mutations infks1that encodes the 1,3-β-D-glucan synthase are not IBX-resistant and BRI+IBX can inhibit their growth. The combination of BRI+IBX plays a fungicidal role, increases the fungal cell permeability and decreases the fungal survival in the presence of A549 epithelial cells.