1 research outputs found
Four-Arm δ‑Ornithine-Based Polypeptoids Resensitize Voriconazole against Azole-Resistant C. albicans
Worldwide Candida albicans infections
cause a huge burden in healthcare and the efficacy of traditional
antifungals is diminished because of the rapid development of antifungal
resistance. It is necessary to develop new antifungals or new strategies
to make multidrug-resistant (MDR) C. albicans to resensitize to existing antifungal drugs. In this work, a series
of 4-arm polypeptoids (FAPs) were synthesized through grafting linear
ε-l-lysine or δ-ornithine-based oligopeptides
to a trimeric lysine core. The most potent 4R-O7 exhibited excellent
activities toward three sensitive and two MDR C. albicans strains with MIC values as low as 24–48 μg/mL (vs 375
μg/mL for ε-polylysine, ε-PL). The mechanism studies
revealed that 4R-O7 penetrated the cell membrane and generated ROS
to kill cells. 4R-O7 exhibited a synergistic effect (FICI < 0.5)
with voriconazole (VOR) and also assisted VOR to restore its efficacy
to MDR C. albicans. In addition, the
combined use of 4R-O7 and VOR significantly improved the elimination
efficacy of mature C. albicans biofilms
and enhanced the potency in a mouse subcutaneous C.
albicans infection model