• 약학회지
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• 제59권6호
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• pp.259-265
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• 2015

In recent, there are increasing reports about pharmacological activities of Crataegi Fructus which has been used for many centuries as medicinal and food sources in East Asia. However, its antifungal efficacy needs to be investigated. Thus, in the current study, we determined synergistic antifungal activity of the Crataegi Fructus extract (CFE) when combined with fluconazole (FLC) against disseminated candidiasis due to Candida albicans. This fungus is one of the most problematic fungal pathogens. Data resulting from a microdilution susceptibility test showed that CFE had a dose-dependent antifungal activity. When the extract was combined with FLC, the activity was synergistic. For example, the antifungal activity by the combination of CFE at $20{\mu}g/ml$ plus FLC at $0.1{\mu}g/ml$ was 4 times more effective than antifungal activity by FLC alone at the same concentration (P<0.05). In the murine model of disseminated candidiasis, the combination therapy potentiated resistance of mice, resulting in 80% of C. albicans-infected animals surviving the entire period of 40 days observation, whereas mice given CFE alone or FLC alone all died with 17 and 23 days, respectively, although they survived longer than the untreated control animals (P<0.05). The CFE's antifungal activity seemed to be related to the blockage of hyphal production of C. albicans yeast cells. In summary, CFE has a synergistic antifungal activity, which can be produced by combining CFE with FLC. Thus, our data strongly indicate that CFE may be a potential candidate as an antifungal agent for combination therapy.

• Mycobiology
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.215-218
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• 2010

Azoles are currently the most widely used class of antifungal drugs clinically, and are effective for treating fungal infections. Target site of azoles is ergosterol biosynthesis in fungal cell membrane, which is absent in the mammalian host. However, the development of resistance to azole treatments in the fungal pathogen has become a significant challenge. Here, we report the identification and functional characterization of a UPC2 homolog in the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. UPC2 plays roles in ergosterol biosynthesis, which is also affected by the availability of iron in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans. C. neoformans mutants lacking UPC2 were constructed, and a number of phenotypic characteristics, including antifungal susceptibility and iron utilization, were analyzed. No differences were found between the mutant phenotypes and wild type, suggesting that the role of C. neoformans UPC2 homolog may be different from those in S. cerevisiae and C. albicans, and that the gene may have a yet unknown function.

• 보존과학회지
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.227-241
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• 2015

공주 송산리 6호분에서 분리한 미생물의 배양조건에 따른 생화학적 특성을 확인하고 천연물 유효성분인 anethole과 eugenol의 항진균력을 평가하여 고분 또는 벽화에 대한 적용 가능성을 확인하였다. 송산리 6호분 내부 공기중 및 벽체에서 포집된 26종의 곰팡이는 자낭균류 15종, 접합균류 2종, 담자균류 1종으로 동정되었다. 분리된 곰팡이의 전분과 젤라틴에 대한 분해도 평가를 실시한 결과 SY-18, SY-23, SY-25 등에서 전분에 대한 분해능이 높게 나타났으며, SY-18, SY-21, SY-23 등에서 높은 젤라틴 분해능을 보였다. 각 기질의 분해능이 우수한 균주 3종을 액체배양하여 생화학적 특성을 확인하였다. 천연물 유효성분인 anethole과 eugenol의 항진균력 평가 결과, anethole과 eugenol의 혼합액(1:2)에서 곰팡이의 생장 억제력이 가장 크게 나타났다. 국내외에 동굴 또는 고분 벽화에 발생 가능한 곰팡이에 대해 강력한 항진균력을 보이는 천연물 유효성분을 이용하여 미생물의 발생을 억제할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.69-73
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• 1989

준임상형 유방염 이환 젖소의 유즙과 유두컵으로부터 분리된 Candida속 균의 8종 항진균성약제에 대한 감수성을 조사하였던 결과는 다음과 같다. 총 53주의 Candida속균 중 98.2%, 94.4%, 84.8%의 균주가 각각 clotrimazole, econazole, miconazole의 농도 $25{\mu}g/ml$이하에서 발육이 억제됨으로서, 이들 약제의 항균력이 타 약제에 비하여 우수하였다. 균종별로 보면 C albicans는 clotrimazole에 대한 감수성이 가장 높았으며, 기타 비교적 감수성이 높았던 약제는 5-fluorocytosine, econazole, miconazole의 순이었다. C pseudotropicalis와 C guilliermondii는 haloprogin, clotrimazole, miconazole, econazole, 5-fluorocytosine등에 높은 감수성을 나타내었으며, haloprogin의 평균 MIC가 $0.17{\sim}0.19{\mu}g/ml$로 가장 우수하였다. C krusei는 cycloheximide에 대한 감수성이 가장 높았으며, 그의 비교적 감수성이 높았던 약제는 clotrimazole, haloprogin, miconazole, econazole의 순이었다. 한편 C parapsilosis는 econazole, cycloheximide, clotrimazole등에 다소 감수성을 나타내었으나, 이들 약제의 MIC는 econazole(기하평균 MIC $7.26{\mu}g/ml$)을 제외하고는 타균종에서 보다 현저히 낮았다. 또한 C tropicalis는 전 공시약제에 대하여 감수성이 낮은 경향이었다.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제50권4호
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• pp.488-500
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• 2022

Most fungal infections by opportunistic yeast pathogens such as Candida spp. are the major causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with lowered immune. Previous studies have reported that some strains of Candida secret secondary metabolites play an important role in the decreasing of immunity in the infected patient. In this study, 110 Candida spp. were isolated from different clinical specimens from Baghdad hospitals. Candida isolates were identified by conventional methods, they were processed for Candida speciation on CHROMagar. The results of identification were confirmed by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing. Phylogenetic trees were analyzed with reference strains deposited in GenBank. Antifungal susceptibility testing was evaluated by the disc diffusion method and performed as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) M44-A document. Candida isolates investigated produce secondary metabolites gliotoxin with HPLC technique and quantification. Out of 110 Candida isolates, C. albicans (66.36%) was the most frequent isolate, followed by the isolates of C. tropicalis (10.9%) and C. glabrata (6.36%) respectively. Concerning the antifungal susceptibility test, Candida isolates showed a high level of susceptibility to Miconazole (70.9%), Itraconazole (68.2%), and Nystatine (64.5%). The ability of obtained isolates of Candida spp. to produce gliotoxin on RPMI medium was investigated, only 28 isolates had the ability to secret this toxin in culture filtrates. The highest concentrations were detected in C. albicans (1.048 ㎍/ml). Gliotoxin productivity of other Candida species was significantly lower. The retention time for gliotoxin was approximately 5.08 min.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.60-63
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• 2003

Effect of grape seed extract (GSE) against Candida albicans was examined under in-vitro and in-vivo conditions. The GSE was extracted in ethanol. In-vitro results from an agar diffusion susceptibility assay showed the GSE inhibited C. albicans growth. This anticandidal effect was at dose-dependency. In experiments with animals, mice that received the GSE (0.5 mg per mice), intravenously (i.v.), before i.v.-infection wish viable C. albicans yeast cells survived longer than diluent (buffer)-received control mice. In contrast, when GSE was given to mice after the mice were infected with the yeast cells, these mice showed a similar survival rate as compared to control mice that received no treatment with the GSE. Taken together, these data indicate that GSE has prophylactic effect but not therapeutic effect against disseminated candidiasis.

• 약학회지
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• 제55권3호
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• pp.227-233
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• 2011

We previously reported the protein isolated from Coptidis Rhizoma (CRP), which has antifungal activity against a fungal pathogen, Candida albicans. In the current study, we investigated what portion in the CRP is responsible for the antifungal activity. For the investigation, the CRP was fractionated on a Shepadex G-50 column. Data resulting from the fractionation, seven fractions were obtained. Fractions (Fr.) I, II, and III eluted initially from the column showed no inhibitory effect on the growth of C. albicans, whereas Fr. IV, V, and VI eluted later revealed inhibition of the growth, and Fr. IV and VI showed potent antifungal activity by broth susceptibility analysis. However, Fr. VI was contained in the CRP more than Fr. IV, which led us to select the VI for the following experiments. In a murine model of a subcutaneous candidiasis caused by C. albicans, the Fr. VI displayed a therapeutic effect on nude mice pretreated with anti-neutrophil monoclonal antibody (RB68C5) and then infected subcutaneously with live C. albicans. At day 16, these mice were healed almost up to 78% of the infected area when compared to infected area of control nude mice that received diluent (Dulbecco's Phosphate-Buffered Saline; DPBS), instead of the Fr. VI (P<0.01). The Fr. VI blocked hyphal formation from blastoconidial form of C. albicans (P<0.01), which might prevent penetration of hyphae to the deeper site of skin and thus helps the healing. In the ionic strength test, the effect of Fr. was influenced by $Ca^{2+}$ ion just like other known antimicrobial peptides, but the influence was affected at an extremely high concentration such as 500 mM. Thus, such ion-concentration is considered to be meaningless in the clinical situation. Considering all data together, Coptidis Rhizoma is appeared to produce an antimicrobial peptide that has therapeutic effect on subcutaneous infection caused by C. albicans.

• Mycobiology
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.52-58
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• 2014

A nucleoside diphosphate-linked moiety X (Nudix) hydrolase-like gene, YSA1, has been identified as one of the gromwell plant extract-responsive genes in Cryptococcus neoformans. Ysa1 is known to control intracellular concentrations of ADP-ribose or O-acetyl-ADP-ribose, and has diverse biological functions, including the response to oxidative stress in the ascomycete yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this study, we characterized the role of YSA1 in the stress response and adaptation of the basidiomycete yeast, C. neoformans. We constructed three independent deletion mutants for YSA1, and analyzed their mutant phenotypes. We found that ysa1 mutants did not show increased sensitivity to reactive oxygen species-producing oxidative damage agents, such as hydrogen peroxide and menadione, but exhibited increased sensitivity to diamide, which is a thiol-specific oxidant. Ysa1 was dispensable for the response to most environmental stresses, such as genotoxic, osmotic, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. In conclusion, modulation of YSA1 may regulate the cellular response and adaptation of C. neoformans to certain oxidative stresses and contribute to the evolution of antifungal drug resistance.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제43권spc1호
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• pp.65-84
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• 2005

Invasive candidiasis is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Clinical diagnosis is complicated by a lack of specific clinical signs and symptoms of disease. Laboratory diagnosis is also complex because circulating antibodies to Candida species may occur in normal individuals as the result of commensal colonization of mucosal surfaces thereby reducing the usefulness of antibody detection for the diagnosis of this disease. In addition, Candida species antigens are often rapidly cleared from the circulation so that antigen detection tests often lack the desired level of sensitivity. Microbiological confirmation is difficult because blood cultures can be negative in up to 50% of autopsy-proven cases of deep-seated candidiasis or may only become positive late in the infection. Positive cultures from urine or mucosal surfaces do not necessarily indicate invasive disease although can occur during systemic infection. Furthermore, differences in the virulence and in the susceptibility of the various Candida species to antifungal drugs make identification to the species level important for clinical management. Newer molecular biological tests have generated interest but are not yet standardized or readily available in most clinical laboratory settings nor have they been validated in large clinical trials. Laboratory surveillance of at-risk patients could result in earlier initiation of antifungal therapy if sensitive and specific diagnostic tests, which are also cost effective, become available. This review will compare diagnostic tests currently in use as well as those under development by describing their assets and limitations for the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.234-247
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• 2021

We used a heterozygous gene deletion library of fission yeasts comprising all essential and non-essential genes for a microarray screening of target genes of the antifungal terbinafine, which inhibits ergosterol synthesis via the Erg1 enzyme. We identified 14 heterozygous strains corresponding to 10 non-essential [7 ribosomal-protein (RP) coding genes, spt7, spt20, and elp2] and 4 essential genes (tif302, rpl2501, rpl31, and erg1). Expectedly, their erg1 mRNA and protein levels had decreased compared to the control strain SP286. When we studied the action mechanism of the non-essential target genes using cognate haploid deletion strains, knockout of SAGA-subunit genes caused a down-regulation in erg1 transcription compared to the control strain ED668. However, knockout of RP genes conferred no susceptibility to ergosterol-targeting antifungals. Surprisingly, the RP genes participated in the erg1 transcription as components of repressor complexes as observed in a comparison analysis of the experimental ratio of erg1 mRNA. To understand the action mechanism of the interaction between the drug and the novel essential target genes, we performed isobologram assays with terbinafine and econazole (or cycloheximide). Terbinafine susceptibility of the tif302 heterozygous strain was attributed to both decreased erg1 mRNA levels and inhibition of translation. Moreover, Tif302 was required for efficacy of both terbinafine and cycloheximide. Based on a molecular modeling analysis, terbinafine could directly bind to Tif302 in yeasts, suggesting Tif302 as a potential off-target of terbinafine. In conclusion, this genome-wide screening system can be harnessed for the identification and characterization of target genes under any condition of interest.