title: The effect of antifungal agents on the in vitro susceptibility of Candida albicans to apo-lactoferrin.
abstract: The effect of subminimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of nystatin, amphotericin B, clotrimazole, miconazole and 5-fluorocytosine on the in vitro susceptibility of Candida albicans to physiological concentrations of apo-lactoferrin was investigated. Pre-exposure of C. albicans in 1:4 and 1:16 MICs of the antifungals resulted in an increased resistance to apo-lactoferrin-mediated cell death. Preincubation of Candida in tunicamycin (an agent that inhibits the synthesis of yeast cell-wall mannoproteins) and subsequent exposure to apo-lactoferrin enhanced the antifungal activity, whilst addition of ergosterol (a yeast cell-wall component) to the assay suspension had no significant effect. These results taken together indicate that apo-lactoferrin, an important component of saliva, interacts with cell-membrane constituents of C. albicans such as mannoproteins, and may modulate the effect of topical antifungal agents commonly prescribed for oral candidoses.
authors.affiliation: Oral Biology Unit, Prince Phillip Dental Hospital, University of Hong Kong.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nikawa
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Samaranayake
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tenovuo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamada
mesh_terms: D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000494:pharmacology; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001059:Apoproteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry; D003022:Clotrimazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004875:Ergosterol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005437:Flucytosine / Q000494:pharmacology; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D008825:Miconazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D009761:Nystatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014415:Tunicamycin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D001059:Apoproteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C039223:apolactoferrin; C025363:mannoproteins; D014415:Tunicamycin; D009761:Nystatin; D008825:Miconazole; D000666:Amphotericin B; D005437:Flucytosine; D007781:Lactoferrin; D003022:Clotrimazole; D004875:Ergosterol