title: Correlation of antifungal activity with fungal phospholipase inhibition using a series of bisquaternary ammonium salts.
abstract: A series of bisquaternary ammonium salts with a 12-carbon spacer between the positive charges were synthesized, and their antifungal activity has been investigated. Compounds with butyl, pentyl, and isopentyl headgroups were the most potent antifungal agents with MICs in the range of 2.2-5.5 microM against both Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans. The antifungal activity of these compounds correlated with their inhibition of cryptococcal phospholipase B1 (PLB1), a newly identified virulence factor. This indicates that the mode of action of these compounds may be inhibition of the fungal PLB1 enzyme, further validating this enzyme as a target for the development of novel antifungal therapies.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, 2006 NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Clarissa K L
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Obando
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Widmer
authors.forename: Lesley C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Tania C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Sorrell
authors.forename: Katrina A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Jolliffe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002417:Cattle; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000201:enzymology; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008245:Lysophospholipase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D037521:Virulence Factors; D010741:Phospholipases A; D008245:Lysophospholipase