In vitro activity of synthetic antimicrobial peptides against Candida.
Yeast-like fungi are the most common cause of fungal infections in humans. Actually, in the age of opportunistic infections and increasing resistance, development of modern antifungal agents becomes a very important challenge. This paper describes synthesis and antimicrobial assay of four naturally occurring peptide antibiotics (aurein 1.2, citropin 1.1, temporin A, uperin 3.6) and three chemically engineered analogues actually passing clinical trials (iseganan, pexiganan, omiganan) against Candida strains isolated from patients with infections of the oral cavity or respiratory tract. The peptides were synthesized using solid-phase method and purified by high-performance liquid chromatography. Biological tests were performed using the broth microdilution method. The antifungal activity of the peptide antibiotics was compared to that of nystatin and amphotericin B. We found synthetic peptides to be generally less potent than amphotericin B or nystatin. However, some of the naturally occurring peptides still retained reasonable antifungal activities which were higher than these of iseganan, pexiganan or omiganan. We think that the naturally occurring peptide antibiotics included in our study can be a good matrix for development of novel antifungal compounds.
Kamysz
Wojciech
W
Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland. kamysz@amg.gda.pl
Nadolski
Piotr
P
Kedzia
Anna
A
Cirioni
Oscar
O
Barchiesi
Francesco
F
Giacometti
Andrea
A
Scalise
Giorgio
G
Lukasiak
Jerzy
J
Okrój
Marcin
M
D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides