title: The role of diclofenac sodium in the dimorphic transition in Candida albicans.
abstract: Diclofenac sodium is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that inhibits filamentation in Candida albicans. Here we examined the effect of diclofenac sodium on hypha formation in C. albicans. The C. albicans cells were treated with various concentrations of diclofenac sodium (50, 100, 200 and 500microg/ml) and incubated at 37 degrees C for 2h. The characteristics of hypha formation were then assessed microscopically in both liquid and solid media. The results indicated that the effect of diclofenac sodium was dependent on the concentration of this compound, and preincubation with 500microg/ml diclofenac sodium completely inhibited hypha formation in both liquid and solid media. RT-qPCR analysis of RNA extracted from C. albicans indicated that the levels of expression of agglutinin-like sequence 3 (ALS3), RAS1, EFG1 mRNA, which are regulated by the cAMP-EFG1 pathway in C. albicans and three hypha-specific genes (ALS1, ECE1 and HWP1), were decreased in diclofenac sodium treated cells compared to the levels in controls. Our results also demonstrated that diclofenac sodium possesses potent anti yeast-hypha transition activity in vitro and it could be useful in combined therapy with conventional antifungal agents in the management of treatment of Candida albicans infections.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Genética/Instituto de Microbiología Bioquímica, Universidad de Salamanca/CSIC, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: Zahra Rashki
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Ghalehnoo
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rashki
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Najimi
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dominguez
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D025301:Hyphae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D008853:Microscopy; D013696:Temperature; D013995:Time
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D004008:Diclofenac