title: Peptides of the constant region of antibodies display fungicidal activity.
abstract: Synthetic peptides with sequences identical to fragments of the constant region of different classes (IgG, IgM, IgA) of antibodies (Fc-peptides) exerted a fungicidal activity in vitro against pathogenic yeasts, such as Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Malassezia furfur, including caspofungin and triazole resistant strains. Alanine-substituted derivatives of fungicidal Fc-peptides, tested to evaluate the critical role of each residue, displayed unaltered, increased or decreased candidacidal activity in vitro. An Fc-peptide, included in all human IgGs, displayed a therapeutic effect against experimental mucosal and systemic candidiasis in mouse models. It is intriguing to hypothesize that some Fc-peptides may influence the antifungal immune response and constitute the basis for devising new antifungal agents.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Microbiologia, Dipartimento di Patologia e Medicina di Laboratorio, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Polonelli
authors.forename: Tecla
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ciociola
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Magliani
authors.forename: Pier Paolo
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Zanello
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: D'Adda
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galati
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Bernardis
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arancia
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gabrielli
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pericolini
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vecchiarelli
authors.forename: Denise C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Arruda
authors.forename: Marcia R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Luiz R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Travassos
authors.forename: Thelma A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Pertinhez
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spisni
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Conti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D000077336:Caspofungin; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects; D054714:Echinocandins / Q000494:pharmacology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D007127:Immunoglobulin Constant Regions; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D055666:Lipopeptides; D008290:Malassezia / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014230:Triazoles / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D054714:Echinocandins; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007127:Immunoglobulin Constant Regions; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D055666:Lipopeptides; D010455:Peptides; D014230:Triazoles; D000077336:Caspofungin