title: The antifungal effect of silver nanoparticles on Trichosporon asahii.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Silver nanoparticles are receiving increasing attention in biomedical applications. This study aims at evaluating the antifungal properties of silver nanoparticles against the pathogenic fungus Trichosporon asahii.
  
  
  METHODS
  The growth of T. asahii on potato dextrose agar medium containing different concentrations of silver nanoparticles was examined and the antifungal effect was evaluated using minimum inhibitory concentration. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy were also used to investigate the antifungal effect of silver nanoparticles on T. asahii.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Silver nanoparticles had a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of T. asahii. The minimum inhibitory concentration of silver nanoparticles against T. asahii was 0.5 μg/mL, which was lower than amphotericin B, 5-flucytosine, caspofungin, terbinafine, fluconazole, and itraconazole and higher than voriconazole. Silver nanoparticles obviously damaged the cell wall, cell membrane, mitochondria, chromatin, and ribosome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate that silver nanoparticles have good antifungal activity against T. asahii. Based on our electron microscopy observations, silver nanoparticles may inhibit the growth of T. asahii by permeating the fungal cell and damaging the cell wall and cellular components.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, General Hospital of Beijing Military Command of PLA, Nanmencang, Dongcheng District, Beijing, PR China; Third Military Medical University, Gaotanyanzhengjie, Shapingba District, Chongqing, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Kuan
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, General Hospital of Beijing Military Command of PLA, Nanmencang, Dongcheng District, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Qiu-Hua
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, General Hospital of Beijing Military Command of PLA, Nanmencang, Dongcheng District, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Shu-Yi
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, General Hospital of Beijing Military Command of PLA, Nanmencang, Dongcheng District, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: De-Quan
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, General Hospital of Beijing Military Command of PLA, Nanmencang, Dongcheng District, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, General Hospital of Beijing Military Command of PLA, Nanmencang, Dongcheng District, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Yan-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, General Hospital of Beijing Military Command of PLA, Nanmencang, Dongcheng District, Beijing, PR China. Electronic address: yang_rya@sina.com.
authors.forename: Rong-Ya
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D053758:Nanoparticles; D010539:Permeability; D012834:Silver / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014250:Trichosporon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D012834:Silver
keywords: Antifungal activity; Electron microscopy; Minimum inhibitory concentration; Silver nanoparticles; Trichosporon asahii