title: Heat shock, visible light or high calcium augment the cytotoxic effects of Ailanthus altissima (Swingle) leaf extracts against Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells.
abstract: To gain new insight into the antimicrobial potential of Ailanthus altissima Swingle, ethanol leaf extracts were evaluated for the antifungal effects against the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisae. The extracts inhibited the yeast growth in a dose-dependent manner, and this effect could be augmented by heat shock, exposure to visible light or exposure to high concentrations of Ca(2+). Using transgenic yeast cells expressing the Ca(2+)-dependent photoprotein, aequorin, it was found that the leaf extracts induced cytosolic Ca(2+) elevation. Experiments on yeast mutants with defects in Ca(2+) transport demonstrated that the cytotoxicity of the A. altissima leaf extracts (AaLEs) was mediated by transient pulses of Ca(2+) ions which were released into the cytosol predominantly from the vacuole. The investigation of the antifungal synergies involving AaLEs may contribute to the development of optimal and safe combination therapies for the treatment of drug-resistant fungal infections.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Chemistry, University of Bucharest , Sos. Panduri 90-92, 050663 Bucharest , Romania.
authors.forename: Claudia Valentina
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Popa
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lungu
authors.forename: Ligia Florentina
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Cristache
authors.forename: Crinu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ciuculescu
authors.forename: Andrei Florin
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Danet
authors.forename: Ileana Cornelia
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Farcasanu
mesh_terms: D032268:Ailanthus / Q000737:chemistry*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008027:Light; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Ailanthus altissima extracts; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; anti-fungal synergy; calcium; heat shock; visible light