title: Antifungal effects of undecylenic acid on the biofilm formation of Candida albicans.
abstract: Undecylenic acid can effectively control skin fungal infection, but the mechanism of its fungal inhibition is unclear. Hyphal growth of Candida albicans (C. albicans) and biofilm formation have been well recognized as important virulence factors for the initiation of skin infection and late development of disseminated infection. In this study, we seek to investigate antifungal mechanisms of undecylenic acid by evaluating the virulence factors of C. albicans during biofilm formation. We found that undecylenic acid inhibits biofilm formation of C. albicans effectively with optimal concentration above 3 mM. In the presence of this compound, the morphological transition from yeast to filamentous phase is abolished ultimately when the concentration of undecylenic acid is above 4 mM. Meanwhile, the cell surface is crumpled, and cells display an atrophic appearance under scanning electron microscopy even with low concentration of drug treatment. On the other hand, the drug treatment decreases the transcriptions of hydrolytic enzymes such as secreted aspartic protease, lipase, and phospholipase. Hyphal formation related genes, like HWP1, are significantly reduced in transcriptional level in drug-treated biofilm condition as well. The down-regulated profile of these genes leads to a poorly organized biofilm in undecylenic acid treated environment.
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yaxin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Hongxia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Hongjun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Yongnian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Guixia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Weida
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects; D014476:Undecylenic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D014476:Undecylenic Acids; D037521:Virulence Factors; C538763:undecylenic acid