title: Sphingolipids as targets for treatment of fungal infections.
abstract: Invasive fungal infections have significantly increased in the last few decades. Three classes of drugs are commonly used to treat these infections: polyenes, azoles and echinocandins. Unfortunately each of these drugs has drawbacks; polyenes are toxic, resistance against azoles is emerging and echinocandins have narrow spectrum of activity. Thus, the development of new antifungals is urgently needed. In this context, fungal sphingolipids have emerged as a potential target for new antifungals, because their biosynthesis in fungi is structurally different than in mammals. Besides, some fungal sphingolipids play an important role in the regulation of virulence in a variety of fungi. This review aims to highlight the diverse strategies that could be used to block the synthesis or/and function of fungal sphingolipids.
authors: Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.|Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Stony Brook University, 145 Life Sciences Building, Stony Brook, 11794 NY, USA.
authors: Rodrigo
authors: R
authors: Rollin-Pinheiro
authors: Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Stony Brook University, 145 Life Sciences Building, Stony Brook, 11794 NY, USA.|Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northport, 11768 NY, USA.
authors: Ashutosh
authors: A
authors: Singh
authors: Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Eliana
authors: E
authors: Barreto-Bergter
authors: Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Stony Brook University, 145 Life Sciences Building, Stony Brook, 11794 NY, USA.|Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northport, 11768 NY, USA.
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Del Poeta
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013107:Sphingolipids / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D014774:Virulence / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D013107:Sphingolipids
keywords: antifungals; drugs; fungi; glucosylceramide; sphingolipids; targets