title: Short Synthetic α-Helical-Forming Peptide Amphiphiles for Fungal Keratitis Treatment In Vivo.
abstract: The emergence of fungal keratitis is on the rise globally. However, current antifungal therapeutics are ineffective in severe keratomycosis. Previously reported α-helical peptides comprising 8-14 amino acids demonstrate broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity both in vitro and in vivo. Here, α-helical peptides of the optimized sequences are investigated for antifungal biofilm in vitro and in vivo using a fungal biofilm-caused mouse keratitis model. The peptides with the optimal composition demonstrate higher α-helical propensity and improve antifungal activity in dispersing Candida albicans biofilm in vitro. Moreover, the optimized α-helical peptides are not only effective in treating C. albicans biofilm-induced keratitis in mice, they are also nontoxic to the mice eyes. These peptides have the potential to be developed as antifungal agents for the treatment of C. albicans biofilm-caused keratitis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, 138669, Singapore.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, 138669, Singapore.
authors.forename: Shaoqiong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, 138669, Singapore.
authors.forename: Nikken
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wiradharma
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, 138669, Singapore.
authors.forename: Zhan Yuin
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, 138669, Singapore.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, 138669, Singapore.
authors.forename: Yi Yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, 138669, Singapore.
authors.forename: Jackie Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ying
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000502:physiology*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007634:Keratitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
keywords: antibiofilms; antibiotics resistance; antifungal; fungal keratitis; α-helical-forming peptides