Three structurally related oxathiolone fused chalcone derivatives appeared effective chemosensitizers, able to restore in part sensitivity to fluconazole of multidrug-resistant C. albicans strains. Compound 21 effectively chemosensitized cells resistant due to the overexpression of the MDR1 gene, compound 6 reduced resistance of cells overexpressing the ABC-type drug transporters CDR1/CDR2 and derivative 18 partially reversed fluconazole resistance mediated by both types of yeast drug efflux pumps. The observed effect of sensitization of resistant strains of Candida albicans to fluconazole activity in the presence of active compounds most likely resulted from inhibition of the pump-mediated efflux, as was revealed by the results of studies involving the fluorescent probes, Nile Red, Rhodamine 6G and diS-C3(3).
AMG-148, an oxathiolone-fused chalcone derivative, exhibited in vitro antifungal activity against several strains of human pathogenic yeast, with minimum inhibitory concentration values within the range of 1-16 μg ml(-1) and a fungicidal effect was observed at higher concentrations. Presence of major drug-effluxing membrane proteins Cdr1p, Cdr2p or Mdr1p, did not affect substantially the fungistatic activity of this compound against clinical Candida albicans strains. Studies on the mode of action revealed that AMG-148 inhibited chitin and β(1→3)glucan biosynthesis and was in vitro an inhibitor of β(1→3)glucan synthase. Inhibition of chitin biosynthesis was responsible for fungistatic activity, while the fungicidal effect was a consequence of disturbance of β(1→3)glucan synthase function. The chalcone derivative may be a useful lead compound for the development of novel antifungal agents.
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