Targeting Virulence Factors of Candida albicans with Natural Products

Abstract

Natural products derived from natural resources, including nutritional functional food, play an important role in human health. In recent years, the study of anti-fungal and other properties of agri-foods and derived functional compounds has been a hot research topic. Candida albicans is a parasitic fungus that thrives on human mucosal surfaces, which are colonized through opportunistic infection. It is the most prevalent cause of invasive fungal infection in immunocompromised individuals, resulting in a wide variety of clinical symptoms. Moreover, the efficacy of classical therapeutic medications such as fluconazole is often limited by the development of resistance. There is an ongoing need for the development of novel and effective antifungal therapy and medications. Infection of C. albicans is influenced by a great quantity of virulence factors, like adhesion, invasion-promoting enzymes, mycelial growth, and phenotypic change, and among others. Furthermore, various natural products especially from food sources that target C. albicans virulence factors have been researched, providing promising prospects for C. albicans prevention and treatment. In this review, we discuss the virulence factors of C. albicans and how functional foods and derived functional compounds affect them. Our hope is that this review will stimulate additional thoughts and suggestions regarding nutritional functional food and therapeutic development for patients afflicted with C. albicans.

Traditional Herb (Moxa) Modified Zinc Oxide Nanosheets for Quick, Efficient and High Tissue Penetration Therapy of Fungal Infection

“…albicans was further determined. The iron metabolism process of fungi was destroyed, which was manifested by the down-regulation of the relative mRNA expression of iron ion utilization-related genes (SOD3, FRE7) and the up-regulation of the antiglycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored superoxide dismutase (SOD4) gene, suggesting that the metabolic process crucial to fungal regeneration was hindered . In addition, in the CMZ + US + YL group, the specific genes HWP2 and CEK2 that regulated the mycelial growth of C .…”

The Interplay between Candida albicans, Vaginal Mucosa, Host Immunity and Resident Microbiota in Health and Disease: An Overview and Future Perspectives

“…Targeting the virulence factors has become a new research direction to combat Candida infections. In particular, in recent years, Als3p has been considered as a potential target of vaccines against C. albicans infection, and an NDV-3 vaccine targeting the Als3p N-terminal has recently entered the clinical trial phase [ 27 ].…”

“…Recently, it was confirmed that Candida phospholipase contributes to the pathogenic process of VVC by affecting the integrity of the cell membrane, through the decomposition of host cell membrane phospholipids, and thereby, promoting tissue invasion [ 27 ]. Thus, it is conceivable that Candida strains able to produce large amounts of proteinases and phospholipases may strongly influence host susceptibility to VVC.…”

New Hydrogels and Formulations Based on Piperonyl-Imino-Chitosan Derivatives

“…Candida pathogens cause diverse problems such as oral candidiasis, vaginitis, skin candidiasis and last but not least candidimia (which represents infection of the blood stream) [ 2 ]. There are numerous Candida species, among which Candida albicans , Candida glabrata and Candida parapsilosis are the most frequently encountered [ 3 ].…”