Susceptibility of Cryptococcus neoformans biofilms to antifungal agents in vitro. 2006

Luis R Martinez, and Arturo Casadevall
Department of Medicine and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York 10461, USA.

Microbial biofilms contribute to virulence and resistance to antibiotics by shielding microbial cells from host defenses and antimicrobial drugs, respectively. Cryptococcus neoformans was demonstrated to form biofilms in polystyrene microtiter plates. The numbers of CFU of disaggregated biofilms, 2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino)carbonyl]-2H-tetrazolium hydroxide reduction, and light and confocal microscopy were used to measure the fungal mass, the metabolic activity, and the appearance of C. neoformans biofilms, respectively. Biofilm development by C. neoformans followed a standard sequence of events: fungal surface attachment, microcolony formation, and matrix production. The susceptibilities of C. neoformans cells of the biofilm and planktonic phenotypes to four antifungal agents were examined. The exposure of C. neoformans cells or preformed cryptococcal biofilms to fluconazole or voriconazole did not result in yeast growth inhibition and did not affect the metabolic activities of the biofilms, respectively. In contrast, both C. neoformans cells and preformed biofilms were susceptible to amphotericin B and caspofungin. However, C. neoformans biofilms were significantly more resistant to amphotericin B and caspofungin than planktonic cells, and their susceptibilities to these drugs were further reduced if cryptococcal cells contained melanin. A spot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and light and confocal microscopy were used to investigate how antifungal drugs affected C. neoformans biofilm formation. The mechanism by which amphotericin B and caspofungin interfered with C. neoformans biofilm formation involved capsular polysaccharide release and adherence. Our results suggest that biofilm formation may diminish the efficacies of some antifungal drugs during cryptococcal infection.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008543 Melanins Insoluble polymers of TYROSINE derivatives found in and causing darkness in skin (SKIN PIGMENTATION), hair, and feathers providing protection against SUNBURN induced by SUNLIGHT. CAROTENES contribute yellow and red coloration. Allomelanins,Melanin,Phaeomelanins
D008826 Microbial Sensitivity Tests Any tests that demonstrate the relative efficacy of different chemotherapeutic agents against specific microorganisms (i.e., bacteria, fungi, viruses). Bacterial Sensitivity Tests,Drug Sensitivity Assay, Microbial,Minimum Inhibitory Concentration,Antibacterial Susceptibility Breakpoint Determination,Antibiogram,Antimicrobial Susceptibility Breakpoint Determination,Bacterial Sensitivity Test,Breakpoint Determination, Antibacterial Susceptibility,Breakpoint Determination, Antimicrobial Susceptibility,Fungal Drug Sensitivity Tests,Fungus Drug Sensitivity Tests,Sensitivity Test, Bacterial,Sensitivity Tests, Bacterial,Test, Bacterial Sensitivity,Tests, Bacterial Sensitivity,Viral Drug Sensitivity Tests,Virus Drug Sensitivity Tests,Antibiograms,Concentration, Minimum Inhibitory,Concentrations, Minimum Inhibitory,Inhibitory Concentration, Minimum,Inhibitory Concentrations, Minimum,Microbial Sensitivity Test,Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations,Sensitivity Test, Microbial,Sensitivity Tests, Microbial,Test, Microbial Sensitivity,Tests, Microbial Sensitivity
D010456 Peptides, Cyclic Peptides whose amino acid residues are linked together forming a circular chain. Some of them are ANTI-INFECTIVE AGENTS; some are biosynthesized non-ribosomally (PEPTIDE BIOSYNTHESIS, NON-RIBOSOMAL). Circular Peptide,Cyclic Peptide,Cyclic Peptides,Cyclopeptide,Orbitide,Circular Peptides,Cyclopeptides,Orbitides,Peptide, Circular,Peptide, Cyclic,Peptides, Circular
D010933 Plankton Community of tiny aquatic PLANTS and ANIMALS, and photosynthetic BACTERIA, that are either free-floating or suspended in the water, with little or no power of locomotion. They are divided into PHYTOPLANKTON and ZOOPLANKTON.
D011743 Pyrimidines A family of 6-membered heterocyclic compounds occurring in nature in a wide variety of forms. They include several nucleic acid constituents (CYTOSINE; THYMINE; and URACIL) and form the basic structure of the barbiturates.
D003455 Cryptococcus neoformans A species of the fungus CRYPTOCOCCUS. Its teleomorph is Filobasidiella neoformans. Blastomyces neoformans,Debaryomyces neoformans,Filobasidiella neoformans,Lipomyces neoformans,Saccharomyces neoformans,Torula neoformans,Torulopsis neoformans,Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii
D004305 Dose-Response Relationship, Drug The relationship between the dose of an administered drug and the response of the organism to the drug. Dose Response Relationship, Drug,Dose-Response Relationships, Drug,Drug Dose-Response Relationship,Drug Dose-Response Relationships,Relationship, Drug Dose-Response,Relationships, Drug Dose-Response
D004797 Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay An immunoassay utilizing an antibody labeled with an enzyme marker such as horseradish peroxidase. While either the enzyme or the antibody is bound to an immunosorbent substrate, they both retain their biologic activity; the change in enzyme activity as a result of the enzyme-antibody-antigen reaction is proportional to the concentration of the antigen and can be measured spectrophotometrically or with the naked eye. Many variations of the method have been developed. ELISA,Assay, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent,Assays, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent,Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay,Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays,Immunosorbent Assay, Enzyme-Linked,Immunosorbent Assays, Enzyme-Linked
D005562 Formazans Colored azo compounds formed by the reduction of tetrazolium salts. Employing this reaction, oxidoreductase activity can be determined quantitatively in tissue sections by allowing the enzymes to act on their specific substrates in the presence of tetrazolium salts. Formazan
D000077336 Caspofungin A cyclic lipopeptide echinocandin and beta-(1,3)-D-glucan synthase inhibitor that is used to treat internal or systemic MYCOSES. Cancidas,Caspofungin Acetate,Caspofungin MSD,L 743,872,L 743872,L-743,872,L-743872,MK 0991,MK-0991,L743,872,L743872,MK0991

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