STUDY OF ANTIFUNGAL MODE OF ACTION OF 4-HYDROXY-3-(3-METHYL-2-BUTENYL) ACETOPHENONE AGAINST Candida albicans

SOBERÓN, J.R.; LIZARRAGA, E.; SGARIGLIA, M.A.; SAMPIETRO, D.A.; BEN ALTABEF, A.; CATALAN,C.A.N.; VATTUONE,M. A.

Tucuman

Congreso; THIRD JOINT MEETING OF THE BIOLOGY SOCIETIES OF ARGENTINA; 2015

Sociedades Argentinas de Biologia

C. albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen whose proliferation is favored in immunocompromised patients, producing multiple infections. 4-hydroxy-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)acetophenone (4HMBA) is the main secondary metabolite isolated from Senecio nutans Sch. Bip (Asteraceae) aerial parts, which was already described as an antifungal against C. albicans (ATCC10231). C. albicans strainswith calcineurin pathway mutations, iron chelating activity, time-lapse microscopy observation of germ tubes development and electron microscopy observations were used to assess the antifungal mode of action of 4HMBA. Calcineurin activity, calcineurin controlled transcriptional factor and iron homeostasis were not affected by 4HMBA. Microscopy observations indicated that 4HMBA inhibits cell transition between yeast-form (non virulent) to filamentous-form (virulent) and reduced cell wall thickness. Our findings suggest that 4HMBA is a compound of interest to support further studies dealing with chemical modifications to increase the activity and diminish the fungal resistance to the commercial antifungal drugs. Further assays should clarify the cell target for 4HMBA and the action mechanism, though this study sets the first step for those researches