Back to Search Start Over

Fungal Quorum-Sensing Molecules: A Review of Their Antifungal Effect against Candida Biofilms

Authors :
Renátó Kovács
László Majoros
Source :
Journal of Fungi, Vol 6, Iss 3, p 99 (2020)
Publication Year :
2020
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2020.

Abstract

The number of effective therapeutic strategies against biofilms is limited; development of novel therapies is urgently needed to treat a variety of biofilm-associated infections. Quorum sensing is a special form of microbial cell-to-cell communication that is responsible for the release of numerous extracellular molecules, whose concentration is proportional with cell density. Candida-secreted quorum-sensing molecules (i.e., farnesol and tyrosol) have a pivotal role in morphogenesis, biofilm formation, and virulence. Farnesol can mediate the hyphae-to-yeast transition, while tyrosol has the opposite effect of inducing transition from the yeast to hyphal form. A number of questions regarding Candida quorum sensing remain to be addressed; nevertheless, the literature shows that farnesol and tyrosol possess remarkable antifungal and anti-biofilm effect at supraphysiological concentration. Furthermore, previous in vitro and in vivo data suggest that they may have a potent adjuvant effect in combination with certain traditional antifungal agents. This review discusses the most promising farnesol- and tyrosol-based in vitro and in vivo results, which may be a foundation for future development of novel therapeutic strategies to combat Candida biofilms.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2309608X
Volume :
6
Issue :
3
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Journal of Fungi
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.62c533ac750e4044aabd993fa6a13ef2
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/jof6030099