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Wang H, Li H, Liu Z, Zhu Z, Cao Y. Activity of thonningianin A against Candida albicans in vitro and in vivo. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:96. [PMID: 38212967 PMCID: PMC10784352 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12996-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Fungal infections are increasing rapidly, and antifungal agents used in clinics are limited. Therefore, novel antifungal agents with high efficiency are urgently required. In this study, we investigated the antifungal activity of thonningianin A (THA), a natural compound that is widely found in plants. We first determined the activity of THA against Candida albicans, one of the most common fungal pathogens, and found that THA showed antifungal activity against all C. albicans tested, including several fluconazole-resistant isolates. THA also inhibits the growth of non-Candida albicans species. In addition, THA displayed antibiofilm activity and could not only inhibit biofilm formation but also destroy mature biofilms. The in vivo antifungal efficacy of THA was confirmed in a Galleria mellonella infection model. Further studies revealed that THA could enhance intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and regulate the transcription of several redox-related genes. Specifically, caspase activity and expression of CaMCA1, a caspase-encoding gene in C. albicans, were remarkably increased upon THA treatment. Consistent with this, in the presence of THA, the Camca1 null mutant displayed higher survival rates and reduced caspase activity compared to the wild-type or CaMCA1-reintroduced strains, indicating an important role of CaMCA1 in the antifungal activity of THA. Taken together, our results indicate that THA possesses excellent antifungal activity and may be a promising novel antifungal candidate. KEY POINTS: • THA exhibits activity against Candida species, including fluconazole-resistant isolates • THA inhibits biofilm formation and destroys mature biofilm • Elevated ROS production and CaMCA1-mediated caspase activity are involved in the antifungal mechanisms of THA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200443, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Dermatology, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - ZhiWei Liu
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200443, China
| | - ZhenYu Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - YingYing Cao
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200443, China.
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Topical Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200443, China.
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Shen J, Zhang C, Liu Y, Zhao M, Wang Q, Li P, Liu R, Wai Wong VK, Zhang C, Sun X. L-type calcium ion channel-mediated activation of autophagy in vascular smooth muscle cells via thonningianin A (TA) alleviates vascular calcification in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 959:176084. [PMID: 37806540 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.176084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Vascular calcification (VC) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, especially among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The pathogenesis of vascular calcification is incompletely understood, and until now, there have been no effective therapeutics for vascular calcification. The L-type calcium ion channel in the cell membrane is vital for Ca2+ influx. The effect of L-type calcium ion channels on autophagy remains to be elucidated. Here, the natural compound thonningianin A (TA) was found to ameliorate vascular calcification in T2DM via the activation of L-type calcium ion channels. The results showed that TA had a concentration-dependent ability to decrease the transcriptional and translational expression of the calcification-related proteins runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) and osteopontin (OPN) (P < 0.01) via ATG7-dependent autophagy in β-glycerophosphate (β-GP)- and high glucose (HG)-stimulated primary mouse aortic smooth muscle cells (MASMCs) and alleviate aortic vascular calcification in VitD3-stimulated T2DM mice. However, nifedipine, an inhibitor of L-type calcium ion channels, reversed TA-induced autophagy and Ca2+ influx in MASMCs. Molecular docking analysis revealed that TA was located in the hydrophobic pocket of Cav1.2 α1C and was mainly composed of the residues Ile, Phe, Ala and Met, which confirmed the efficacy of TA in targeting the L-type calcium channel of Cav1.2 on the cell membrane. Moreover, in an in vivo model of vascular calcification in T2DM mice, nifedipine reversed the protective effects of TA on aortic calcification and the expression of the calcification-related proteins RUNX2, BMP2 and OPN (P < 0.01). Collectively, the present results reveal that the activation of cell membrane L-type calcium ion channels can induce autophagy and ameliorate vascular calcification in T2DM. Thonningianin A (TA) can target and act as a potent activator of L-type calcium ion channels. Thus, this research revealed a novel mechanism for autophagy induction via L-type calcium ion channels and provided a potential therapeutic for vascular calcification in T2DM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialing Shen
- Department of General Surgery (Vascular Surgery), The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China; Department of Vascular Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Yibin, Yibin, 644000, China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Department of General Surgery (Vascular Surgery), The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Yong Liu
- Department of General Surgery (Vascular Surgery), The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Ming Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610500, PR China
| | - Qianqian Wang
- Medical College, Dalian University, Dalian, 116622, China
| | - Pengyun Li
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education & Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Runyu Liu
- Department of General Surgery (Vascular Surgery), The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Vincent Kam Wai Wong
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Chunxiang Zhang
- Laboratory of Nucleic Acids in Medicine for National High-level Talents, Nucleic Acid Medicine of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education & Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Xiaolei Sun
- Department of General Surgery (Vascular Surgery), The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China; Department of Interventional Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China; Laboratory of Nucleic Acids in Medicine for National High-level Talents, Nucleic Acid Medicine of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education & Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China; Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Luzhou, Luzhou, 646000, China; School of Cardiovascular Medicine and Sciences, King's College London British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, Faculty of Life Science and Medicine, King's College London, London, SE5 9NU, United Kingdom.
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