Anticandidal activity of bioinspired ZnO NPs: effect on growth, cell morphology and key virulence attributes of Candida species

Abstract

The pathogenicity of Candida species in human is dependent on a variety of virulence factor such as adhesion factors, germ tube and hyphal formation, secretion of hydrolytic phospholipases and proteinases and drug resistance biofilm. ZnO NPs have been synthesized by using leaf extract of Crinum latifolium and were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometer, FTIR, SEM, EDX and TEM. In this study for the first time, potent inhibitory effects of ZnO NPs on principal virulence factors of Candida albicans and non-albicans such as germ tube formation, secretion of hydrolytic phospholipases and proteinases and biofilm formation has been investigated. ZnO NPs remarkably reduced the germ tube formation of C. albicans at 1 (86.4%), 0.5 (75.0%), 0.25 (61.4%), 0.125 (34.1%) and 0.062 mg/ml (11.4%). ZnO NPs significantly lowered the phospholipase and proteinase secretion by 58.8 and 95.2% at 0.25 mg/ml, respectively. CSLM results showed that ZnO NPs suppressed biofilm formation up to 85% at 0.25 mg/ml. SEM and TEM micrograph showed that ZnO NPs penetrated inside the cell and causes extensive damaged in cell wall and cell membrane. Inhibition of Candida growth and various virulent factors by ZnO NPs provides an insight towards their therapeutic application for the treatment of Candida-associated infections.

<p>Anticandidal activity of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles: effect on growth, cell morphology, and key virulence attributes of Candida species</p>

“…Phospolipase activity of untreated and ScAgNPs treated Candida isolates (C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. dubliniensis, C. parapsilosis, and C. krusei) was assessed as described previously. 24,27 The anti-proteinase activity of different concentration of green synthesized ScAgNPs against proteinase positive Candida spp were carried out by following the protocol of our previous study. 24 Lipase activity of control and ScAgNPs treated experiments was carried out using the previously reported protocols.…”

“…24,27 The anti-proteinase activity of different concentration of green synthesized ScAgNPs against proteinase positive Candida spp were carried out by following the protocol of our previous study. 24 Lipase activity of control and ScAgNPs treated experiments was carried out using the previously reported protocols. 28,29 The lysis efficacy of human red blood cells by C. albicans after treatment with varying concentration of ScAgNPs was analyzed as previously described methods with some modification.…”

“…7,30 Further, the effect of ScAgNPs on the germ tube formation by C. albicans was examined as a method previously reported with some modification. 24 Effect of ScAgNPs on C. albicans biofilm The effects of different concentration of ScAgNPs on C. albicans biofilm were assessed by Congo Red Agar method (qualitatively), as described in our previous study with slight modification. 31 Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of ScAgNPs on biofilm formation of C. albicans was quantitatively analyzed and visualized by CLSM (FV1000, Olympus Latin America, Miami, FL, USA) using LIVE/DEAD staining, ie, Con-A-FITC (Sigma Aldrich) and propidium iodide (Sigma Aldrich).…”

“…31 Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of ScAgNPs on biofilm formation of C. albicans was quantitatively analyzed and visualized by CLSM (FV1000, Olympus Latin America, Miami, FL, USA) using LIVE/DEAD staining, ie, Con-A-FITC (Sigma Aldrich) and propidium iodide (Sigma Aldrich). 24…”

“…[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] However, there are very few studies available in the literature on the inhibition of production of various extracellular hydrolytic enzymes and germ tubes in Candida spp by nanoparticles. [22][23][24] Due to the scarcity in the literature on the inhibition of production of various virulence factors by Candida spp, herein for the first time we have reported the potent inhibitory effects of green synthesized AgNPs on the production of different virulence attributes of Candida species isolated from oropharyngeal mucosa of HIV patients. The objective of the present study was i) the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous seed extract of Syzygium cumini (Sc).…”