Photosensitizer‐Polypeptide Conjugate for Effective Elimination of Candida albicans Biofilm. Issue 16 (6th July 2022) - Wan, Pengqi
Abstract: Persistent fungal infections caused by biofilms seriously endanger human health. In this study, a photosensitizer‐polypeptide conjugate (PPa‐cP) comprising a photosensitizer, pyropheophorbide a (PPa), and a cationic polypeptide (cP) is readily synthesized for effective antifungal and antibiofilm treatment. Compared with free PPa, the cationic PPa‐cP shows enhanced binding ability to the negatively charged surface of Candida albicans ( C. albicans ) through electrostatic interactions. As a result, PPa‐cP exhibits effective antifungal efficiency against both C. albicans and fluconazole‐resistant C. albicans in vitro under light irradiation. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PPa‐cP for both C. albicans and fluconazole‐resistant C. albicans is 1 µm . In addition, PPa‐cP also shows improved penetration in a C. albicans biofilm, thus effectively eliminating the C. albicans biofilm by photodynamic effects. More importantly, PPa‐cP demonstrats significantly enhanced therapeutic effects in a fluconazole‐resistant C. albicans ‐infected rat model with minimal side effects. In conclusion, the current work presents an effective strategy to combat biofilm infections associated with biomedical equipment. Abstract : A photosensitizer‐polypeptide conjugate (PPa‐cP) comprising a photosensitizer, pyropheophorbide a (PPa), and a cationic polypeptide (cP) is readily synthesized, which exhibits strong fungal biofilm penetration ability and effective antifungal biofilm properties.