Abstract

Candida albicans undergoes a morphological yeast-to-hyphal transition during infection, which plays a significant role in its pathogenesis. The filamentous morphology of the hyphal form has been identified as a virulence factor as it facilitates surface adherence, intertwining with biofilm, invasion, and damage to host tissues and organs. Hence, inhibition of filamentation in addition to biofilm formation is considered a viable strategy against C. albicans infections. Furthermore, a good understanding of the signaling pathways involved in response to environmental cues driving hyphal growth is also critical to an understanding of C. albicans pathogenicity and to develop novel therapies. In this review, first the clinical significance and transcriptional control of C. albicans hyphal morphogenesis are addressed. Then, various strategies employed to suppress filamentation, prevent biofilm formation, and reduce virulence are discussed. These strategies include the inhibition of C. albicans filament formation using natural or synthetic compounds, and their combination with other agents or nanoformulations.

摘要

白色念珠菌在感染过程中经历了从酵母菌到菌丝的形态转变，这在其发病机制中起重要作用。菌丝形式的丝状形态已被确定为毒力因子，因为它促进表面粘附、与生物膜交织、入侵和对宿主组织和器官的损害。因此，除了生物膜形成之外，抑制细丝化被认为是对抗白色念珠菌感染的可行策略。此外，对驱动菌丝生长的环境线索的反应所涉及的信号通路的良好理解对于理解白色念珠菌的致病性和开发新疗法也至关重要。在这篇综述中，首先介绍了解决了白色念珠菌菌丝形态发生问题。然后，讨论了用于抑制成丝、防止生物膜形成和降低毒力的各种策略。这些策略包括使用天然或合成化合物抑制白色念珠菌丝形成，以及它们与其他试剂或纳米制剂的组合。