Artigo Acesso aberto Produção Nacional Revisado por pares

PgTeL, the lectin found in Punica granatum juice, is an antifungal agent against Candida albicans and Candida krusei

2017; Elsevier BV; Volume: 108; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.12.039

ISSN

1879-0003

Autores

Pollyanna Michelle da Silva, Maiara Celine de Moura, Francis Soares Gomes, Danielle da Silva Trentin, Ana Patrícia Silva de Oliveira, Gabriela Souto Vieira de Mello, Maíra Galdino da Rocha Pitta, Moacyr Jesus Barreto de Melo Rêgo, Luana Cassandra Breitenbach Barroso Coelho, Alexandre José Macêdo, Regina Célia Bressan Queiroz de Figueiredo, Patrícia Maria Guedes Paiva, Thiago Henrique Napoleão,

Tópico(s)

Pineapple and bromelain studies

Resumo

The pomegranate (Punica granatum) sarcotesta contains a chitin-binding lectin (PgTeL) with antibacterial activity against human pathogenic species. In this work, the structural stability of PgTeL was evaluated by fluorimetric analysis and the lectin was evaluated for cytotoxicity to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Candida krusei. PgTeL folding was impaired when lectin was incubated at pH≥6.0. On the other hand, the lectin did not undergo unfolding even when heated at 100°C. PgTeL (1, 10, and 100μg/mL) was not cytotoxic to PBMCs. Antifungal activity was detected for C. albicans (MIC: 25μg/mL; MFC: 50μg/mL) and C. krusei (MIC and MFC of 12.5μg/mL). Treatment of yeast cells with PgTeL resulted in decrease of intracellular ATP content even at sub-inhibitory concentrations (½MIC and ¼MIC) and induced lipid peroxidation. In addition, PgTeL damaged the integrity of fungal cell wall of both species, with more pronounced effects in C. krusei. The lectin showed significant antibiofilm activity on C. albicans at sub-inhibitory concentrations (0.195 and 0.39μg/mL). In conclusion, PgTeL is an anti-Candida agent whose action mechanism involves oxidative stress, energetic collapse, damage to the cell wall and rupture of yeast cells.

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