Activities of Nanoparticles Against Fluconazole-Resistant Candida parapsilosis in Clinical Isolates

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Ensieh Lotfali1, Reza Ghasemi2, Azam Fattahi3

  • 1Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Assay and Drug Development Technologies
|November 12, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Silver and gold nanoparticles show promise against drug-resistant Candida parapsilosis infections. These nanoparticles effectively reduced fungal growth and altered cell morphology, offering a potential new treatment avenue for difficult-to-treat infections.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Nanotechnology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Candida parapsilosis, a non-albicans Candida species, is a significant cause of bloodstream infections in critically ill patients.
  • Fluconazole resistance in C. parapsilosis necessitates the development of alternative therapeutic strategies to combat serious infections.
  • Delayed diagnosis and treatment of C. parapsilosis infections can lead to severe patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the antifungal efficacy of synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) against fluconazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis strains.
  • To evaluate the morphological, membrane permeability, and viability effects of nanoparticles on C. parapsilosis.
  • To assess the cytotoxicity of these nanoparticles against mammalian cell lines.

Main Methods:

  • Antifungal activity was determined using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) M27-A3/S4 guideline.
  • Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to observe morphological changes in C. parapsilosis strains.
  • Confocal laser scanning microscopy and MTT assays were used to assess membrane permeability and cell viability, respectively.

Main Results:

  • Both AgNPs and AuNPs demonstrated significant antifungal activity, with Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) ranging from 0.5-4 μg/mL against ten clinical isolates.
  • AgNPs exhibited greater antifungal activity compared to AuNPs.
  • Nanoparticle treatment resulted in observable changes in fungal morphology and concentration-dependent mortality, confirmed by propidium iodide uptake and MTT assays. Cytotoxicity against mammalian cells was low, particularly at 0.5 μg/mL.

Conclusions:

  • Synthesized AgNPs and AuNPs possess potent fungicidal activity against fluconazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis.
  • Nanoparticles represent a promising alternative therapeutic approach for managing infections caused by drug-resistant C. parapsilosis.
  • Further research into nanoparticle-based treatments is crucial for overcoming antimicrobial resistance.
Keywords:
Candida parapsilosiscytotoxicitydrug resistancemicrobial viabilitynanoparticles

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