Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Polymers against Fungal Infections

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

Synthetic polymers against fungal infections

When combined with antifungal drugs, synthetic polymers are particularly effective against Candida albicans. This is what a German-Australian research team found out and also clarified the mechanism of action behind it. The international collaboration came about by chance during an unplanned research stay that initiated the study at the Leibniz-HKI in Jena.

Every year, over two million people are affected by invasive fungal infections, which are often caused by Candida species and are associated with high mortality rates. The development of new therapies is progressing very slowly. However, the need is increasing, especially as drug resistance is developing more and more frequently. An interdisciplinary research team led by Dr. Sascha Brunke from the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI) has now investigated the mode of action and therapeutic potential of synthetic polymers.

New synthetic polymers with strong efficacy:

The unexpected team developed several synthetic polymers from the polyacrylamide family that showed strong efficacy against Candida albicans , even against resistant strains. In particular, the polymer called LH, together with the drug caspofungin, was extremely effective against the fungus and significantly improved the survival rate of infected moth larvae in laboratory tests.

All-round strike against fungal cells:

In the study, the team also uncovered the exact mode of action of the compounds for the first time. "The synthetic polymers attack the fungal cells in different ways at the same time. They also use new target structures and are therefore very efficient. This is the difference to conventional antimycotics, which only have a one-sided effect. The compounds caused stress in the fungal cell and weakened it by hindering glycosylation on the cell surface. In this chemical process, sugar chains are bound to proteins, which is important for the stability and function of the cells. The polymers also damaged the walls and membranes of the fungal cells, causing them to die. In addition, the polymers also supported immune cells in the destruction of fungal cells, as was discovered in interaction tests.

Hope for resistant fungi:

"It was also remarkable that LH together with antifungal agents did not lead to the development of resistance in C. albicans in the laboratory. This indicates that such combination therapies are not only more effective, but also more sustainable than previous therapies and can therefore lead to better treatment success. "The production of synthetic polymers is relatively inexpensive. They are also stable and storable compared to conventional active ingredients. They could therefore make a significant contribution to public health, particularly in low-income countries.

Source:www.bionity.com