Volume 50, Issue 1 (5-2026)
Research in Medicine 2026, 50(1): 0-0 |
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Ethics code: IR.SBMU.MSP.REC.1403.439
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Radmanesh N, Jahanshiri Z, Seyedjavadi S S, Goudarzi M. Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Peptide Cliotide U1 on Inhibition of Candida albicans Biofilm Formation and Reduction of ALS1 and HWP1 Gene Expression. Research in Medicine 2026; 50 (1)
URL: http://pejouhesh.sbmu.ac.ir/article-1-3536-en.html
URL: http://pejouhesh.sbmu.ac.ir/article-1-3536-en.html
Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. , gudarzim@yahoo.com
Abstract: (37 Views)
Background and Aim: Candida albicans biofilms pose a major challenge in antifungal therapy due to their intrinsic drug resistance. Antimicrobial peptides with novel mechanisms of action are considered promising therapeutic candidates. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the peptide Cliotide U1 on C. albicans biofilm formation and assess changes in the expression of the key genes ALS1 and HWP1.
Methods: The present study was an in vitro experimental study. The antifungal activity of the peptide was tested against the standard strain SC5314 and five clinical isolates using broth microdilution according to CLSI M27-A4. Biofilm formation and metabolic activity were assessed using crystal violet and XTT assays, respectively. Changes in ALS1 and HWP1 gene expression were measured by real-time PCR.
Results: The MIC of Cliotide U1 against the standard C. albicans strain SC5314 and most clinical isolates was 16 µg/ mL, while only isolate CA2 showed an MIC of 32 µg/ mL. The MFC values ranged from 32 to 64 µg/ mL. The BIC₅₀ of the peptide was 32 µg/ mL for the standard C. albicans strain SC5314 and ranged from 32 to 64 µg/ mL among the clinical isolates. Crystal violet staining showed that treatment with 2×MIC significantly increased biofilm inhibition compared with 1×MIC in all tested strains, with inhibition percentages at 2×MIC ranging from 49.0 ± 1.0% to 61.0 ± 1.0% (P = 0.0002 to P = 0.0060). In the XTT assay, treatment with 2×MIC inhibited the metabolic activity of biofilm- embedded cells by 54.7 ± 7.6% to 67.7 ± 2.5%, and this increase was statistically significant compared with 1×MIC (P = 0.0012 to P = 0.0280). Real-time PCR results also showed that Cliotide U1 significantly reduced the expression levels of ALS1 and HWP1 genes (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Cliotide U1 exhibits antifungal and antibiofilm activity and may serve as a promising candidate for further studies on controlling resistant and biofilm- associated C. albicans infections. Additional in vivo studies are needed to confirm its efficacy.
Methods: The present study was an in vitro experimental study. The antifungal activity of the peptide was tested against the standard strain SC5314 and five clinical isolates using broth microdilution according to CLSI M27-A4. Biofilm formation and metabolic activity were assessed using crystal violet and XTT assays, respectively. Changes in ALS1 and HWP1 gene expression were measured by real-time PCR.
Results: The MIC of Cliotide U1 against the standard C. albicans strain SC5314 and most clinical isolates was 16 µg/ mL, while only isolate CA2 showed an MIC of 32 µg/ mL. The MFC values ranged from 32 to 64 µg/ mL. The BIC₅₀ of the peptide was 32 µg/ mL for the standard C. albicans strain SC5314 and ranged from 32 to 64 µg/ mL among the clinical isolates. Crystal violet staining showed that treatment with 2×MIC significantly increased biofilm inhibition compared with 1×MIC in all tested strains, with inhibition percentages at 2×MIC ranging from 49.0 ± 1.0% to 61.0 ± 1.0% (P = 0.0002 to P = 0.0060). In the XTT assay, treatment with 2×MIC inhibited the metabolic activity of biofilm- embedded cells by 54.7 ± 7.6% to 67.7 ± 2.5%, and this increase was statistically significant compared with 1×MIC (P = 0.0012 to P = 0.0280). Real-time PCR results also showed that Cliotide U1 significantly reduced the expression levels of ALS1 and HWP1 genes (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Cliotide U1 exhibits antifungal and antibiofilm activity and may serve as a promising candidate for further studies on controlling resistant and biofilm- associated C. albicans infections. Additional in vivo studies are needed to confirm its efficacy.
Keywords: Cliotide U1, Candida albicans, Biofilm, ALS1, HWP1, Antimicrobial peptide, Gene expression, BIC₅₀
Type of Study: Original |
Subject:
Mucology
Received: 2026/05/12 | Accepted: 2026/07/1 | Published: 2026/10/17
Received: 2026/05/12 | Accepted: 2026/07/1 | Published: 2026/10/17
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