Diazepam's antifungal activity in fluconazole-resistant Candida spp. and biofilm inhibition in C. albicans: evaluation of the relationship with the proteins ALS3 and SAP5.

This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal effect of diazepam on mature C. albicans biofilms in vitro and its action on biofilm in formation, as well as its mechanism of action and interaction with structures related to the adhesion of C. albicans, ALS3 and SAP5. To determine the MIC, the broth microdilution test was used according to protocol M27-A3 (CLSI, 2008). In vitro biofilm formation tests were performed using 96-well plates, followed by molecular-docking protocols to analyse the binding agent interaction with ALS3 and SAP5 targets. The results indicate that diazepam has antimicrobial activity against planktonic cells of Candida spp. and C. albicans biofilms, interacting with important virulence factors related to biofilm formation (ALS3 and SAP5). In addition, treatment with diazepam triggered a series of events in C. albicans cells, such as loss of membrane integrity, mitochondrial depolarization and increased production of EROs, causing DNA damage and consequent cell apoptosis.
PMID: 33560202 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Journal of Medical Microbiology - February 9, 2021 Category: Microbiology Authors: Juvêncio da Silva L, Dias Barroso FD, Vieira LS, Carlos Mota DR, da Silva Firmino BK, Rocha da Silva C, de Farias Cabral VP, Cândido TM, Sá LGDAV, Barbosa da Silva WM, Silva J, Marinho ES, Cavalcanti BC, de Moraes MO, Júnior HVN, de Andrade Neto JB Tags: J Med Microbiol Source Type: research