Antibiofilm Activity of Protamine Against the Vaginal Candidiasis Isolates of <i>Candida albicans</i>, <i>Candida tropicalis</i> and <i>Candida krusei</i>
<i>Candida</i> species, normally part of the healthy human flora, can cause severe opportunistic infections when their population increases. This risk is even greater in immunocompromised individuals. Women using intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) are at higher risk for IUD-associ...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Sivakumar Jeyarajan Indira Kandasamy Raja Veerapandian Jayasudha Jayachandran Shona Chandrashekar Kalimuthusamy Natarajaseenivasan Prahalathan Chidambaram Anbarasu Kumarasamy |
| author_facet | Sivakumar Jeyarajan Indira Kandasamy Raja Veerapandian Jayasudha Jayachandran Shona Chandrashekar Kalimuthusamy Natarajaseenivasan Prahalathan Chidambaram Anbarasu Kumarasamy |
| author_sort | Sivakumar Jeyarajan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Candida</i> species, normally part of the healthy human flora, can cause severe opportunistic infections when their population increases. This risk is even greater in immunocompromised individuals. Women using intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) are at higher risk for IUD-associated vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) because the device provides a surface for biofilm formation. This biofilm formation allows the normal flora to become opportunistic pathogens, leading to symptoms of VVC such as hemorrhage, pelvic pain, inflammation, itching and discharge. VVC is often linked to IUD use, requiring the prompt removal of these devices for effective treatment. This study evaluated the activity of the arginine-rich peptide “protamine” against <i>Candida albicans</i>, <i>Candida tropicalis</i> and <i>Candida krusei</i> isolated from IUD users who had signs of VVC. The antimicrobial activity was measured using the agar disk diffusion and microbroth dilution methods to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The MIC values of protamine against <i>C. albicans</i>, <i>C. tropicalis</i> and <i>C. krusei</i> are 32 μg mL<sup>−1</sup>, 64 μg mL<sup>−1</sup> and 256 μg mL<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. The determined MIC of protamine was used for a biofilm inhibition assay by crystal violet staining. Protamine inhibited the biofilm formation of the VVC isolates, and its mechanisms were studied through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay. The disruption of cell membranes and the induction of oxidative stress appear to be key mechanisms underlying its anti-candidal effects. The results from an in vitro assay support the potential use of protamine as an antibiofilm agent to coat IUDs in the future for protective purposes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e990147637c844b099173e0bfccfcef5 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2813-0464 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Applied Biosciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-e990147637c844b099173e0bfccfcef52025-08-20T02:42:45ZengMDPI AGApplied Biosciences2813-04642025-01-0141510.3390/applbiosci4010005Antibiofilm Activity of Protamine Against the Vaginal Candidiasis Isolates of <i>Candida albicans</i>, <i>Candida tropicalis</i> and <i>Candida krusei</i>Sivakumar Jeyarajan0Indira Kandasamy1Raja Veerapandian2Jayasudha Jayachandran3Shona Chandrashekar4Kalimuthusamy Natarajaseenivasan5Prahalathan Chidambaram6Anbarasu Kumarasamy7Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Marine Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, IndiaMicrobial Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Marine Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, IndiaDepartment of Microbiology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, IndiaMicrobial Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Marine Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, IndiaMicrobial Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Marine Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, IndiaDepartment of Microbiology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, IndiaDepartment of Biochemistry, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, IndiaMicrobial Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Marine Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, India<i>Candida</i> species, normally part of the healthy human flora, can cause severe opportunistic infections when their population increases. This risk is even greater in immunocompromised individuals. Women using intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) are at higher risk for IUD-associated vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) because the device provides a surface for biofilm formation. This biofilm formation allows the normal flora to become opportunistic pathogens, leading to symptoms of VVC such as hemorrhage, pelvic pain, inflammation, itching and discharge. VVC is often linked to IUD use, requiring the prompt removal of these devices for effective treatment. This study evaluated the activity of the arginine-rich peptide “protamine” against <i>Candida albicans</i>, <i>Candida tropicalis</i> and <i>Candida krusei</i> isolated from IUD users who had signs of VVC. The antimicrobial activity was measured using the agar disk diffusion and microbroth dilution methods to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The MIC values of protamine against <i>C. albicans</i>, <i>C. tropicalis</i> and <i>C. krusei</i> are 32 μg mL<sup>−1</sup>, 64 μg mL<sup>−1</sup> and 256 μg mL<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. The determined MIC of protamine was used for a biofilm inhibition assay by crystal violet staining. Protamine inhibited the biofilm formation of the VVC isolates, and its mechanisms were studied through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay. The disruption of cell membranes and the induction of oxidative stress appear to be key mechanisms underlying its anti-candidal effects. The results from an in vitro assay support the potential use of protamine as an antibiofilm agent to coat IUDs in the future for protective purposes.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0464/4/1/5antifungal peptidesprotaminemulti-drug resistance<i>Candida</i> spp.biofilm inhibitionintrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) |
| spellingShingle | Sivakumar Jeyarajan Indira Kandasamy Raja Veerapandian Jayasudha Jayachandran Shona Chandrashekar Kalimuthusamy Natarajaseenivasan Prahalathan Chidambaram Anbarasu Kumarasamy Antibiofilm Activity of Protamine Against the Vaginal Candidiasis Isolates of <i>Candida albicans</i>, <i>Candida tropicalis</i> and <i>Candida krusei</i> Applied Biosciences antifungal peptides protamine multi-drug resistance <i>Candida</i> spp. biofilm inhibition intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) |
| title | Antibiofilm Activity of Protamine Against the Vaginal Candidiasis Isolates of <i>Candida albicans</i>, <i>Candida tropicalis</i> and <i>Candida krusei</i> |
| title_full | Antibiofilm Activity of Protamine Against the Vaginal Candidiasis Isolates of <i>Candida albicans</i>, <i>Candida tropicalis</i> and <i>Candida krusei</i> |
| title_fullStr | Antibiofilm Activity of Protamine Against the Vaginal Candidiasis Isolates of <i>Candida albicans</i>, <i>Candida tropicalis</i> and <i>Candida krusei</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Antibiofilm Activity of Protamine Against the Vaginal Candidiasis Isolates of <i>Candida albicans</i>, <i>Candida tropicalis</i> and <i>Candida krusei</i> |
| title_short | Antibiofilm Activity of Protamine Against the Vaginal Candidiasis Isolates of <i>Candida albicans</i>, <i>Candida tropicalis</i> and <i>Candida krusei</i> |
| title_sort | antibiofilm activity of protamine against the vaginal candidiasis isolates of i candida albicans i i candida tropicalis i and i candida krusei i |
| topic | antifungal peptides protamine multi-drug resistance <i>Candida</i> spp. biofilm inhibition intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0464/4/1/5 |
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