Purpurin triggers caspase-independent apoptosis in Candida dubliniensis biofilms

PLoS One. 2013 Dec 23;8(12):e86032. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086032. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Candida dubliniensis is an important human fungal pathogen that causes oral infections in patients with AIDS and diabetes mellitus. However, C. Dubliniensis has been frequently reported in bloodstream infections in clinical settings. Like its phylogenetically related virulent species C. albicans, C. Dubliniensis is able to grow and switch between yeast form and filamentous form (hyphae) and develops biofilms on both abiotic and biotic surfaces. Biofilms are recalcitrant to antifungal therapies and C. Dubliniensis readily turns drug resistant upon repeated exposure. More than 80% of infections are associated with biofilms. Suppression of fungal biofilms may therefore represent a viable antifungal strategy with clinical relevance. Here, we report that C. dubliniensis biofilms were inhibited by purpurin, a natural anthraquinone pigment isolated from madder root. Purpurin inhibited C. dubliniensis biofilm formation in a concentration-dependent manner; while mature biofilms were less susceptible to purpurin. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed scanty structure consisting of yeast cells in purpurin-treated C. dubliniensis biofilms. We sought to delineate the mechanisms of the anti-biofilm activity of purpurin on C. Dubliniensis. Intracellular ROS levels were significantly elevated in fungal biofilms and depolarization of MMP was evident upon purpurin treatment in a concentration-dependent manner. DNA degradation was evident. However, no activated metacaspase could be detected. Together, purpurin triggered metacaspase-independent apoptosis in C. dubliniensis biofilms.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anthraquinones / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Apoptosis / physiology
  • Biofilms / drug effects*
  • Candida / drug effects
  • Candida / physiology*
  • Candida / ultrastructure
  • Drug Resistance, Fungal / physiology
  • In Situ Nick-End Labeling
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Statistics, Nonparametric

Substances

  • Anthraquinones
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • purpurin anthraquinone

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases, the Food and Health Bureau of the Government of the HKSAR (Project No. 11100992 to PWKT); Health and Medical Research Fund, the Food and Health Bureau of the Government of the HKSAR (Project No. 12111292 to PWKT); Seed Funding Programme for Basic Research from The University of Hong Kong (Project No. 201211159011 to PWKT). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.