Photodynamic Inactivation of Candida albicans with Imidazoacridinones: Influence of Irradiance, Photosensitizer Uptake and Reactive Oxygen Species Generation

PLoS One. 2015 Jun 8;10(6):e0129301. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129301. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

The increasing applicability of antifungal treatments, the limited range of available drug classes and the emergence of drug resistance in Candida spp. suggest the need for new treatment options. To explore the applicability of C. albicans photoinactivation, we examined nine structurally different imidazoacridinone derivatives as photosensitizing agents. The most effective derivatives showed a >10(4)-fold reduction of viable cell numbers. The fungicidal action of the three most active compounds was compared at different radiant powers (3.5 to 63 mW/cm2), and this analysis indicated that 7 mW/cm2 was the most efficient. The intracellular accumulation of these compounds in fungal cells correlated with the fungicidal activity of all 9 derivatives. The lack of effect of verapamil, an inhibitor targeting Candida ABC efflux pumps, suggests that these imidazoacridinones are not substrates for ABC transporters. Thus, unlike azoles, a major class of antifungals used against Candida, ABC transporter-mediated resistance is unlikely. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)-spin trapping data suggested that the fungicidal light-induced action of these derivatives might depend on the production of superoxide anion. The highest generation rate of superoxide anion was observed for 1330H, 1610H, and 1611. Singlet oxygen production was also detected upon the irradiation of imidazoacridinone derivatives with UV laser light, with a low to moderate yield, depending on the type of compound. Thus, imidazoacridinone derivatives examined in the present study might act via mixed type I/type II photodynamic mechanism. The presented data indicate lack of direct correlation between the structures of studied imidazoacridinones, cell killing ability, and ROS production. However, we showed for the first time that for imidazoacridinones not only intracellular accumulation is necessary prerequisite of lethal photosensitization of C. albicans, but also localization within particular cellular structures. Our findings present IA derivatives as efficient antifungal photosensitizers with a potential to be used in local treatment of Candida infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Candida albicans / drug effects*
  • Candida albicans / radiation effects*
  • Photochemical Processes
  • Photosensitizing Agents / pharmacology*
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism*
  • Singlet Oxygen / metabolism
  • Verapamil / pharmacology

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Photosensitizing Agents
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Singlet Oxygen
  • Verapamil

Grants and funding

Financial support for this work was obtained from the National Science Center grant no: NCN 2013/09/B/NZ7.00410 (JN), 2011/03/B/NZ1/00007 (TS), and NCN 2013/09/N/NZ1/00188 (AT). AT is supported by LiSMIDoS – Life Sciences and Mathematics Interdisciplinary Doctoral Studies. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.