Capric acid secreted by Saccharomyces boulardii influences the susceptibility of Candida albicans to fluconazole and amphotericin B

Sci Rep. 2021 Mar 22;11(1):6519. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-86012-9.

Abstract

The effect of capric acid, secreted by the probiotic yeasts Saccharomyces boulardii, was evaluated on the activities of fluconazole (FLC) and amphotericin B (AMB) against pathogenic Candida albicans fungus. The findings indicated that capric acid may be a promising additive for use in combination with FLC. A FLC-capric acid combination led to reduced efflux activity of multidrug resistance (MDR) transporter Cdr1p by causing it to relocalize from the plasma membrane (PM) to the interior of the cell. The above effect occurred due to inhibitory effect of FLC-capric acid combination of ergosterol biosynthesis. However, capric acid alone stimulated ergosterol production in C. albicans, which in turn generated cross resistance towards AMB and inhibited its action (PM permeabilization and cytoplasm leakage) against C. albicans cells. This concluded that AMB should not be administered among dietary supplements containing capric acid or S. boulardii cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / genetics
  • Amphotericin B / pharmacology*
  • Candida albicans / drug effects*
  • Candida albicans / pathogenicity
  • Cell Membrane / drug effects
  • Cell Membrane Permeability / drug effects
  • Decanoic Acids / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple / drug effects
  • Fluconazole / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Saccharomyces boulardii / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters
  • Decanoic Acids
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • cdr1 protein, S cerevisiae
  • decanoic acid
  • Amphotericin B
  • Fluconazole