Department of Animal Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Department of Microbiology, Yasuj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yasuj, Iran.
Mol Biol Rep. 2024 Nov 1;51(1):1114. doi: 10.1007/s11033-024-10054-1.
Menthol, a natural quorum sensing molecule, is derived from the Mentha species. Combating pathogenicity by inactivating quorum sensing is an emerging approach. Therefore, our objective was to investigate anti-quorum sensing and anti-biofilm potentials of menthol in Candida albicans and Candida glabrata.
The antifungal properties of menthol were evaluated using a broth microdilution assay and a time-kill assay, and its effects on quorum sensing-mediated virulence factors, cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and biofilm formation were tested by evaluating TUP1 expression levels in both C. albicans and C. glabrata.
Quorum sensing-mediated virulence factors and biofilm formation were inhibited by menthol in both C. albicans and C. glabrata. Furthermore, coinciding with elevated ROS levels, mRNAs of the quorum sensing-related gene TUP1 were upregulated in both C. albicans and C. glabrata.
This study highlights the anti-quorum sensing potential of menthol through the inhibition of quorum sensing-mediated virulence factors, ROS generation, and biofilm development by targeting TUP1, which could have potential in the treatment of Candida infections.
薄荷醇是一种天然的群体感应分子，来源于薄荷属植物。通过使群体感应失活来对抗致病性是一种新兴的方法。因此，我们的目的是研究薄荷醇在白色念珠菌和光滑念珠菌中的抗群体感应和抗生物膜潜力。
使用肉汤微量稀释法和时间杀伤法评估薄荷醇的抗真菌特性，并通过评估白色念珠菌和光滑念珠菌中 TUP1 表达水平来测试其对群体感应介导的毒力因子、细胞活性氧（ROS）和生物膜形成的影响。
薄荷醇抑制了白色念珠菌和光滑念珠菌中的群体感应介导的毒力因子和生物膜形成。此外，与 ROS 水平升高一致，白色念珠菌和光滑念珠菌中与群体感应相关的基因 TUP1 的 mRNA 上调。
这项研究通过靶向 TUP1 抑制群体感应介导的毒力因子、ROS 生成和生物膜发展，强调了薄荷醇的抗群体感应潜力，这可能在治疗念珠菌感染方面具有潜力。
